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| This picture was taken at KLCC few months back |
It was a pleasant Saturday afternoon at Desa ParkCity. The swanky property estate located in Kuala Lumpur played host to the recent Mercedes Benz Gallery which gave visitors opportunity to test drive a range of new tri-star models which include the X253 GLC 200 Exclusive, X156 GLA 250 4Matic AMG Line, W213 E350e AMG Line and W205 C200. A fitting backdrop to test drive cars from the premium brand.
I tested the GLC, GLA and E350e respectively, as each person was limited to just 3 cars. As per the article title, this piece will be a test drive review of the X253 GLC 200 Exclusive.
Stuttgart's compact SUV, formerly known as GLK before the company's introduction of the new nomenclature where the base name (GL- in this instance) is followed by the model hierarchy (A, B, C, E and S Class), was initially introduced in Boleh Land under the guise of the locally-assembled GLC 250 4Matic AMG Line.
Then this August, the entry level locally-assembled GLC 200 Exclusive was unveiled to Malaysian public. Chief differences between the GLC 200 and GLC 250 4Matic is of course the former excludes the 4Matic all-wheel drive and deletion of AMG Line package. The exclusion marks the GLC 200 as a cheaper variant of the GLC range, retailing at RM288,888 (OTR without insurance). That translates to saving of RM37k from the higher spec GLC 250 4Matic AMG Line.
With that money, what do you get? More importantly, is it worth the saving from depriving it of the GLC 250's bells and whistles? Keep reading to find out.
Technical Specs
Lurking under the bonnet is the same M274 DE 20 2.0 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder petrol as found in the GLC 250, albeit with lower output figure in contrast to the latter. The GLC 200 makes 184 hp and 300 Nm of torque in comparison to the 211 hp and 350 Nm churns out by the GLC 250. Just like the GLC 250, the grunt is mediated by 9G-Tronic 9 speed automatic transmission, but unlike the GLC 250 which propels all four wheels, the GLC 200 sends all the engine's thrust to the rear wheels only.
On paper, the lower output does impact its performance. The GLC 200 takes 8.7 seconds to sprint from 0-100 kph and tops out at 210 kph. The GLC 250, on the other hand, only takes 7.3 seconds to complete the century sprint and boasts a higher top speed of 222 kph. On the hindsight, this doesn't matter much as it's not build for outright performance. If all out performance is what you're looking for, the GLC 43 AMG 4Matic is in the crosshair.
Without the AMG Line package, the GLC 200 now rides higher than the GLC 250, thanks to the fitment of Off-Road suspension. It still retains the Agility Control passive selective shock absorber though, as found on the updated GLC 250 (prior to the update, the latter had AMG sports suspension).
Also, the SUV now rolls on 235/55 series run-flat tyres (which can cost RM2000 per piece!) wrapped around 19-inch 5-spoke wheels, as opposed to the GLC 250's 255/45 series rubber with a larger 20-inch multi-spoke AMG rim. As you can see from the photo above, the GLC 200 lost out on perforated disc brakes as fitted on the GLC 250, settling instead with solid disc brakes.
Exterior
The GLC 200 Exclusive is dressed in Off-Road exterior kit. Visual cues include the absence of the twin horizontal slat on the lower side air intake. Another visible cue is the chrome surround for the lower central air intake, chrome underguard and side steps. Lighting wise, out goes the Intelligent Light System and in goes the LED high performance headlight instead.
At the back, the thicker chrome surround for the rear apron sets the GLC 200 Exclusive apart from the more upscale AMG Line GLC 250, whose rear apron is decked out by thinner chrome strip.
Interior
Step inside the GLC 200 Exclusive, a round three-spoke multi-function steering wheel sits between the driver seat and instrument cluster instead of the AMG Line flat-bottomed steering wheel as found on the more expensive GLC 250. You'll also make do with lighter wood trim and rubber pedals over the AMG Line's darker wood trim and sports pedals.
The lighter wood trim also extends to the door panel, in place of darker wood found on the AMG Line GLC 250.
Despite the deletion of the AMG Line package, the Audio 20 CD infotainment system and 7-inch freestanding central display are still retained on the cheaper GLC, but without a 13-speaker 590 W sound system.
The entry level GLC 200 still comes with keyless start just like on the GLC 250. The start-stop button had been removed on the test car which gave this writer an exposure to the clever fail-safe mechanism in the event the start-stop button malfunctions. There are two ways to start the engine; either you hit the button as usual, or pull the button out and insert a conventional key fob. The latter can come in handy if the start-stop button is out of commission. Having a manual backup can save the day!
Buyers of the GLC 200 do miss out on features such as panoramic sunroof, surround view camera and keyless entry though.
