Review: Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC (2015-on)

Review: Mercedes-Benz X253.I GLC (2015-19)

Overview

Released in September 2015, the Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC was a mid-size SUV. Manufactured in Bremen, Germany, the four-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz GLC range initially consisted of the GLC 250, GLC 220 d and GLC 250 d models (see table below). To minimise fuel consumption, all engines had an ‘ECO start/stop’ system which enabled them to shut down when the vehicle was stationary in traffic. Please note that the Mercedes-AMG X253 GLC 43 has been reviewed separately.

In September 2018, the Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC range was revised as the GLC 200 was introduced and the GLC 220 d was discontinued.

4MATIC all-wheel drive system

For the X253 GLC, Mercedes-Benz’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive system utilised a centre planetary differential and multiple-disc clutch, with the single-stage transfer case flange-mounted on the nine-speed ‘9G Tronic’ automatic transmission. In normal conditions, the 4MATIC system provided a 45:55 front:rear torque split. When driving over low grip surfaces, the 4MATIC system could provide a basic locking force of 50 Nm between the front and rear axles to improve traction.

Dimensions

The Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC was 4656 mm long, 1890 mm wide, 1639 mm tall and had a 2873 mm long wheelbase; ground clearance was 181 mm. Inside, the GLC had a load capacity of 580 litres behind the rear seats, though this increased to 1600 litres when the 40:20:40 split rear seats were folded; the luggage compartment was 1320 mm long by 1100 mm wide.

Suspension and steering

The Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC had four-link front suspension and a five-link rear axle, both with coil springs, gas-filled shock absorbers (twin tube units for the front axle) and torsion bar stabilisers. The suspension also included a selective damping system which adjusted the shock absorbers according to road and driving conditions (e.g. reduced damping in normal conditions for greater ride comfort and increased damping when cornering at speed to reduce body roll).

The Mercedes-Benz GLC had rack and pinion steering with electric power assistance; its turning circle was 11.8 metres.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC included dual front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front and rear side (thorax/pelvic) airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.

As standard, the Mercedes-Benz GLC was also fitted with:

• Collision Prevention Assist Plus (radar-based collision warning with autonomous braking and adaptive Brake Assist): operating at speeds up to 250 km/h to monitor the traffic ahead and at speeds up to 70 km/h for stationary objects, Collision Prevention Assist would issue a visual warning (when driving at speeds over 7 km/h) and an optical warning (when driving at speeds over 30 km/h if there was a collision risk. At speeds below 105 km/h (250 km/h in conjunction with Distronic Plus), Collision Prevention Assist Plus would initially provide partial autonomous braking to reduce vehicle speed and alert the driver. Furthermore, adaptive Brake Assist would calculate the braking force required and prime the braking system for optimum response when the driver depressed the brake pedal. If the driver did not respond and a collision was unavoidable, then maximum braking force would be applied to reduce vehicle speed. At initial vehicle speeds of up to 40 km/h, rear-end collisions could be prevented;
• Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Pre-Safe’ which prepared the vehicle for a collision by deploying the seatbelt tensioners, closing the side windows and sunroof (where fitted) and adjusting the front seats for optimum deployment of the restraint system. Pre-Safe was activated by emergency braking, panic braking, pronounced over- or under-steering, critical steering movements or heavy support by the adaptive Brake Assist system;
• Blind spot assist (passive) which used two radar sensors in the rear of the vehicle to warn the driver before an indicated lane-change if a vehicle was in the driver’s blind spot;
• Attention Assist which operated at speeds in excess of 80 km/h and assessed driver behaviour and steering movements for signs of drowsiness; if detected, the driver would be provided with visual and audible warnings; and,
• An ‘active’ bonnet which would prior to a pedestrian collision to reduce the severity of the pedestrian’s impact with the bonnet.

