Mercedes GLC hybrid range, MPG, CO2 & charging

There are other Mercedes models available as either diesel or petrol plug-in hybrids – for example, the C-Class and E-Class saloons. However, a diesel-electric SUV is still a rare thing and none of the GLC's main rivals from BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Lexus or Volvo offer this option. Diesel works best for fuel economy on longer trips, as these engines are efficient at a constant speed on the motorway. The petrol version should be nearly as economical if you mainly use electric power, but it’s not as good for long-distance excursions.

Mercedes GLC hybrid SUV range, MPG & CO2 emissions

As you might expect, the diesel-electric GLC 300 de is the more efficient of the two, with claimed economy topping out at 157mpg in SUV form (versus 123mpg for the petrol) and CO2 emissions as low as 48g/km (versus 52g/km for the petrol). That last figure is important, as it means the GLC 300 de is in a lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax band than the GLC 300 e (14% versus 15%). That could be the clincher for many, although certain versions of the diesels are in the same bracket as the petrols due to slight changes in specification and wheel size. The electric range for both = is under 30 miles – 25-27 for the diesel and 26-28 for the petrol.

Charge time

Mercedes says the GLC 300 hybrid's on-board charger allows for a top-up from a standard home wallbox in 90 minutes for both the petrol and diesel models. Charging from a domestic socket using a three-pin plug will be much slower – about five hours. That’s still more than quick enough for overnight charging, though.