Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric review

This is the new GLC electric (or Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology, to give it its exhaustingly long full name). It’s Mercedes’ answer to Top Gear’s 2026 Car of the Year – the BMW iX3. This is the big one, figuratively as well as literally, because the petrol and diesel powered GLC is Merc’s top-seller worldwide. And since Merc’s EV mission is back on track with the impressive new CLA (after EQS, EQE and EQC duds) expectations are high.

The GLC electric shares many components and technologies with the CLA, but it’s the first model to be based on the brand-new MB.EA-M version (‘M’ for midsize vehicles) of the MB.EA (Mercedes-Benz Electric Architecture) platform, that will also underpin the new C-Class electric, too.

We’re told that this car was “built electric-first”, but that there will also be “a diverse portfolio of drive systems for every customer requirement”. That means hybrids, petrols and potentially even a diesel will follow for some markets. It’s much the same approach as Merc has taken with the new CLA. But for now, it’s EV-only.

What tech are we talking about then?

At launch there's only one version – the GLC 400 4Matic, which means two electric motors producing 483bhp and driving all four wheels (although the front motor is disconnected when not required). There’s a two-speed gearbox at the rear to improve efficiency, while a 94kWh usable lithium-ion battery allows for a WLTP range of 406 miles on a single charge. Breaking the magic 400-mile barrier is always impressive, but that puts it some way behind the 500 miles of the iX3. Although the BMW does have a much bigger battery.

Much like the BMW, it’s all based on an 800-volt system, so it’ll recharge rapidly at up to 330kW with an ability to add 186 miles of range in just 10 minutes. There’s also optional air suspension from the S-Class, while optional rear-wheel steering with 4.5 degrees of angle reduces the turning circle to 11.2 metres. It’ll tow up to 2.4 tonnes, too.

Sounds promising. What's the cabin like?

Blingy. The dash isn’t just dominated by screens, it is a screen – a whopping 39.1-inch Hyperscreen behemoth that stretches from pillar to pillar and blends the instrument panel with the central display and another huge screen for the passenger. While other manufacturers are pulling back from the iMax screen overload, Mercedes is clearly leaning into it, and the effect is… striking.

Based around Mercedes’ ‘AI-driven’ MB.OS operating system it’s responsive and intuitive to use, just utterly overwhelming at first. Interestingly Merc is also shouting about the fact that it’s brought back physical scrolling buttons on the wheel, which seems a touch hypocritical. The rest of the interior is beautifully made, and slathered in real metal and Vegan society approved leather (no, really). There’s more head and legroom in the back, thanks to an 84mm longer wheelbase than the current GLC – more bootspace, too. And a frunk.  

How much does it cost?

Nice and simple this bit, as there’s only one powertrain option and five trim levels available. The entry-level ‘Sport’, which comes with 20-inch alloys and a ‘10.3-inch Driver Display, 14-inch Central Display and 14-inch Digital Trim Panel’ (note, that’s not the full 39.1-inch Hyperscreen, but separate rectangles on a continuous flat surface) costs from £60,350. That’s around £1,500 more than the cheapest iX3.

From there you move up to AMG Line (£63,350), AMG Line Premium (£68,350 – the lowest trim with the Hyperscreen as standard), AMG Line Premium Plus (£70,850) and finally the Premier Edition (£73,350).

You can sense just how crucial this car is to Mercedes – it’s left no stone unturned to make it everything a cutting-edge modern, premium EV family car should be. It’s dripping in tech and jammed with screens, because of course it is, but there’s a deep refinement and confidence to the way it drives, too. Merc is happy to cede ground to the BMW iX3 as the better driver’s car, but wants the GLC electric to be the comfort benchmark. And it is.

Whether the cinema screen on the inside jars or intrigues you is down to personal taste, but there’s no denying the operating system is now slick and intuitive, but while the AI-powered chat functionality is better than most, it still suffers from the same problem as all voice assistants – it’s a nice idea, but how often are you actually going to use it?  

As an all-rounder, it’s hard to pick holes in the package – it charges ridiculously fast, there’s boat loads of performance, it’s incredibly practical, it’s nicely screwed together and is priced close enough to the iX3 that makes no difference. However, while a 400-mile+ range is clearly enough for most, that 100-mile deficit to the iX3 gives BMW a powerful psychological advantage in the showroom.