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Mark Savage's auto review column, Savage On Wheels, looks at a new vehicle every week and tells consumers what’s good, what’s not so good, and how the vehicle fits into the marketplace.

2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 Coupe review

2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 Coupe right front
Mark Savage
/
Savage On Wheels
2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 Coupe right front

With all due respect, Mercedes, why the AMG GLC 43 Coupe?

You already make plenty of luxury coupes, sedans, crossovers, and SUVs. A pickup might make more sense. You also offer sporty coupes, sedans, crossovers, and SUVs.

So why this mix of luxury and performance in a compact SUV/crossover that lands in the already overpriced vehicle market with a thud at nearly $80,000? And it needs a $1,950 Driver Assistance package to include most of the safety features I’d expect in a mid-size sedan costing around $40,000—things like lane-keeping and blind-spot assist. Can you say “Camry”?

Sure, the performance-oriented AMG badge is included here, along with some otherwise optional features like a power hatch, rain-sensing wipers, a digital dash, and LED lights. But really—nearly $80,000 for a sporty AWD SUV/crossover that looks like an unusual blend of coupe and crossover?

I must admit, this looks better than its BMW fastback crossover “coupe” counterpart, the X4 M—but still.

Ironically, Mercedes-Benz tries to out power its competitors with a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 engine paired with a mild hybrid system. That’s intended to eke out another mpg or so, but it’s hardly worth the effort.

Many automakers are now turbocharging small 4-cylinder engines, but few have managed to squeeze 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque from theirs. That gives the GLC 43 the ability to race up to 155 mph, according to Mercedes. It also translates to 4.7 seconds of hot acceleration from 0 to 60 mph.

That’s fun, but driving the GLC 43 around town or merging onto highways reveals a significant engine lag—likely turbo-induced—that causes the “coupe” to hesitate noticeably when you press the gas pedal. It’s annoying, right before the power finally kicks in and delivers the promised thrill.

Similarly, the braking is overly sensitive. It’s difficult to ease off the gas and come to a smooth stop without it feeling a bit jerky—something I’ve rarely encountered recently in a luxury or performance vehicle.

Handling is excellent and contributes to the driving fun. To fully appreciate it, you’d need to find some particularly winding roads to toss it around and feel its grip in tight corners. I also drove it in snow, where it proved surefooted and steady—a definite advantage.

Yet its handling prowess is wasted in city driving. Better hope you have a long highway commute for this one.

And better hope that highway is smooth, too, because the tight, performance-oriented suspension feels overly stiff and jiggly on choppy city streets. It’s not as punishing as, say, a Ford Bronco, but there’s enough shake to make your significant other question how much you’ve spent on this sporty luxury machine.

Adding to that concern, my wife commented that, for an expensive car, this Mercedes “sure was noisy and felt like a cheap car.”

She’s no fan of performance cars or trucks, but the rumble and finicky nature of the GLC 43 put her off—and quickly.

Moving inside didn’t improve our state of mind much either.

f you like giant digital screens dominating the dash, a black gloss console that’s extremely reflective (like the carbon fiber dash trim), and enough buttons and dials to ground a seasoned pilot, well, the GLC 43 is for you.

The best news here is the black soft-touch leather/suede seats, which are well-shaped, supportive, and powered. They also look sharp with an AMG logo on the headrest. Power controls are on the doors with three memory buttons. Oddly, though, those controls are stiff and hard to adjust, so make sure to set your seat position before driving and lock it in.

The power lumbar button is on the seat’s side, and if you have time to master the complex giant touchscreen, you’ll find a sort of massaging function under Comfort. It’s called Kinetic, and rather than just rolling up and down your spine, it moves the seat back and bottom slightly to stimulate your lower back and relieve the monotony of most driving positions.

Mercedes’ giant screen isn’t the most intuitive. Like so many luxury screens, it features multiple layers for ultimate personalization. Pressing the home button reveals eight subscreens: Apps, Store, Comfort, Settings, Phone, Radio, Media, and Off-Road. Under Apps, for example, there are eight more settings, including Weather and "Hey Mercedes," where you can ask the car’s Siri-like assistant questions.

“Hey Mercedes, why is this all so complicated?”