Safety equipment: Driver Assistance Package Plus

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 and GLC 250d were further equipped with the ‘Driver Assistance Package Plus’ which included:

• Distronic Plus (adaptive cruise control with brake warning): an ‘adaptive’ cruise control system which used two short-range radar sensors positioned behind the front bumper to monitor the road up to 30 metres ahead, and a long-range radar located behind the radiator grille which had a range of 200 metres. Operating at speeds up to 200 km/h, Distronic Plus used an electronic control unit to analyse the information from both radar systems to calculate the engine, automatic transmission and braking parameters required for proximity control. As such, Distronic Plus could automatically apply the brakes to prevent the vehicle from becoming too close to traffic ahead (the time interval could be specified) and accelerate back to the set speed when traffic allowed. To accelerate from rest, the driver only needed to operate the Distronic stalk on the steering column or briefly depress the accelerator pedal. With Distronic Plus, automatic deceleration of up to four (4) m/s²was possible. If Distronic Plus detected that heavier braking was required, a warning light would illuminate in the instrument cluster and be accompanied by an audible warning. Furthermore, the electronic proximity control system could be activated independently of Distronic Plus at speeds over 30 km/h to alert the driver if they were approaching another vehicle too rapidly;
• Steering Assist with Stop&Go Pilot: operating in conjunction with Distronic Plus and at speeds up to 130 km/h, Steering Assist used a stereo camera located behind the windscreen to detect road markings, while the Stop&Go Pilot operated at speeds up to 60 km/h and enabled the system to use the vehicle in front or road markings as a means of orientation. If the vehicle was detected to be drifting out of its lane, Steering Assist would warn the driver and provide steering intervention to keep the vehicle in its lane;
• Pre-Safe Brake with pedestrian detection (autonomous emergency braking): using two 24 GHz sensors behind the front bumper which had a range of 30 metres and a 77 GHz radar which had a range of 200 metres, Pre-Safe Brake operated at speeds between 30 km/h and 200 km/h, and at speeds below 70 km/h if the vehicle was approaching a stationary queue of traffic. Around 2.6 seconds before the anticipated moment of impact, an audible warning would sound and a red warning would appear in the tachometer. Around 1.6 before the calculated impact, the first stage of Pre-Safe Brake would initiate partial braking autonomously with around 40 per cent of the maximum braking power (approximately four (4) m/s²); the Pre-Safe occupant protections system would also be activated. If the driver then applied the brakes, maximum braking force would be made available. If the driver failed to react, Pre-Safe Brake would – in its second stage – initiate autonomous emergency braking (i.e. maximum braking power) around 0.6 seconds before the unavoidable collision to reduce the severity of the impact. The pedestrian recognition function enabled Pre-Safe Brake to detect pedestrians when driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h;
• Pre-Safe Plus: could anticipate rear-end collisions and warn following traffic by activating the rear hazard lights at high frequency. The Pre-Safe system would then deploy occupant protection measures and apply the vehicle’s brakes to prevent secondary accidents;
• BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist: used a 24 GHz radar sensor with a range of 30 metres and a 77 GHz radar sensor with a range of 200 metres to monitor the distance to the vehicle ahead and would warn the driver if there was a risk of a collision. Brake Assist Plus could detect vehicles when travelling at speeds up to 200 km/h, and stationary objects when the driver was travelling at 7 km/h to 72 km/h. Significantly, Brake Assist Plus could calculate the necessary brake force assistance to prevent a rear-end collision, build up that pressure in the braking system and provide it as soon as the brake pedal was depressed for ‘the best possible deceleration’. The Cross-Traffic Assist function could operate at speeds up to 72 km/h and used the stereo camera and radar sensors to detect traffic that was crossing in front of or behind the vehicle. If detected, the driver would receive visual and audible alerts;
• Active Blind Spot Assist: an extension of Blind Sport Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist could apply the brakes on one side of the vehicle to counter-act a driver’s attempt to change lanes when it was not safe to do so; and,
• Active Lane Keeping Assist: could detect when the adjacent lane was occupied (including oncoming traffic) and prevent the driver from inadvertently exiting from the lane when it was not safe to do so by applying a corrective braking force to the wheels on one side of the vehicle.

Euro NCAP testing

In Euro NCAP testing , a 2015 Mercedes-Benz X253 GLC 220 d 4MATIC received a five star safety rating which included a 95 per cent adult occupant protection rating and an 89 per cent child occupant rating. In the frontal offset test, occupant protection was generally rated as good, although chest and lower right leg protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury). In the side impact and pole tests, however, maximum points were awarded.

