In-depth reviews

Mercedes GLC hybrid (2020-2022) review

The GLC in both 300 e (petrol-electric) and 300 de (diesel-electric) form, and as a coupe or SUV, offers a different take on the luxury plug-in hybrid formula

Mercedes GLC hybrid
Overall rating

4.0 out of 5

Pros

  • Fast and powerful
  • Company-car-tax friendly
  • Petrol and diesel available

Cons

  • Less agile than BMW
  • Step in boot floor
  • Expensive
ModelElectric rangeFuel economyCO2 emissions
GLC 300 e SUV27-28 miles117-123mpg52-54g/km
GLC 300 e Coupe26-27 miles109-118mpg54-59g/km
GLC 300 de SUV27 miles149-157mpg48-50g/km
GLC 300 de Coupe25-26 miles135-149mpg51-55g/km

The Mercedes GLC is the three-pointed star’s answer to the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, Lexus NX and Jaguar F-Pace. Like all of its competitors, the GLC is available as plug-in hybrid, but is uniquely offered with both petrol-electric (GLC 300 e) and diesel-electric (GLC 300 de) power, and comes in both a traditional and practical SUV or stylish Coupe-SUV body shape.

Of course, this is the previous generation of Mercedes’ mid-size luxury SUV. The new second-generation GLC 300 e and 300 de get larger batteries, an 80-mile pure-electric driving range and technology from the S-Class flagship, among other upgrades.

But company-car users should still be happy with the original GLC PHEV: thanks to low CO2 emissions and electric running potential, whichever version you go for, the Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) contributions are drastically lower than they would be for an equivalent purely combustion-engined model.

The petrol GLC 300 e uses a familiar 2.0-litre petrol-electric setup from elsewhere in the Mercedes range (such as the C-Class hybrid), producing a combined 316bhp. The result is a nippy 0-62mph time of just 5.7 seconds – and on the road, the plug-in GLC feels as fast as those figures suggest.

In its default drive mode, the GLC 300 e will prioritise electric power for nearly 30 miles – as long as you aren’t too heavy with your right foot. Leave it in this setting and the intelligent regenerative braking system will read the road ahead, taking care of all but the most evasive braking manoeuvres – all the while feeding energy back into the battery that would otherwise be lost.

That 13.5kWh battery can be topped up in just over two-and-a-half hours with a home wallbox charger, or you can just use a standard domestic socket and still be done comfortably overnight, ready to go for another zero-emissions commute in the morning.

As is the case with a number of plug-in hybrid models, practicality takes a minor hit – the GLC has a small step in the boot floor. And due to the placement of the batteries, there's no underfloor storage, either – so unless you leave them at home, the car’s charging cables must sit alongside your bread and milk in the boot.

Another downside is that, as well as not being as good to drive as its BMW rival, this version of the petrol-electric GLC isn't as efficient as many of its rivals. It may well be that, as is the case with the E-Class executive saloon – the diesel plug-in hybrid option actually makes more sense, particularly for those who regularly exceed the car's pure-electric range on their journeys. For a more detailed look at the GLC hybrid, read on for the rest of our in-depth review...

Most Popular

Electric Ford Puma could become the UK’s best-selling EV
Ford Puma EV
News

Electric Ford Puma could become the UK’s best-selling EV

The Ford Puma EV is set to arrive in 2024 with a range of over 200 miles and a tweaked exterior design
22 May 2023
Vauxhall Corsa Electric facelift brings sharp new look and tech
2024 Vauxhall Corsa Electric - header
News

Vauxhall Corsa Electric facelift brings sharp new look and tech

Vauxhall’s top-selling electric supermini has been updated for 2023, now getting the ‘Vizor’ from the Mokka Electric
24 May 2023
BMW i5 breaks cover as 5 Series EV
BMW i5 - eDrive40 dynamic front
News

BMW i5 breaks cover as 5 Series EV

BMW has unveiled an all-electric version of its long-running 5 Series, with a range of up to 362 miles
24 May 2023

More on GLC

New 2022 Mercedes GLC plug-in hybrid now on sale from £62,210
New 2022 Mercedes GLC
News

New 2022 Mercedes GLC plug-in hybrid now on sale from £62,210

Merc’s BMW X3 rival is offered with two plug-in hybrid powertrains, plus an infotainment setup from the latest S-Class limo
30 Sep 2022
2020 Mercedes GLC plug-in hybrid: prices, specifications and on-sale date
Mercedes GLC hybrid
Mercedes-Benz GLC

2020 Mercedes GLC plug-in hybrid: prices, specifications and on-sale date

New Mercedes GLC 300 e 4MATIC plug-in hybrid on sale now priced from £49,687
29 May 2020