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I love our MB GLC300 4Matik. It's beautiful car and when it comes to luxury nothing beats it in its' price range. BMW might be better handling car, but aside from it's drive-train it feels like a downgrade when you sit in it after MB. And I like MB's in general. If they could adopt BMW engineering these cars could compete with Porsche.
But there is one thing I am not fond of in this 2021 GLC300 - it's front bumper and grill. I mean, why change the design of headlights if you are not going to put matching bumper on it? The older grill shape was turned upside down on other lines of MB, and their headlights followed the pattern. But with GLC300 they changed headlights, but they left the bumper as it was before, making it totally out of place and mismatching. Unless you want to upgrade to AMG trim, you are stuck with this ugly GLC300 grill.
What are your thoughts on it? Any reasonable remedy there that doesn't cost a fortune or isn't cheap/fake aftermarket solution to it?
I love our MB GLC300 4Matik. It's beautiful car and when it comes to luxury nothing beats it in its' price range. BMW might be better handling car, but aside from it's drive-train it feels like a downgrade when you sit in it after MB. And I like MB's in general. If they could adopt BMW engineering these cars could compete with Porsche.
But there is one thing I am not fond of in this 2021 GLC300 - it's front bumper and grill. I mean, why change the design of headlights if you are not going to put matching bumper on it? The older grill shape was turned upside down on other lines of MB, and their headlights followed the pattern. But with GLC300 they changed headlights, but they left the bumper as it was before, making it totally out of place and mismatching. Unless you want to upgrade to AMG trim, you are stuck with this ugly GLC300 grill.
What are your thoughts on it? Any reasonable remedy there that doesn't cost a fortune or isn't cheap/fake aftermarket solution to it?
can u please share a picture of your front bumper and grill. I understand your complaint but I just want to see how does your car look like. Mine is a 2020 AMG line model and I see the overall change in the front side is ugly but the grill is more or less nice.
can u please share a picture of your front bumper and grill. I understand your complaint but I just want to see how does your car look like. Mine is a 2020 AMG line model and I see the overall change in the front side is ugly but the grill is more or less nice.
Please look at first two images. Note how the shape of the grill matches the contour of the headlights (it's older GLC).
Compare it to 2021 GLC. Not only grill has unnecessary curves, but there is now an obvious disconnect between headlights and the grill, it seems like they belong to two different cars (which they do).
The proper grill shape for newer headlights is what they sell as AMG line here (see the third image).
can u please share a picture of your front bumper and grill. I understand your complaint but I just want to see how does your car look like. Mine is a 2020 AMG line model and I see the overall change in the front side is ugly but the grill is more or less nice.
You are correct, it's not the grill per se which is really bad, it's the shape of the headlights mismatching that of the grill that ruins it (grill would be a better fit for older headlights, and , ironically, older grill would fit still better with newer headlights that the current one). And overall the front (bumper and around the grill) of the newer GLC300 looks more like designed by Toyota than the guys who designed older model of GLC. I posted some images to visualize the point I was trying to make.
Thats why I pick my car with the AMG Line. I just love the diamond pin grill design.
I don't mind the regular grill without diamond pins (although, I won't deny, those pins definitely look good).
There is a bigger problem there, and it's the entire front bumper and the shape of grill mismatching that of the newer headlights, lines just don't alight anymore.
And someone who designs Mercedes obviously knows this (if they were ignorant of design flaw they would be unable to design anything well, which is obviously not the case).
Ironically, front of the older GLC now looks better than the newer one.
I think they do this as a pr trick, to force people pay more for options. Disable wireless MBUX, so someone who wants wireless navigation will be forced to pay $1600 for it.
Make front of the car very ugly, so someone who doesn't want ugly bumper pays for AMG line.
They could as well put headlights and wheels matching the shape of those in Toyota Corolla , so you would be forced to pay thousands of dollars just to get a headlight and a bumper designed for Mercedes Benz GLC.
Please look at first two images. Note how the shape of the grill matches the contour of the headlights (it's older GLC).
Compare it to 2021 GLC. Not only grill has unnecessary curves, but there is now an obvious disconnect between headlights and the grill, it seems like they belong to two different cars (which they do).
The proper grill shape for newer headlights is what they sell as AMG line here (see the third image).
