I am thinking of buying an AMG small SUV. Some come with a TCT and some an MCT. I like the idea of the MCT, but I am concerned about comfort in city driving which is the majority of my driving. Also, I’m leaning toward the GLC43 and it looks like that comes with TCT. I want to make sure I’m not really missing out on the MCT. Thoughts? I will of course go do some test driving.

 

Try searching this site, specifically the GLC section. There are comments that the MCT drivability is less than ideal when not on the throttle aggressively. The torque converter will be much more forgiving in this regard. Read also about reliability differences between the two transmissions.

 

The 9-speed MCT is a great transmission. I'm specifically saying the 9-speed, because I was not a fan of the 7-speed. The manual mode downshifts tended to be laggy and even get refused at times with the 7-speed. In some reviews I've read they were jokingly saying that it seems the paddles aren't even connected to the transmission. I have a 2019 C63S coupe and I love the MCT. As somebody who has driven manual transmissions for nearly 20 years, I seek the direct and responsive feel that a clutch offers vs. the numb feeling of a torque converter. A lot of the sensations you'll get with the MCT are very similar to a manual transmission, because of the solid connection between the engine and transmission once the clutch is engaged. It also takes a bit of throttle modulation to drive it smoothly at low speeds. I don't really have any issues and I welcome the lively feel of the drivetrain, even if it jolts or jerks once in a while. It's part of the experience.

There are numerous complaints about both transmissions. Interestingly the majority of complaints are about poor shift quality of the TCT in the 43 models, more so than the MCT in the 63 models. Search the C43 and GLC43 forums and you'll find lots and lots of complaints about the TCT in those cars. The one thing to know is that the 63S models have dynamic engine mounts, so they can make the powertrain more comfortable at lower speeds. It seems to make a difference. My car actually had a software update last year for the dynamic engine mounts. They were coded incorrectly from the factory and the update made a noticeable difference. Combined with the transmission learning my driving style it is now very smooth around town. The MCT essentially combines the best of a dual clutch transmission with the best parts of a planetary gearbox. It gives the direct feel and response of manual or dual clutch transmission, with the quick shifting ability of a planetary gearbox. Specifically it can shift multiple gears up or down as fast as a single gear, which is something a dual clutch can't and what makes it better for road driving.

One thing I've noticed is that many people seem to wanna drive their cars in S+ around town and then complain about the transmission. S+ is not meant for city driving. My theory is that it also confuses the transmission's learning algorithms if you are not consistent about the modes and your driving style. What I've noticed with my car is that the transmission adapted to my town/city/normal driving style very well, because I only use the automatic transmission mode when in Comfort driving around town/city, traffic or just cruising along on the highway and for the latter two situations I primarily have DISTRONIC engaged, so the car is actually doing most of the driving. I do all my spirited, dynamic and sporty driving in manual mode. Pretty much the moment I change out of Comfort mode I put the transmission in M. My individual mode is actually set up with the transmission in M and I use it for daily spirited highway and open road driving, so basically my transmission only ever learned my casual and relaxed driving style, while I do all the shifting myself whenever I drive in a non-casual or relaxed manner.

 

Thank you for the detailed response!