2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is a five-seat compact luxury crossover SUV that arrived in the US for the 2016 model year as the replacement for the boxier GLK. It shares its underpinnings with the C-Class sedan and competes directly with the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Volvo XC60. The volume model throughout its run has been the turbocharged four-cylinder GLC 300, offered with rear-wheel drive or 4MATIC all-wheel drive, with plug-in hybrid and Mercedes-AMG performance versions broadening the lineup in most years.

The GLC has been one of Mercedes-Benz's best-selling models in the US, valued for its comfortable ride, quiet and upscale cabin, and current infotainment technology rather than outright sportiness. It appeals to small families and commuters stepping into the luxury segment, as well as Mercedes loyalists downsizing from larger SUVs. Because the nameplate spans two generations across the 2016-2026 model years, shoppers will find meaningful differences in size, technology, and powertrains depending on the year they choose.

The 2018 model: Introduced for 2016 as the GLK's replacement, the X253 moved to the C-Class's rear-drive platform and adopted rounded, car-like styling in place of its predecessor's upright look. The mainstay GLC 300 paired a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 9-speed automatic and available 4MATIC all-wheel drive, and the range grew to include the GLC 350e plug-in hybrid plus the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 (biturbo V6) and GLC 63 (biturbo V8). A 2020-model-year refresh brought updated styling, a power bump to 255 hp for the GLC 300, and MBUX touchscreen infotainment.