2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review

Name: 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review
Brand: Mercedes-Benz

Price Range: $19,528 - $46,590

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class AMG GLC 43 4dr SUV Exterior

+264

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is all about smoothness and refinement. It treats you with serene comfort, a high-quality cabin, and impressive technology and safety features. In a group of small luxury all-stars such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Porsche Macan and Volvo XC60, the Mercedes-Benz GLC remains a benchmark.

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2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

GLC 350e, the plug-in hybrid, has been discontinued
Minor revisions to feature availability
Part of the first GLC generation introduced for 2016

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.74 per gallon for premium unleaded in Georgia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Georgia

$186/mo

$169/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#4 out of 29 among Luxury Midsize SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class from 2008-2022.}

$624/yr

vs. $602/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.54x/yr

vs. 1.09x/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

5.8%

vs. 9.4%
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.5

27 reviews

5(70%)

4(15%)

3(7%)

2(8%)

1(0%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Well balanced car

Ralph Y, 03/23/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

No car is perfect universally because we have different needs. I have a 2018 model and just bought a 2021 for my wife. We have 2 almost identical cars because GLC300 fits our needs perfectly. I’m 6’ and have a kid 5’8”, another kid in a huge car seat, and GLC300 has enough room for our family of four. It’s fast enough for merging and taking over on highway and nimble on local roads, and …

2021 not as good as the 2018!

John E., 05/25/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

We have been driving MBs (E, C, SL, GLK, and GLC) since 1986, and always have been happy with our purchases. Looking at all the changes coming up in new cars, we didn't purchase in 2018, we leased a 2018 GLC for 3 years. We loved the car so much that we decided to lease the 2021 when the old lease expired. I don't know if it is because of the pandemic, chip shortage, or what, but this … car is - to us - not as good as the 2018! Both cars were ordered with the AMG night package, specifically to get the oversize cross drilled front disk brakes - never cared about the plastic body trim modifications. The 2021 was advertised in the official order form we filled out at the dealership as having these brakes as part of the night package. Surprise - despite still being advertised at the dealership as having these oversize rotors and calipers, the 2021 came with the standard brakes. ALL the 2021 AMG/Night Packages for 2021 that we saw at the dealership dropped the oversize brakes, but kept the price as if they were included. Bait and switch - if your order form says something is included in the price, it should be there. Of course, the car arrived just as the lease ended on the 2018, so it was shut up and take it, or refuse it and pay $500 at the lease end on the 2018 for not leasing a new one. And MBUSA Leasing was a discourteous mess. After we had the new car, the kept calling us and saying we had missed the final payment on the 2018, had not turned in the car, and threatened our credit rating - despite our offering to send them copies of the paper work showing the turn-in date at the dealership and having made the first lease payment on the 2021!!! We had to threaten legal action if they messed up our credit rating before they would listen - It took a week to straighten out, with no apology or anything from MB Financial. And the surprises kept coming: The rear cargo area floor in 2018 was carpeted fiberglass(?) with a hold open hook and strap, and a foam insulation pad on the bottom, apparently to cut down noise. On the 2021 the strap, hook, and foam pad are missing - on ours, and on all the ones we looked at in dealerships. The 2018 had seat back release buttons on the rear door openings as well as in the cargo area - for 2021 they are missing from the door openings, replaced with a cheap plastic plug that does nothing. And the fuel economy is about 1-2 miles per gallon WORSE on the 2021 than on the 2018, for both hiway and city driving! If you never owned a 2018 GLC, you will love the 2021. If you did, you are going to notice the missing conveniences and essentials - at a higher cost. We ordered the 2021 with the Bermester stereo, and that has been a delight. We also ordered the front window noise insulation, and that seems to cut wind noise on the car. The 2021 seems to ride a bit smoother on all suspension settings than the 2018, maybe they changed tire brands? All told, we still like the car - just not as much as the 2018. But given the treatment by MBUSA financial, and the $2000+ AMG night package rip off in describing something on their order sheet that they never provided, after 35 + years of driving MBs, when this lease ends, so will our relationship with Mercedes.

Quality throughout

G Money , 02/17/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

The seats are the most comfortable I’ve ever experienced. My wife and I shopped for comfortable seats due to the amount of miles we put on a vehicle. We’ve owned Honda’s, Toyota’s, Chevrolet, Buick, Ford and BMWs. None compare to this amazing vehicle. The tech is also off the hook. It’s the most technologically advanced car ever and the power is amazing. I can’t wait to drive it again.

Luxury is in the details

Kim L., 09/19/2021

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)

I’ve been spoiled by the smooth ride and responsive handling of this SUV. Having previously owned a 4Runner I can confidently say this Mercedes Benz GLC 300 4Matic exceeds in delivering a superb driving experience. The cargo area of the MB is a bit smaller than the former but is adequate for most of my needs. The interior is well appointed, the 4 cylinder turbo engine delivers …

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2021 GLC-Class Highlights

Type:

SUV

Trim:

GLC 300

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$43,200
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$186/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	19.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the GLC-Class models:

Parktronic with Active Parking Assist: Guides the GLC into an available parking spot with minimal driver assistance.
Pre-Safe Brake with Pedestrian Detection: Alerts the driver if a front collision is imminent and can apply the brakes automatically to lessen the impact. Can also identify pedestrians.
Attention Assist: Measures driver engagement with the vehicle to determine if the driver needs to rest. Alerts the driver via the information display.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover18.5%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review

Price & Payment

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.74 per gallon for premium unleaded in Georgia.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Well balanced car

2021 not as good as the 2018!

Quality throughout

Luxury is in the details

2021 GLC-Class Highlights

Safety

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2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review

Price & Payment

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.74 per gallon for premium unleaded in Georgia.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Well balanced car

2021 not as good as the 2018!

Quality throughout

Luxury is in the details

2021 GLC-Class Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Mercedes-Benz

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.74 per gallon for premium unleaded in Georgia.}