Features: Mercedes-Benz GLC 220 d

Standard features for the Mercedes-Benz GLC 220 d included 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with 235/55 R19 runflat tyres, Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Audio 20’ sound system with a seven-inch TFT touchscreen, DAB+ digital radio, CD player, MP3/WMA/ACC compatibility, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming, a Garmin ‘Map Pilot’ navigation system, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, ‘Artico’ synthetic leather upholstery, power adjustable front seats, cruise control, LED headlights, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, 40:20:40 folding rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with gearshift paddles, remote central locking, power windows, power adjustable and heated door mirrors with folding function, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, push-button start, power-operated tailgate, ambient lighting, Black-Ash open pore wood trim, floor mats, 12 volt power sockets, roof rails, a trip computer and an immobiliser.

Additional standard features for the GLC 220 d included:

• Active Parking Assist: could identify parallel and right angle parking spaces – at speeds of up to 35 km/h – and automatically steer the vehicle into the space;
• Mercedes-Benz’s ‘LED Intelligent Light System with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus’: allowed the main LED beam to remain on since an area of that beam can be masked out for oncoming traffic; and,
• A 360 degree camera system which could show the GLC and its surroundings from different perspectives.

Features: Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 and GLC 250 d

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 and GLC 250 d were further equipped with 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with 255/45 R20 runflat tyres, leather upholstery, proximity key (i.e. keyless entry), ‘keyless go’ and rear privacy glass.

Brochure

• Mercedes-Benz X253 Brochure (September 2015)

Specifcations

• Mercedes-Benz X253 Specifications (September 2015)

Review: Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC (2019-on)

Overview

The Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC SUV was released in Australia in September 2019. For the X253.II GLC SUV range, diesel-fuelled models were not offered in Australia and the GLC 250 was effectively replaced by the GLC 300 (see table below). In the second quarter of 2020, the X253.II GLC range was expanded with the release of the GLC 300 e.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 e had a lithium-ion battery that could store 13.5 kWh of energy and could be fully recharged via its ‘Type 2’ plug in two hours using the Mercedes-Benz Wallbox Home (extra-cost option) or public charging station. Using a conventional domestic power socket, the battery could be fully recharged in seven hours.

MBUX and styling

Inside, the X253.II GLC featured the ‘Mercedes-Benz User Experience’ (MBUX) infotainment system. For Australian-delivered vehicles, MBUX included a
10.25 inch diameter (1920 x 720 pixels) central touchscreen, a 12.3-inch instrument display for the instruments and a multi-functional touchpad on the centre console (replacing the rotary push-button). The new steering wheel also had touch-sensitive controls which enabled the driver to control both MBUX displays.

Visually, the Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC SUV could be identified by its Smaller and more raked LED headlamps with modified contours, revised rear bumper and exhaust tips, and redesigned LED tail lamps.

Mechanical changes

For the X253.II GLC, the petrol engines had a 48-volt on-board electrical system (Mercedes-Benz’s ‘EQ Boost’) and a belt-driven starter-generator. The latter was responsible for hybrid functions such as ‘boost’ (provided up to 10 kW at engine speeds below 2500 rpm), energy recuperation and a sailing mode.

Suspension

For the Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC range, the GLC 200 and GLC 300 models could be specified with ‘Dynamic Body Control’ which consists of electronically controlled dampers for the front and rear axles. With Dynamic Body Control, the dampers at each wheel automatically adjusted according to driving situation, speed and road condition. Furthermore, the driver could select from Comfort, Sport and Sport+ drive modes. As such, buyers could select from three suspension types (i.e. ‘Agility Control’, ‘Dynamic Body Control’ and ‘Air Body Control’).

As standard, the GLC 300 e was fitted with ‘Air Body Control’ multi-chamber air suspension which consisted of:

• Two chambers of different sizes in the spring struts of the front axle; and,
• Three chambers of different sizes in the spring struts of the rear axle.

The Air Body Control suspension adjusted, in three stages, how stiffly the suspension reacted. Air Body Control also included a continuously operating, electronically controlled damping adjustment system which adjusted damping at each individual wheel according to the driving situation (including evasive manoeuvres) and road conditions.

