ParjAS

Okay... Let me get this bit straight. I am not looking for a new GLC, just reflecting on my decision. This is totally from a fun to drive standpoint and so fuel economy won't be a huge factor here.
Just wondering, does anybody own a RWD and a 4MATIC? Could you tell me any differences you have noticed?
Personally, I got AWD because I need it. I found it to bias the rear 99.99% of the time. Enough to the point that the rear end is tossable. That earns it some fun points.

GLK63AMG

For me I have a 4matic in Florida and wet weather traction is far superior than RWD. Slick roads in Florida are a daily occurrence and having the confidence I can make any maneuver on the road to avoid trouble is worth the extra money.

drwolf

i have the RWD i mean in California where it is primarily hot and that the mountains arent worth traveling for the 4matic is not of big use. Winter time would be the only time the 4matic would be useful, for snow. Thats just me

ParjAS

Agreed

tGs Wraith

After driving some Subaru's and AWD VW's I decided I'd never buy anything but AWD again... I've had some hairy situations over the years and the AWD saved me. It's definitely less "fun" than a RWD but I prefer the safety of better grip when it's needed.

ParjAS

Basically the reason I got the GLC with AWD when all my other cars are either FWD or RWD

20 glc 300

We test drove both and we could not justify getting 4Matic in Arizona. The real wheel drive drove great, and we picked it up last Thursday 2020 GLC 300 graphite grey panoroof premium package ..parking assist ...drivers assist....media package...Keyless go ...keyless entry....Got a good.to excellent deal on a service loaner with a 6650 miles.

ParjAS

Congratulations!

Roni07

The reason we went with the 4Matic is really for that one time, when the roads are wet and sleepers that you are going to need the extra traction or to prevent side skidding etc.

ParjAS

Basically what 4matic is for...

james90755

I am a diehard rwd fan... and love the characteristics or rwd. '68 mustang, '98 mustang. C-Class. Time to buy a GLC, but I want to understand the 2wd vs 4matic. Surprisingly this information isn't easy to find. I don't want to use "old" thinking if there's something better.

Trying to understand from a driving ethusiast perspective, are there reasons for 4matic other than for safety and inclement weather? I imagine it would allow you to push closer to the limit where you'd brake traction in turns. Maybe a little better with 4 wheels pushing you forward under rapid acceleration. Can a 4matic be as "fun" to drive as a rwd?

Roni07

I have a 2016 GLE350 4Matic: compared to GLE RWD
- 4Matic is more stable on and off road, also on wet surfaces and going in/out of curves, corners, however the 4M feels heavier and slower to drive and is not as responsive as the FWD.

ParjAS

I am an enthusiast, and and a BMW guy. I love sliding around in my M2 and all that stuff. So when it was time for me to buy something "sane and sensible" I bought a 300 4Matic. Grudging that it had a 4-pot and AWD was part of the issue, but the GLC is surprisingly fun. I like how the steering isn't fighting the front wheels, and how it is always locked rear biased 45/55 on 300s, 31/69 on 43s, torque vectoring on 63s. Never understeers, neutral through turns, and handles weather quite decently. To be fair, there are almost no RWD models where I live, but I assume that if you live in places where snow and rain are minimal, 2WD is still the way to go. Maybe it feels dullheaded on the big GLE, but it's fine on the GLC.

james90755

Ah, sliding around.... yes the technical term I couldn't find. I am in my 50's, so "sane and [somewhat] sensible" is kinda where I am too. I live coastal Central California, so little inclement weather. I would like to drive on the beach (sand), dirt roads, and other non-pavement situations with some frequency, but I cannot say I "need" 4wd per se. Amazing where you actually can go on 2wd. (My daily driver is a Jeep Grand Cherokee today). I won't be "off-roading", just seeing less than ideal driving surfaces and rural enough that you have to solve your own problems should you get stuck.

My old school thinking was JGC 4x4, V-8. [Tim the Toolman Taylor grunt]. GLC300 4matic is where I am heading... more fun, more sophisticated tech... creature comforts, etc.

Kronodeus

The newer 4matic+ system you'll find on the GLC63s has a "drift mode" which forces RWD mode. In the regular 4matic system, on-board computers are deciding where to allocate torque for the best traction. Haven't done much research on this but I wouldn't be surprised if it is biased towards RWD under normal driving conditions as OP postulated.

ParjAS

If you live in SoCal I don't see the need for 4wd, save the cash and et that option you've been holding off. Use the Jeep GC to go off road. Besides, the MB has plenty of ground clearence.
Oh yeah, and the 4matic is almost always locked 45/55.

james90755

Yeah, the Jeep GC is going to go when I buy the Benz, but I have a Jeep Wrangler 2dr on 35's, 5.13, built for rock crawling as an around town driver. This is the one that's going to be hard to give up if the day ever comes. Even has a lifetime warranty... remember when that was the thing around 2008?

james90755

So I go for a walk tonight, and sitting in a parking lot along the way there is a 2020 GLC300 selenite gray, AMG... basically "my car" (though I am not so sure I want AMG's staggered wheel setup) less the trailer hitch that I need. It was a sign. Beautiful car! The owner walked up while we were gauging at the car, so I got a chance to hear how much he enjoyed the car.

ParjAS

If you have a Wrangler, RWD it is.