NEW Mercedes GLC Electric: Has BMW iX3 Met Its Match?

Hey Mercedes. Yes. Do you think I should shave my head? Please refer to the owner's manual for reliable information. This is the new Mercedes-Benz GLC, Merc's shiniest, screeniest new all-electric offering. It'll go a very long way on a single charge. It's got a massive screen. It charges at breakneck speeds. It's absolutely loaded with tech. Did I mention the massive screen? But is the GLC actually any good? Let's find out. There is an old joke in Germany that goes BMW does its planning in Stuttgart, while Mercedes does its planning in Munich. I mean, OK, it's not exactly a side splitter, and it does require the knowledge that BMW is from Munich and Mercedes is from Stuttgart. But anyway, basically, Mercedes and BMW supposedly decide whatever they're doing based on what the other one is doing. OK, still not hilarious, but still definitely true, because just as we get the iX3, BMW's groundbreaking next generation electric crossover, guess what? Along comes Merc's groundbreaking next generation electric crossover, the GLC. I mean, probably just coincidence. This is the new electric GLC, and it's a big deal for Mercedes. The GLC is their biggest selling car globally, and this new one sits on an all-new dedicated platform. It replaces the old EQC and goes head to head with not only the BMW iX3, but also the Tesla Model Y and the Porsche Macan Electric and the Polestar 3 and loads of others. Now, Mercedes wanted to make the GLC a little bit more memorable than the EQC, which I don't feel like is that difficult because the EQC was a little bit of a blob of nothing, wasn't it? This GLC certainly has more presence. Whether or not that's a good thing or not, we shall see. This upright grille, Mercedes say that this is a nod to the 60s grand limousine era. I kind of get that, but also feel it looks a little bit like a gum shield, don't you think? That grille, by the way, consists of 942 individual pin lights, which can illuminate in dozens of different configurations. Very nice, Mercedes. However, call me back when it says Alex is your queen, get out of her way and she's late for lunch. One thing I do like about the front is this, a surprisingly capacious frunk. 128 litres of space, in fact, which is precisely enough for 128 litres of stuff, as long as it's in that shape. Happy to help. From the front then, the GLC maybe isn't Merc's most elegant design of recent times. Round the back, though, things get much better. Now we're talking. I like what you've done here, Mercedes, but these four circles have got a little bit of alpha about them, which is never a bad thing. So those, plus the fake air vents and this bumper shape, it's a rather nice composition. Good bum. Let's take a look in the boot. Plenty of boot space, 570 litres with the seats up, 1470 litres with the seats down. That is comparable to the BMW iX3 or the Tesla Model Y. Not that you can actually compare it to the Tesla Model Y because they do their spaces in a really weird way, but why do you have to make things so complicated, Elon? The electric GLC sits on a longer wheelbase than the combustion GLC, so there's extra headroom and legroom in the front and rear. It's available with certified vegan leather, which I'm a big fan of. I'm also a big fan of this panoramic roof, which has 162 Mercedes stars in it and can be set to whatever opacity you want. For example, hey Mercedes, how can I help? Set the roof to motif. All right, I have set the motif. And we need to talk about this screen, don't we? There's no getting around it. I mean, literally, there's no getting around it. It's massive. 99 centimetres to be precise. Why would you not add the extra centimetre and make it a metre? Really annoys me. They say it's the biggest screen ever seen in a Mercedes. I mean, it's the biggest screen I've ever seen outside a cinema. So you can talk to it like you would a friend. So let's try that out. Hey Mercedes. Yes. Do you think I should shave my head? I'm here to assist with vehicle related queries. For personal decisions like shaving your head, consider factors like comfort, style preference and hair care. It's up to you. Please refer to the owner's manual for reliable information. OK, maybe not quite like a friend. The screen is super responsive and there's a load of things that you can do in here as well, like change the sound experience, for example, to fractal fusion, granular fuzz, serene breeze. Not only that, but you can change your emotional modes to either campfire mode and my favourite ocean mode. Look at that. I mean, it's a bit gimmicky and I'm not sure when you'd ever put it on, but it's a bit fun. So in conclusion, if you like screens, you're going to love it in here. And if you don't like screens, then sorry, it's 2026. You're kind of fighting a losing battle. Here's a strange thing about this new electric GLC. It doesn't replace the