Electronic Parking Brake can be disengaged automatically by the car after you have locked the car in either Reverse or Drive. Put the car in Park and the Parking Brake will engage by itself. This is unlike on majority of newer cars with Electronic Parking Brake that still requires the driver to manually pull the Parking Brake switch to engage and disengage it.
More importantly, in an event of system fault, a manual Parking Brake switch is available as pictured above. The switch is located closer to the door and below the light switch.
Standard features include brown, black or white man-made Artico leather upholstery, leather dashboard with three contrast topstitching colours, reverse camera, Thermotronic 3-zone automatic climate control, rear air-con vents, Parking Pilot with Parktronic, powered tailgate and powered adjustable front seats with lumbar support sans memory function.
Safety
In terms of safety features, much remains identical to the GLC 250, which includes seven airbags (including one for the driver's knee), Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Hill Hold Assist, Attention Assist, Pre-Safe system and ISOFIX rear child seat mounting.
Driving Experience
So, how does the on the budget GLC 200 feel behind the wheel? Does the shortage of kits neuter its talent? Well, since it's no fire breathing AMG, it isn't really an adrenaline pumping practice, but neither is it a boring piece of jacked up C Class-based SUV. I would say it hits the middle ground with appropriate dispatch.
Utilising the Dynamic Select - which lets you choose between Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual - enables me to distinguish the SUV's behaviour. I started off in Comfort mode and it doesn't really blunt engine response in any way. Pick up is brisk from idling speed. There's no hint of turbo lag, which translates to a linear, smooth engine response and in turn, an unflagging turn of speed.
Sport mode turns up the ante, sharpening the turbo 4 cylinder for greater forward thrust. However, the party officially begins in Sport+ though. Flick the Dynamic Select switch to Sport+ and every light prod of the throttle pedal is translated into a shoved-back-to-the-seat thrust. Further cranking up the powertrain proceedings, Sport+ holds onto the lower gear longer for even more potent acceleration.
I didn't try out Individual mode, but it basically lets you personalise the car's performance characteristics to tailor to your driving style. I didn't try out Eco mode, but as befitting the namesake, it turns down engine response to keep you from being a regular patron of gas station.
The 9G-Tronic transmission impeccably swaps through the 9 forward ratios with aplomb. There's no hesitation before it grabs the next ratio. Shifting with the paddles doesn't really make much difference to be honest, as the transmission's control unit does a superb job in ensuring a clean and timely gear change. I would personally let the computer takes care of the shifting duty.
Steering feel is not the GLC 200 forte; the Electronic Power Steering did a perfect job in blocking out the road texture from the thumb, endowing the steering with lighter effort, but numb feel.
The SUV's suspension is well setup to absorb surface imperfection. I don't ever recall feeling unsettled as the compact SUV traversed the bump-riddled road. Seems like the Agility Control suspension is up to the task. The smaller 19-inch rim and higher profile sidewall may play a part in ensuring a jolt-free ride over the wave of bumps thrown in your path.
The boot space is decent at best, which can be further enlarged thanks to the 40:20:40 split rear seat. The setup, in this writer's humble opinion, creates a versatile boot space where Ikea shopping is concerned. If you're shopping for long-length furniture and still need at least 2 people sitting in the back in relative comfort, just fold up the two outer rear seats, but fold down the central seat and the long-length furniture easily slips through without compromising rear seating.
There's also a snap-in partitioning bracket which you can easily position along the outer edges of the luggage compartment, as illustrated in the picture above.
If you need more boot space, but without having to fully fold down the rear seats, this rear seat stopper pictured above can take care of your needs.
Located underneath the rear seat latch to the extreme side of the boot, it will come into view after you have unlatched the rear seats. It is as simple as pulling up the latch until it's parallel with the seat latch.
With the stopper in the way, the rear seats will rest against the stopper instead of fully catching the seat latch. This will make the rear seats lean slightly forward instead of all the way back, netting an extra space for luggage while still allowing rear passengers to be seated comfortably. A clever trick indeed by Mercedes.
Conclusion
Should you put your money down on the GLC 200 Exclusive? In my humble opinion, you have nothing to lose despite the pared down equipment lists. Despite lacking the bells and whistles of the higher spec GLC 250 4Matic AMG Line, it's in no way a deal breaker.
From my initial impression of the short test drive, the lower power output doesn't adversely affect daily usable performance. Ride quality is also friendly to your back. Plus, its clever implementation of boot spacing gives you a flexible approach in managing your luggage needs.
This writer believes the removal of equipment found on the GLC 250 is a welcomed compromise in this trying economic environment where netizens wrestle with the skyrocketing cost of living. Overall, the GLC 200 Exclusive ticks all the right boxes.