Hope this explains
I have exactly the 3rd image. I do hate the front lower bumper huge gaps and I think the old shape for it is better.but in the end its a personal preference
I have exactly the 3rd image. I do hate the front lower bumper huge gaps and I think the old shape for it is better.but in the end its a personal preference
I agree, the gaps are bit too large. But still, it matches overall design. Too aggressive bumper design, yes, but it's AMG line, so I understand why they did it. And I would prefer to have that design, with grill shape matching my headlights, over very silly front end/bumper I have now.
What is unfortunate is that the front end of 2021 GLC300 (standard) looks like it's been designed by dude who was high/was inspired by Hyundai or Honda designs and hired to screw Mercedes buyers.
With the exception of its' inferior front end design, everything about 2021 GLC300 is fine. It would be better if they didn't do face lifting in 2021 and just rolled totally redesigned 2022.
P.S. When I trade my current MB in and get a new one, I will have to be more careful and spend $10K extra, just so I don't get a car that is deliberately given downgraded looks and lacks standard features for a luxury car, such as wireless CarPlay. May have to get AMG line with Navigation package instead of standard package, which automatically bumps me to E class. And then I might be like "What the heck? May be I should just get a GLE instead of GLC". See what they are doing?
I get it now... I thought my 2019 looked fine. The 2020 needs a reshaped grill or new headlights, like they did in the W205 refresh without changing the shape itself.
I love our MB GLC300 4Matik. It's beautiful car and when it comes to luxury nothing beats it in its' price range. BMW might be better handling car, but aside from it's drive-train it feels like a downgrade when you sit in it after MB. And I like MB's in general. If they could adopt BMW engineering these cars could compete with Porsche.
But there is one thing I am not fond of in this 2021 GLC300 - it's front bumper and grill. I mean, why change the design of headlights if you are not going to put matching bumper on it? The older grill shape was turned upside down on other lines of MB, and their headlights followed the pattern. But with GLC300 they changed headlights, but they left the bumper as it was before, making it totally out of place and mismatching. Unless you want to upgrade to AMG trim, you are stuck with this ugly GLC300 grill.
What are your thoughts on it? Any reasonable remedy there that doesn't cost a fortune or isn't cheap/fake aftermarket solution to it?
I beg to differ. I specifically chose the standard grill for my 2021 GLC 300. I personally think it looks classic unique Mercedes-Benz. The pin grill is nice and okay bit looks rather ordinary. Quite a few manufacturers do the pin grill thing. The BMW Z4 and the Kia Stinger are two that I can readily think but there are more. I do agree with you on the better driving dynamics of BMW over Mecedes and the superior interiors of the Mercedes over the BMW. I do think the BMW idrive 7 is superior to the MBUX though. I own one of each 2021 models so I'm always comparing the two.
I beg to differ. I specifically chose the standard grill for my 2021 GLC 300. I personally think it looks classic unique Mercedes-Benz. The pin grill is nice and okay bit looks rather ordinary. Quite a few manufacturers do the pin grill thing.
Notice that my complaint is not about lack of pin grill. My issue with with the mismatch of the shape of the headlights vs grill in 2021 GLC model. I posted images to make my point clear.
Notice that my complaint is not about lack of pin grill. My issue with with the mismatch of the shape of the headlights vs grill in 2021 GLC model. I posted images to make my point clear.
Did you not notice the front design of the vehicle before you purchased it? We all see things through different eyes. I think the front looks great and and oozes Mercedes-Benz.
Notice that my complaint is not about lack of pin grill. My issue with with the mismatch of the shape of the headlights vs grill in 2021 GLC model. I posted images to make my point clear.
Did you not notice the front design of the vehicle before you purchased it? We all see things through different eyes. I think the front looks great and and oozes Mercedes-Benz.
Of course I did. But I didn't want to spend extra $$$ to get a grill/bumper that matched the shape of the headlights. Now I am thinking that next time I might. I like the car overall, it's a great SUV, they just screwed one part of it, the front grill/bumper.
Shape of the grill doesn't match that of the headlights. Since grill is embedded in the bumper, yes, bumper bears the liability for the end result.