The Air Body Control suspension included all-round self-levelling which adjusted ride height according to vehicle speed, enabling it to reduce the vehicle’s aerodynamic drag and therefore fuel consumption. When driving on rough roads, ground clearance could also be increased via the ride height adjustment switch.

Safety equipment

Compared to the Mercedes-Benz X253.I GLC, passive safety technologies for the X253.II GLC were unchanged.

The Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC 200 was equipped with the following active safety technologies –

• Active Brake Assist (previously ‘Collision Prevention Assist Plus’);
• Blind Spot Assist (passive);
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert;
• Pre-Safe accident anticipatory system;
• Traffic Sign Assist; and,
• Attention Assist.

The Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC 300 and 300 e, however, were further equipped with a ‘Driver Assistance Package’ which included –

• Active Distance Assist Distronic with Active Steering Assist: operating at speeds up to 210 km/h, the system could maintain a pre-set distance to the vehicle ahead. A stop-and-go function also enabled the vehicle to be braked until stationary, remain stationary for up to 30 seconds and then accelerate when the traffic ahead started moving. Active Distance Assist Distronic also combined navigation data with camera/radar inputs to adjust speed when approaching bends, junctions or roundabouts. Active Steering Assist helped the driver in keeping the vehicle in the centre of its lane by applying steering wheel torque, using lane markings for orientation at speeds up to 210 km/h and, at speeds up to 130 km/h, also used the position of vehicles ahead;
• The Cross-Traffic Assist: operated at speeds up to 72 km/h and used the stereo camera and radar sensors to detect traffic that was crossing in front of or behind the vehicle. If detected, the driver would receive visual and audible alerts;
• Evasive Steering Assist: operating at speeds from 20-70 km/h, Evasive Steering Assist could help the driver avoid a pedestrian that was detected by the radar sensors and stereo camera. If the driver initiated an evasive manoeuvre by turning the steering wheel, the system provided ‘precisely calculated steering torque to support the movement of the steering wheel’ to avoid the pedestrian and then straighten the vehicle;
• Active Lane Keeping Assist: operating at speeds from 60 km/h to 200 km/h, Active Lane Keeping Assist warned the driver if the vehicle was unintentionally drifting out of its lane via pulsed vibrations through the steering wheel. If the vehicle crossed a continuous line, the system could pull the vehicle back into its lane by applying the brakes on one side of the vehicle. In the case of a broken line, such intervention would occur only when there was a collision risk with a vehicle in the adjacent lane (including oncoming traffic);
• Active Lane Change Assist: operating at speeds from 80 km/h to 180 km/h, Active Lane Change Assist could perform lane changes – within 10 seconds – in response to the driver nudging the indicator stalk;
• Active Blind Spot Assist: at speeds from 12 km/h to 200 km/h, the system could provide a visual alert and audible alarm if there was a risk of a side collision when the turn indicator was actuated. As part of the Driving Assistance Package, the brakes on one side of the vehicle could be applied when travelling at speeds above 30 km/h to avoid a side collision; and,
• Pre-Safe Plus: used the rear radar sensors to detect if a rear-end collision was imminent and, if so, flashed the rear hazard lights and prepared occupant protection measures such as the seatbelt tensioners. If the vehicle was stationary and the risk of a collision persisted, the system could apply the vehicle’s brakes to reduce the risk of injuries by reducing the forward jolt caused by an impact from the rear.

Features: Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC SUV

Key features for the Mercedes-Benz X253.II GLC included dual-zone climate control, ‘Artico’ (synthetic leather) upholstery, power adjustable front seats, LED headlights, black ash open-pore wood grain interior trim, ambient lighting with 64 different colours, two USB ports in the second row of seating and the ‘Easy-Pack’ powered tailgate.

The X253.II GLC 300 was further equipped with wireless charging for compatible mobile devices, Multi-Beam LED headlights with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus, a proximity key and push-button start (‘Keyless Go’), aluminium-look running boards with rubber studs and rear privacy glass.

The range-topping Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 e was also equipped with pre-entry climate control.

For a complete list of features, please see the ‘Specifications’ document, below.

Specifications

• Specifications: Mercedes-Benz X253/C253 GLC SUV and Coupe (September 2019)