existing petrol and diesel GLC. And the first thing that you need to know about this GLC is that it is really rapid. Mercedes will introduce slower electric versions a little bit down the line, but they've kicked off with the fast one because, you know, go hard or go home, right? Badged GLC 400. It's powered by a pair of electric motors generating a combined output very close to 500 horsepower plus 800 newton metres of torque. That is a serious lump of power. And it means that when you put your foot down, it just flings itself around the road. It is proper quick and it handles really well. It's incredible how a big car like this can actually feel really nimble. You're never going to want for speed here, that is for sure. And because each axle gets its own electric motor, it's got four wheel drive as well, so you're never going to want the grip either. Yeah, this GLC has got some serious GL speed. Unusually, the GLC uses a two speed gearbox for its rear motor, same as the Porsche Taycan. Merck says this gives better motorway efficiency combined with extra shove off the line. Zero to 60 in just over four seconds. I mean, not that long ago we'd have called that supercar acceleration. In 2026, we call it just another normal Tuesday. But do we really need that level of performance in a family SUV? No, not really. Am I complaining? No, I'm not. The GLC borrows four wheel steering from the S-Class, giving it added stability at big speed whilst reducing its turning circle by nearly a metre when parking. It also nicks the S-Class's air suspension, which can communicate with other nearby Mercs to adapt to the road surface. Overall, yes, the GLC is fast and it's grippy and it's composed. I don't think they were aiming for massive fun here. I mean, you are not going to have as much fun as you would do in a Hyundai Ioniq 5N, for example. But the GLC isn't trying to be a sports car. It's about making rapid, unruffled progress and getting you a long way on electrons alone. It's got a 94 kilowatt hour battery. That's good for 406 miles of range. It's not quite as far as the BMW iX3, which has up to 500 miles, but it's pretty good. And if you do need to top up at any point, the GLC will charge very, very quickly. Built around 800 volt architecture, it'll replenish its battery at speeds up to 330 kilowatts, which means you can add close to 200 miles of range in just 10 minutes. With this GLC, Merc isn't just pushing the boundaries of screen size, it's pushing the boundaries of electrical efficiency. The GLC is all about making the most of every kilowatt hour of power. Despite that big bluff grille, it's surprisingly slippery with a sealed underbody and active aero. In regular driving, the front motor disconnects from the wheels to reduce drag. They're especially proud of something that they call one-box braking, which promises to seamlessly combine friction and regen for progressive braking. And they reckon that you'll use regen alone for 99% of the time and that you'll almost never need to use the pads and discs. So you can use these paddles to dial up and down the regen, so you never need to use the brake pedal either. OK, so this is strong recuperation, that is very aggressive. Normal, that's a lot more smooth. Or you can simply have it in auto, which will then read the road and adjust the regen accordingly. There's more efficiency cleverness too. The GLC harvests wasted heat energy from the electric motors to heat the cabin, so you shouldn't lose so much range in the winter. Merc is particularly proud of the GLC's which is a large caravan or a pair of properly massive horses. But do be warned, if you are towing your properly massive horses, you are unlikely to do 400 miles on a charge. In fact, you'll struggle to do 200, but that's fine. So whether you're human or horse, the GLC is truly practical. But is it cheap? It's new premium EV, so no, of course it's not cheap. When UK prices start at around £60,000, which sounds a lot, but it's pretty much level pegging with that BMW iX3. And you can get a Tesla Model Y for a lot less. But if you want the one that's closest to this in terms of performance and power and range, then the Tesla is actually going to be more expensive. So no, the GLC is not cheap, but it's not more uncheap than its rivals. So does this new GLC deliver? Truth is, for a while, Merc were a bit behind the curve with their electric cars. The EQC was a compromised job. The soapbar EQE and EQS left the world a But with the new CLA and now this GLC, Merc have properly arrived to the electric car party in terms of tech, in terms of efficiency, in terms of range. This is absolutely at the bleeding edge of EVs right now. I mean, some might find the whole screen a little bit overwhelming. But if you want a family SUV that will go a long way, that will charge quickly, that will do all with a reassuringly expensive sheen, then, yeah, the GLC is top tier.