You're confusing the grill with the bumper. The grill is the open section with two horizontal slats and the big star. The bumper resides below the grill. I see your (personal) point regarding the headlights not matching the curve of the grill. You are quite observant and a bit picky which you have the right to be. I personally like the headlights on the 2021. I think they have more of a swept back look.
I think the old AMG pin grill design with the AMG package is okay but common. But the bumper below the grill with those huge openings is quite gaudy. The GLC 300 is a compact 4 banger luxury crossover. It is not a high performance compact SUV ( and in just my opinion) should not pretend to be. MB has the true AMG line for that. (again, just my opinions, no offense intended.)
You're confusing the grill with the bumper. The grill is the open section with two horizontal slats and the big star. The bumper resides below the grill. I see your (personal) point regarding the headlights not matching the curve of the grill. You are quite observant and a bit picky which you have the right to be. I personally like the headlights on the 2021. I think they have more of a swept back look.
I think the old AMG pin grill design with the AMG package is okay but common. But the bumper below the grill with those huge openings is quite gaudy. The GLC 300 is a compact 4 banger luxury crossover. It is not a high performance compact SUV ( and in just my opinion) should not pretend to be. MB has the true AMG line for that. (again, just my opinions, no offense intended.)
no, I am not confused. This is 2021 make, not 1979. It doesn't have a bumper clearly distinguished as a separate part, instead it extends all the way up filling the area between headlights and a grill. Speaking of being picky, the point I was trying to make (about mismatch in lining/curve of the grill vs headlights) should have been abundantly clear, without bringing in a topic of definition of bumpers vs grills.
That being said, yes, if buyers are charged $50k you bet they will be demanding when it comes to design and aesthetics, if I wanted just practically well performing and lasting car I would go with Toyota, which is also more reliable car.
Finally, I consider it digression when you bring in AMG line ,with aggressive bumper not being a good fit for underperforming compact SUV. My main concern is the mismatch of headlight shape vs grill shape. This wasn't an issue before , the old headlights were perfectly aligned with the grill made just for it. New headlights require a different grill shape (which is embedded in bumper, so bumper has to change as well). I didn't say anything about headlights per se lacking in aesthetic value , nor did I say that aggressive AMG bumper is what I am down for. What I made very clear is that there is such a mismatch between headlight and grill shape that I would prefer to have AMG line, as long as lines match. This is an aesthetic issue, besides any power statement or implications of AMG line design.
no, I am not confused. This is 2021 make, not 1979. It doesn't have a bumper clearly distinguished as a separate part, instead it extends all the way up filling the area between headlights and a grill. Speaking of being picky, the point I was trying to make (about mismatch in lining/curve of the grill vs headlights) should have been abundantly clear, without bringing in a topic of definition of bumpers vs grills.
That being said, yes, if buyers are charged $50k you bet they will be demanding when it comes to design and aesthetics, if I wanted just practically well performing and lasting car I would go with Toyota, which is also more reliable car.
Finally, I consider it digression when you bring in AMG line ,with aggressive bumper not being a good fit for underperforming compact SUV. My main concern is the mismatch of headlight shape vs grill shape. This wasn't an issue before , the old headlights were perfectly aligned with the grill made just for it. New headlights require a different grill shape (which is embedded in bumper, so bumper has to change as well). I didn't say anything about headlights per se lacking in aesthetic value , nor did I say that aggressive AMG bumper is what I am down for. What I made very clear is that there is such a mismatch between headlight and grill shape that I would prefer to have AMG line, as long as lines match. This is an aesthetic issue, besides any power statement or implications of AMG line design.
We all have our own opinions and it is feels good to express them. I have and you've been no slouch. Also......friendly bantar is also a good thing.
I don't mind the grill, but I can see how some people might not like it. I just got my GLC 300 2021 last week and really annoyed by the odd buttons on the front and back bumper! What are they for? I owned a GLC few years back and the bumper didn't have these odd looking buttons/hole covers. They cheapen the car! I wonder why Mercedes thought it was a good design!
I don't mind the grill, but I can see how some people might not like it. I just got my GLC 300 2021 last week and really annoyed by the odd buttons on the front and back bumper! What are they for? I owned a GLC few years back and the bumper didn't have these odd looking buttons/hole covers. They cheapen the car! I wonder why Mercedes thought it was a good design!
02-18-2021, 09:51 AM