There’s even a quiz game option for when you’re stuck in traffic and need a distraction.

Remember when cars were for driving, not entertainment?

There are no fewer than 21 buttons or haptic sliders (including one for radio volume) on the steering wheel. Of course, you can also adjust the suspension and exhaust system to your liking. But all these features distract from the driving experience. Hopefully, your Mercedes dealer offers a 4- to 6-hour class to educate buyers on the car’s functionality—features that a race team’s chief mechanic would normally handle before hitting the track.

Yes, you could race this.

But there are a few features that make it road-trip friendly. Heated and cooled seats are helpful, and the panoramic sunroof is a nice touch. I appreciated the power tilt/telescope steering wheel, which is flat-bottomed for a sportier feel. Unfortunately, the driver’s seat doesn’t slide back automatically when the ignition switches off, a convenience many luxury cars now offer to make exiting easier.

Oh, but there is a wireless phone charger.

The tested GLC 43 omitted a heated steering wheel, earning a $250 credit. Still, a heated wheel should be standard on an $80,000 vehicle. I’d want one.

Note that headroom is a bit compromised in the rear seat due to the sharply angled fastback roofline. That hatch’s angle also cuts into cargo space near the back of the trunk, so only shallow items can be placed there. Push your grocery bags far forward.

The hatch’s rear window is also quite small, significantly reducing rear visibility. Oddly, there’s no rear window wiper—something essential for a Wisconsin winter.

Even with the mild hybrid system, gas mileage is just 18 mpg city and 24 highway, according to the EPA. Premium fuel is recommended. I averaged 19.4 mpg in a mix of driving with up to three people aboard.

Final pricing has been mentioned, but the starting price for this model is $71,650, including delivery. No lesser trims are available.

The price on this test model climbed to $79,985 due to several pricey options, including the aforementioned safety package. There was also the $975 carbon fiber dash trim, which looks like plastic and doesn’t offer great value, a $910 Burmester surround sound stereo system, and a hefty $2,000 AMG Dynamic Plus package with red brake calipers and dynamic engine mounts—likely needed for fast laps on a racetrack.

Other add-ons are up to you, but with some restraint on options, you could probably get into this for about $75,000. One final positive note: the bright Polar White paint job on this model didn’t cost extra. Black is also a no-charge color, while all other paint options add to the final price.

FAST STATS: 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 Coupe

Hits: Fast, excellent handling, and AWD. Panoramic sunroof, heated/cooled and well-formed seats, big screen, seat controls on doors, multiple drive modes, power flat-bottom wheel, wireless charger.

Misses: Stiff uncomfortable ride, poor mpg, no heated wheel, no rear window wiper, shallow cargo area, limited rear headroom, reflective console, tech overload, power driver’s seat doesn’t power back after ignition off for easy exit, prefers premium fuel, small rear window, price.

Made in: Bremen, Germany

Motors: 2.0-liter turbo I4 w/mild hybrid, 416 hp/369 torque

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Weight: N.A.

Wheelbase: 113.1 in.

Length: 188.7 in.

Cargo: 17.6-36.1 cu.ft.

MPG: 18/24

MPG (tested): 19.4

Base Price: $71,650 (includes delivery)

Invoice: N.A.

Major Options:

Carbon fiber dash trim, $975

AMG performance steering wheel, $500

AMG 21-inch Y-spoke wheels, $1,600

AMG track pace, $250

Advance USB pkg. (6 USB ports, 12v outlet), $300

Burmester surround sound system, $910

Driver assistance pkg. (blind-spot assist, brake assist w/cross-traffic assist, pre-safe braking w/pedestrian recognition, Distronic plus w/steering assist, active emergency stop, lane change assist, side pre-collision assist, route-based speed adaptation, speed limit assist, evasive steering assist), $1,950

AMG Dynamic Plus pkg. (red brake calipers, dynamic engine mounts), $2,000

Credits: Heated steering wheel delete, -$250

Test vehicle: $79,985

Sources: Mercedes-Benz, www.kbb.com

Mark Savage writes the auto review column, Savage On Wheels, for WUWM (formerly for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and Savageonwheels.com. He is the former executive editor of American Snowmobiler magazine and FineScale Modeler magazine, both part of Kalmbach Media in Waukesha.
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