AFR article - Mercedes gets everything right with the GLC SUV
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 251
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From: Melbourne, Australia
GLE 350D GLC 250D, Previous vehicles W204, W164, W163, W210 & W202
AFR article - Mercedes gets everything right with the GLC SUV
A review of the GLC published in the Australian Financial Review (AFR).
http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/mercede...0160418-go8tfv
http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/mercede...0160418-go8tfv
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 266
Likes: 20
From: Australia
GLC 250D
I think that this is the second review that the AFR has done. IIRC there was a full review around or shortly after the vehicle arrived in Australia, back in December. That may have been the diesel version. Much the same conclusion. Since the AFR is part of the Fairfax group, I think that its reviews also appear in other papers and perhaps on certain car-related websites as well.
I tentatively disagree with one statement in the review:
"One thing the GLC 250 won't happily do out of the box is tackle the great outdoors. For that you'll need to stump up with a $3500 option pack that includes sump guard, some body and suspension changes and off-road driving modes (including hill descent) programmed into the computer."
I wasn't prepared to wait to drive the car and then order a custom build with these options, so I bought one without them. I've done a small amount of adventurous off-road driving (with a full spare in the back) and didn't feel limited by the vehicle. And this is with the AMG line pack. I am a little wary of ground clearance, since it's only moderate and reduced slightly by AMG, but traction was good, clearance adequate, and the 250D diesel engine pulled us up some amazing inclines that I wouldn't try in a 2WD.
One thing I did when collecting my vehicle was get my dealer to put on in the hoist so that I could examine how much under-body protection it had without the off-road pack enhancement, and I thought that it wasn't too bad. I'm still wary of going over large rocks, but you'd have to be really careless to do significant damage.
I tentatively disagree with one statement in the review:
"One thing the GLC 250 won't happily do out of the box is tackle the great outdoors. For that you'll need to stump up with a $3500 option pack that includes sump guard, some body and suspension changes and off-road driving modes (including hill descent) programmed into the computer."
I wasn't prepared to wait to drive the car and then order a custom build with these options, so I bought one without them. I've done a small amount of adventurous off-road driving (with a full spare in the back) and didn't feel limited by the vehicle. And this is with the AMG line pack. I am a little wary of ground clearance, since it's only moderate and reduced slightly by AMG, but traction was good, clearance adequate, and the 250D diesel engine pulled us up some amazing inclines that I wouldn't try in a 2WD.
One thing I did when collecting my vehicle was get my dealer to put on in the hoist so that I could examine how much under-body protection it had without the off-road pack enhancement, and I thought that it wasn't too bad. I'm still wary of going over large rocks, but you'd have to be really careless to do significant damage.
Last edited by bips; Apr 30, 2016 at 09:20 PM. Reason: typos
