STANDING OUTSIDE THE MERCEDES-BENZ MUSEUM in Stuttgart, Germany, with unnaturally hot temperatures at this time of year, I’m reminded that climate change isn’t a distant warning anymore. That makes the car I’m about to drive even more relevant.
The GLC is Mercedes-Benz’s best-selling SUV and while its conventional powertrains will continue, the GLC has now entered the electric era—for the first time, on a dedicated new electric platform, which brings big advantages. The wheelbase is 84mm longer than the traditional GLC, creating more room inside, especially for rear passengers. But first, let’s talk about that massive new grille.
It takes up most of the front of the car and the GLC is the first Mercedes to wear this new interpretation of the iconic design, inspired by heritage models like the W112. But instead of chrome, you get 942 backlit polycarbonate squares. The LED lamps at the front and rear get the new trademark three-pointed-star design. Both the lights and grille come alive with an animation when you lock or unlock the car.
The rest of the design is much smoother and more rounded, with flush door handles and carefully sculpted surfaces that help with aerodynamics. Practicality hasn’t been forgotten either. There’s 570 litres of boot space, expanding to 1,740 litres with the rear seats folded. There’s no conventional spare-wheel well because the battery sits underneath the floor. The clever solution is up front, where Mercedes has found room for a useful 128-litre frunk.
While the grille grabs your attention outside, it’s the 39.1-inch Hyperscreen that does so inside. This single glass panel stretches almost the entire width of the dashboard and houses the instrument cluster, central infotainment display and a dedicated passenger screen. There’s even a camera that monitors the driver’s attention and automatically dims the passenger display if it detects the driver looking across.
The system itself behaves much more like a smartphone. You can group apps, the Zero Layer keeps relevant information readily accessible, and the AI assistant can draw on services including Bing, ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Most functions are controlled through the screens, although there are some useful shortcut buttons below the dual wireless chargers. Thankfully, the steering wheel now gets proper rocker switches and rollers alongside the haptic controls. I’m not a big fan of screens, but this system was easy to navigate.
There’s also the photochromatic panoramic roof. With one touch, you can make it clear or opaque—or create patterns with different sections. At night, you can have 162 illuminated stars across the roof or choose a different motif. This car is loaded with technology.
For India, the rear seat is arguably more important. This is where the new platform makes a difference. There’s more legroom, headroom and, since the car is wider and has a flat floor, it’s easier to fit three passengers across the back. The seats are comfortable, the large windows bring in plenty of light. With the panoramic roof, the whole cabin feels spacious.
The GLC also gets intelligent air suspension, which can use cloud-based road information to anticipate what lies ahead and prepare the suspension accordingly. We encountered some rough patches and plenty of cobblestones in Germany. The GLC simply glided over them.
India will get the top-spec AMG Line at launch, including the intelligent air suspension. Up front, the driving experience is exactly what you expect from a modern, luxury EV—silent and seriously quick. The version I drove claims 0-100km/h in just 4.3 seconds, and with 800Nm of torque, that shoves you into the back of your seat. It also gets a twospeed gearbox, which means power delivery remains strong across the speed range.
After a short drive in Germany, I came away impressed. This is going to be an interesting car in India. The BMW iX3 is headed to India in long-wheelbase form in 2027, while Audi’s Q6 e-tron is also planned for India. Volvo has introduced the new electric EX60 globally. Mercedes is stepping into a premium electric SUV segment where range, charging, technology and, importantly for India, rear-seat space will all matter.
The electric GLC arrives on Indian roads towards the end of this year, with bookings expected to open in October. It will be priced above the conventional GLC, and the final price will determine how closely it sits against its electric rivals.
One thing is clear: Mercedes hasn’t simply taken the GLC and replaced its engine with a battery. It has used electrification to rethink the GLC from the ground up and the result is genuinely impressive.
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