In-depth reviews

Mercedes GLC owner reviews

Name: Mercedes GLC SUV
Brand: Mercedes

“The Mercedes GLC is an SUV that benefits from a lot of C-Class pedigree, but with a raised ride height and improved practicality”

by Carbuyer

5 May 2021

Carbuyer Rating

3.8 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.7 out of 5

Price

£18,780 - £87,109

Buy used for less at Buyacar SPECIFICATIONS

68%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

10reviews
3reviews
4reviews
2reviews

Common Problems

Brakes, Other (1 cases)
Gearbox / clutch (2 cases)
Other (3 cases)

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

GLC43

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I have had this car for about 9 months. It is fantastic. I had an A45 AMG before and although it is much bigger it goes almost as well. I prefer the permanent 4 wheel drive. It has a huge boot, excellent interior space and equipment and puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. For a 3ltr car it does over 30 to the gallon (except on short journeys around town) as an average which is brilliant.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Touch wood I've not had any issues.

Performance

5 out of 5

Excellent, with the air suspension you can set it to suit your taste.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

For the size of vehicle they are on par or better than most of similar size.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

350d AMG

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Review

What a car, brilliant engine You really can't beat this car, I've tried them all and Q5 would be my second choice. The gearbox is super smooth, I know it's not a cheap car but you get what you pay for.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

250d sport premium plus

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

43.5

Review

Choose the GLC 250d over a Discovery Sport HSE... Dealer has been brilliant - nothing has been too much trouble... Has been a great vehicle in 8 months and 9000 miles. No problems at all. Averaging 43 MPG which includes some towing . Extremely comfortable and easy to drive. Everything just works. Definitely a premium fit and finish... Love some of the tech such as adaptive cruise... Used for commuting, caravan towing and a long distance European holiday

Reliability

5 out of 5

No problems

Performance

Ample for what I need... Can be reasonably swift if pushed but has plenty of power for daily use

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Better than expected... an improvement over my previous X3 which averaged around 38MPG over 4.5 years

Version

250d AMG line Premium

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I bought this from a main dealer as an ex demo with 4,500 miles and 6 months old. Shortly after purchase they replaced all brake disks due to bad vibration. A month ago the power steering stopped working as we went around a bend. It had to be towed away. It now needs a complete replacement steering rack. Parts won’t arrive for another two weeks and will take a further two weeks to fit.

Reliability

1 out of 5

Very poor

Performance

Good

Running Cost

Good

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

250 Plus

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

i have now done 6000 miles and the longer I keep the car the more I love it. I had most of the extras including the air suspension which works brilliantly. I have owned a BMW X3 and I prefer the GLC 4 wheel drive. It seems to adapt much faster than the BMW did. I had the 6 cylinder in the BMW, but I am getting on fine with the Merc 4 pot. The only small issue I have is that some times the touch locking on the passenger side gets very choosey, but it's usually fine on cold or wet days. Never been an issue on the drivers side. The adaptive cruise control works extremely well and is especially good in fog. I have driven from Leicester to St Ives in Cornwall and back in a day, without feeling cramped or uncomfortable, what more can I say about the superb electric seats. on longer motorway drives it easily does over 40mpg, but in town I get about 30mpg so I am happy.

Reliability

5 out of 5

very reliable so far

Performance

4 out of 5

plenty for what I need, but you can go to AMG 43 version or 350 diesel if more needed.

Running Cost

4 out of 5

Reasonable compared to other cars I have had

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

220d sport

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Review

Had the GLC for a month now, fantastic car, could not be happier. More refined than its competitors. Seems the perfect all-rounder for a growing family - I originally thought I would buy a c class estate or a4 avant, but the additional practicality makes a big difference. Very easy to drive especially with optional 360 cameras. Glad I did not splash out the extra £££s for the command online as the audio20 with garmin nav is perfectly good for what I need. Bought for a very good price by shopping around away from local dealer.

