2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 Coupé A Rising Star

It’s not a new story that car tastes have shifted more towards SUVs and cross-overs. This is primarily because of safety and practicality issues.

Car-makers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have gone further to prioritise style and add coupé derivatives to their SUV line-ups, hence our test car – the Mercedes Benz GLC Coupé.

Classified as a five-door compact luxury SUV, it was introduced in 2015 at the Frankfurt Auto Show and is manufactured in Uusikaupunki, Finland.

BMW was the first to take coupés into the SUV arena with the X6, however Mercedes was first to introduce a four-door coupé – the CLS. So who really is the originator of the SUV coupé? It’s a case of the age-old debate: Which came first – the egg or the chicken?

Although Mercedes was the first introduce a four-door coupé, its GLC coupé was made to rival to rival the BMW X3 and X4, it’s only real competitors.

Made with a wide stance, sweeping rear, low roofline and 20-inch AMG alloys, the GLC coupé is designed as a unification of the coupé styling and the modern SUV. The result is an amazing new breed of cross-over and bold statement of style.

Being a C-class variant, it’s almost identical on the interior, with high quality Mercedes-Benz signature finish on retro styling, in particular black polished wood trim and quilted leather sports seats, traces of aluminum around vents, buttons, dials, and my favourite feature – the sun roof.

Generally speaking, the interior is very impressive although it foregoes some practicality (of the GLC) for style.

For your infotainment, there is the Mercedes command package. It incorporates an eight-inch billboard style display, disk drive, navigation, voice command, internet connectivity and a 13-speaker Burmester surround system which it comes standard with Apple car play, Android Auto, Bluetooth telephony and heads up display.

Getting accustomed to its broad range of features, I toggled through the driver interface and got to experience the dynamic select package. It tailors the driving experience, adjusting suspension, steering, throttle and transmission set-up with each mode selected

The GLC 250 Coupé is powered by two-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an output of 155kw of power and a displacement of 350Nm torque, while regulated by a nine speed 9G tronic automatic transmission. When pushed, it’s capable of a vigorous 0 to 100km/h in 7,3 seconds.

Any Mercedes past or present takes it further in terms of comfort, ride and handling. Our test car has a self-leveling suspension which rises for ground clearance and automatically lowers at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve handling and stability. It also guarantees a uniform sporty handling, whatever the terrain. Its variable damper control optimises damping at each wheel to suit speed and road conditions.

Heading onto an off-road trail, the GLC Coupe feels composed and undaunted by the rugged road. Because of its premium quality and refinement, I felt like I walked with my suede shoe into a puddle – but perhaps it’s psychological that Mercedes-Benz are smart cars for smart places.

For enhanced safety, there is a driver assistance pack which includes: Adaptive cruise control, park assist, steering assist, active blind spot assistance, rear cross traffic alert, active lane keeping assist and autonomous braking with pedestrian detection. Where a collision is eminent, pre safe engages, locking wheels, tightening seatbelts and adjusting seating positions and on impact, nine airbags go into play – dual front, front side, knee, rear side and curtain.

The GLC goes the extra mile on safety with additional features like surround view cam, driver drowsiness monitoring, Mercedes Me connect, onboard use of remote and location services, eg geographic vehicle monitoring, vehicle location, remote door locking and unlocking as well as remote interrogation of vehicle status.

With ever-rising pump prices and the onset of hybrids and Electric Vehicles (EVs), consumption is now at make-or-break point. The GLC has a respectable consumption of 7,4 litres per 100km. So travelling to Okahandja, which is 72,2 km away from Windhoek, requires only 10,6 litres there and back, whereas 32 litres will take you up to Tsumeb which is 324km from Windhoek.

Why only opt for safety and practicality? Why not make a statement of style as well? Why not do it in a Mercedes-Benz?

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