Mercedes Benz GLC-Class

With a huge range of engine choices and trim levels, the GLC proved to be a successful model in terms of sales for Mercedes, which is why there are plenty to go around on the current secondhand market. Mercedes Benz GLC-Class.

The success of the GLC since launch in 2015 was easy to predict: an eye-catching, sensibly sized SUV with lively performance and good economy, and smothered in Mercedes-Benz prestige. Aimed at the affluent middle market in many countries, in 2018 it was Mercedes' bestselling SUV globally.

So fresh looking is the design that it almost came as a surprise to learn that four years had passed and it was time for an update. That happened in June 2019, and introduced new diesel engines that meet Real Driving Emissions Step 2 (RDE2) standards, along with a refreshed interior.

On arrival the GLC was expensive, the minimum price over £36,000, but that didn't matter because most were acquired on Mercedes' Agility PCP. And the upshot of this was that once those deals had finished most of the cars ended up back on forecourts. When we checked, Auto Trader had over 900 2015 to 2018 GLCs advertised, while official Mercedes-Benz dealers a high number too. That impacts prices, and they start at just under £20,000 for early cars.

The GLC was launched before Dieselgate had fully trashed diesel's reputation, hence at first the three mainstream models were turbodiesel. Two use differently tuned versions of the same 2.1-litre four-cylinder engine, the GLC220d (168bhp) and GLC250d (201bhp), while the GLC350d has the excellent twin-turbo, three-litre V6 (255bhp). All have 4Matic four-wheel drive and a nine-speed, 9G Tronic Plus automatic gearbox. The one petrol model was the £50,000 MercedesAMG GLC43 with a three-litre engine delivering 362bhp.

You could order a GLC in basic SE form, on 17-inch wheels and with relatively basic equipment spec, but anyone trying to do that would likely be told there was a long wait and no discount. What they would also find was that the Sport model (adding 18-inch wheels, Active Parking Assist, Garmin sat nav and heated seats, among other things) was available for immediate delivery, as was the range topping AMG Line which included 19-inch wheels, AMG body styling, Flat-bottomed steering wheel and more. Premium and Premium Plus packs gave more, such as memory front seats and a glass sunroof. Sport and AMG Line were the models dealers pushed hardest, and therefore are the most numerous on the used market.

Most customers opted for the GLC220d, a sensible choice as the GLC250d feels little different. The cheapest GLC220d we found was at Charles Hurst near Belfast in Northern Ireland, the white 2016 Sport with 75,900 miles priced at £19,995. Auto Trader flagged this up as a 'Good Price', and indeed despite its high mileage it was, £2,800 'under book'according to trade price analyst Glass.

Varied Values

With so many model permutations created by the equipment packs, book values vary a lot, but in very simple terms the Executive pack adds about $1,000 over an SE on a 2015 car for sale at a dealer, says Glass, and a Sport is worth a further £1,200. The AMG Line boosts value another £1,000.

Official Mercedes-Benz dealers tend to ask higher prices than independent dealers, but you can still find decent value GLCs in the network. At the time we checked, Mercedes-Benz of Preston had the cheapest, a GLC220d SE from 2015 and with 26,650 miles, priced at £21,980. However unless you are absolutely unconcerned with equipment spec, we advise looking for a Sport or AMG Line, as they have useful extra kit. The cheapest in the Mercedes network was to be found at Mercedes-Benz of Beaconsfield, a 2016 GLC220d Sport with 35,940 miles for $23,450. When looking at Mercedes-Benz dealer stock, remember that the salesman will dangle a Mercedes PCP package in front of you, transferring the purchase price into an affordable looking monthly figure.

The four-cylinder cars are a perfectly good drive, with plenty of performance, but the GLC350d is on a superior level with its sweet refinement and pumping torque. There's a price to pay, though: around £5,000 for than for a GLC220d. Family business, A.J. Cars in Enfield in London had priced its white 13,400-mile GLC350d AMG Line with Premium Plus pack at £30,995. Most would agree that the GLC with its practical skill set is well suited to diesel power. But if you are diesel resistant, there's good news because at the end of 2017 a second petrol model was added, the GLC250. Its late arrival means it's still pricey, though. Among the cheapest we saw was at Auto Devotion Norwich, just outside the Norfolk city, a 2018 AMG Line Premium with 8,000 miles for £29,990, a typical price.

Finally, the performance flagship, the GLC43. You might expect this to be rare but it's not, a wide choice awaiting. But these are still quite serious money, a minimum of £36,000. Benz Bavarian in Derbyshire sought $38,990 for a 2016 example in black and with 16,250 miles, this being about the amount asked for this age of car in or outside the official Mercedes network.

The GLC is no bargain, with over £20,000 needed to avoid the high mileage stuff. But whatever the spec, it's a such a terrific all-round package, which means that you'll certainly get very good use out of one.

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