Version

250d se

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Very disappointing! This new car left the showroom with issues and 7 days after taking delivery the gearbox failed. The dealership was very obstructive and only agreed to give us a refund after getting MB headquarters involved.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

220 se

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The car has been a revelation! Whether on Eco or sports mode, it runs smoothly as expected. Have not had any trouble since delivery.

Reliability

Has never failed or let me down somfar

Performance

Definitely 4 stars

Running Cost

Very efficient on Eco mode

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

220d

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

My car has 40,000 on the clock now. The one fault I’ve had is the central console creaks in some weathers and at some temperatures, which the dealer can’t fix. Other than that it has been faultless: a joy to drive, economical (55mpg on a run), quiet, comfortable, smooth - and an outstanding towcar for my 1800kg caravan. It’s the best Mercedes I've owned so far. Highly recommended.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

250 AMG line premium plus

Year of registration

2018

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Excellent car, very quiet, comfortable and surprised that being petrol its fuel economy is better than my previous 3 year old diesel Volvo XC60. I've noticed absolutely no crabbing as noted by previous reviews. However, I'm disappointed that there's no spare wheel and, though I bought a spacesaver from the dealer there is nowhere to put it under the boot floor so it fills the boot. I've reduced my rating for the GLC because of this.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Excellent but only a few weeks old so should be

Performance

5 out of 5

Can’t fault it

Running Cost

4 out of 5

Better than expected for a petrol

Version

AMG GLC43 4Matic Premium Plus

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

As others have stated, terrible problem called crabbing where at low speed and full lock the front tyre sidewall gets dragged under the wheel rim resulting in terrible grinding noise and juddering through the steering wheel. I booked the car back in to Aberdeen MB dealership Arnold Clark and they reported that there was no technical problem with the car and the conditions I was experiencing was a 'characteristic' of the car and was not a safety issue but agreed to fit all weather tyres to the car - 4 months later, I'm still waiting to have tyres fitted. At the first service I again told them to investigate the noise again as I was not satisfied, again, I got the same stock answer. I challenged their opinion and suggested it was an engineering/design problem and the representative eventually conceded that it was a result of LHD designed cars being changed to RHD models for UK market and the resulting steering/wheel geometry changes although he still maintained there was no safety issue. I asked about the promised tyre change and he advised that they were having problems sourcing them and promised to chase this up... still waiting. We are extremely disappointed with MB's reluctance to do anything and I'm surprised that they do not appear to be aware of the reputational damage this will have on their brand. I for one will never purchase another Mercedes car of any description and you can be certain that when anyone asks me how I am enjoying my new car, I will be only too glad to tell them with my recommendation not to touch them with a barge pole.

Version

250 AMG LIne

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I have my GLC 250 AMG line P Plus with 20" wheels for 4 months now and I am very disappointed. The car crabs to one side and makes noise when on full steering lock to the point where it wore the tyre edges bald in 6500 miles. When I went to MB they said yep under warranty they changed the 4 tyres to all season which has made no difference at all. If I could return the car I would but MB are one of the worst manufactures to deal with. They really don't care and to come out of my car I would need to lose £6Kin 4 months Shame on you MB I will never buy another Mercedes car again.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

250cdi AMG line Premium Plus

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The car is very comfortable and exudes a quality build. It is remarkably easy to drive despite the size, easier than my E-Class. On motorways it is as smooth and quiet as it is on local roads. It is fast, faster than you are aware of and on motorways it is just purring at 70 and acceleration is remarkable. Although the extras of the Premium Plus seem expensive they are very useful and I use them all. Overall it is by far the best car I have owned.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

250d AMG Premium Plus

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Only had this car for a fortnight but, wow, what a car, it does everything other cars can do but better. It is comfortable, fast (enough) and economical(ish) and quiet. The seats get you into more position than the Kama Sutra and are plush and comfortable. The driving position is excellent, as is visibility. I don't really have any negatives about this car at all. (I'll update if/when problems occur) I would recommend this car without hesitation BUT when buying a new Mercedes you have no choice but to deal with a Mercedes main dealer, that really lets this car down, the customer service is about the worst I have ever experienced buying any car. I have bought 5 Mercedes, all from main dealers, and the service has always been terrible - but that's another story. Sticking to the car review - go and buy one, you will not regret it. They really are that good.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No problems so far, thankfully.

