Mercedes-Benz’s GLC SUV, the marque’s global best seller, has captured South African and international hearts. The GLC Coupe 2024 model enriches an already exceptional experience.
LAUNCHED IN 2016, there are few awards the Mercedes‐Benz GLC SUV hasn’t won internationally – for towing, safety, hybrid technology and as an all‐rounder. It’s this last category that most recommends the GLC. Simply put, it has few peers as a supremely economical, whisper‐quiet, elegant tourer that’s as capable on the dirt as it is on the tar.
Size is its sweet spot: voluminous inside, surprisingly compact on the road and entertaining to drive as well. South Africans love the sophisticated diesel engines that deliver frankly unbelievable economy and praise the ‘teardrop’ aerodynamic integrity. It’s a genuine luxury all‐rounder.
In the 2024 GLC Coupe, Mercedes‐Benz has added a sporty element to the mix. It has all the good of the GLC SUV but with a lower, more aggressive profile. The GLC Coupe is aimed at an urban, contemporary audience, people keen on adventure but with an eye to the beau monde. The Coupe is as at home in Camps Bay on Saturday night as it is in the company car park on Monday morning.
For the 2024 GLC, innovations are many: larger digital displays, smartphone integration, wireless phone charging, heated seats for drivers and passengers, optional 4.5° rear axle steering, air suspension, the hugely useful off‐road screen and that ‘transparent bonnet’ (you can see what’s directly under the front bumper, thanks to the forward cameras) as an element of the 360° camera. They all enhance the comfort of the driving experience. There’s an even better infotainment experience too – faster, more intuitive – as well as an enhanced Hey Mercedes system that includes Tourguide, a handy help when visiting far‐flung corners of the subcontinent.
And that’s where the GLC Coupe truly belongs – out in the countryside on fast, winding roads that bring out its inherent dynamism. Because for all its rock star looks, the GLC Coupe is unquestionably a driver’s car to be enjoyed, whatever the engine choice, its chassis and drivetrain beautifully in sync.
And while the GLC Coupe is certainly exciting, it’s never stressful; on the contrary, it’s whisper quiet and supremely comfortable, excellent on the long road, relaxing whatever the surface. Thank 4Matic+ all‐wheel drive for that, as good a system as exists in the world today; it’s constantly reading surfaces and conditions and adjusting settings automatically to deliver that magic carpet ride.
The GLC Coupe’s sorcery then is that it looks and feels like a sports tourer but retains all the advantages of an SUV. Fast tar, winding gravel, two up, five up, no matter – the GLC Coupe manages both with élan. Magic indeed. V