Performance

5 out of 5

Superb, drives and handles like a dream.

Running Cost

4 out of 5

The economy of this car is 36 mpg at the moment, that is not reliable though as I have only had it two weeks. I'll update after 1000 miles or so.

Version

250

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Having returned our first GLC after 3 weeks and a failed gearbox, 2 years in and we await a fix for a failed gearbox on our second. Approaching 4 weeks now of Mercedes being unable to find a solution. Dealer is quite helpful, it is the product which has failed. Other than that (and after getting a new set of tyres to stop the crabbing), the car is very good.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

220d urban edition

Year of registration

2018

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The Mercedes GLC is an awesome SUV, especially given the price I got mine. Super quiet in the cabin, no crabbing or clonking on 20-inch summer tyres. The car tows my 1,550kg caravan a treat and it is very economical for a heavy SUV. Easily the best-looking SUV on the market inside and out.

Version

Premium Sport

Year of registration

2016

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

9500

Review

Warning: there is an inherent fault with all right hand drive GLCs, if you turn full lock, left or right, the outside tyre skips and jumps. The larger the wheel the noisier it is. My car at 9000 miles has pieces of rubber broken off from the outside tread on both front tyres, this is due to the stress of the tyre being dragged across the surface of the road. This is a basic steering geometry issue (Ackerman steering is incorrect). I have read the reviews here in magazines, no one picks this up as an issue, which amazes me. If you have to do full lock turns this issue is so bad that it will gnaw at you, like someone dragging their nails down an old school blackboard. Having a car is about the ownership experience, to date my experience is Mercedes have the worse aftercare service of any Car I have bought in the past. Mercedes UK do not help and refer you back to the dealer. The air con in my car failed and could not be repaired as no dealer in the West of Scotland had the specific Mercedes equipment nor the ability to fix the air con without it. Six months later and finally it is fixed. The sat nav memory card was 3 version back when I got the car, I followed the instructions to upgrade and the card failed to get recognised by the car after the update. Six weeks after being put in for repair a new sat nav SD card was supplied, I had to go to a dealer to have it fitted, when I was told the car was ready I discovered the new card was two revisions behind, so back to square one. My only complaint about the car itself is the infotainment system is woefully slow, other than that the car is great. So if you do not mind a clunking dragging noise every time you turn the steering to hard lock and you do not mind very poor aftercare the GLC is the car for you.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

220d AMG Line

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I've had my brand new GLC for a week. Having previously had a CLA Shooting Brake and a Range Rover Evoque. Firstly let me say this car is far superior to the Evoque, from ride comfort to build quality and ultimately the overall package. Anyone who says the 220d is under powered clearly likes to race around the roads. Not I! It more than copes with anything I require and really is a pleasure to drive.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Not had long enough but seems ok so far.

Performance

5 out of 5

Good all round performance for a heavy vehicle.

Running Cost

With a stiff new engine on a mix of roads, 45mpg isnt that bad.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

250D Sport Premium Plus

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The car has been a refined and reliable companion for 6 months and it always feels like a premium product. I added pretty much all the available extras to the car (driver assistance, air suspension, off road, 360 camera and active lights) over and above the premium plus package. They all work very well and the driver assistance package is fantastic for reducing fatigue on a long journey. The fuel consumption (average just over 42mpg) is significantly better than my previous Outlander PHEV (average 35mpg) and the car is an effortless motorway cruiser. To summarise, the GLC is a very accomplished and desirable vehicle.