The Sport setting is good, with ride comfort controlled and comfortable while still being firm. If you’re bombing down a back road, I can see being entertained by the setting, though it’s no AMG sports car. It’s also not as firm as something like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
With good range, great fast charging, and a wonderful ride, the GLC with EQ Technology should be a success.
Credit:
Mercedes-Benz
The Comfort setting, however, is excellent. As part of the program, we were invited to drive all the generations of Mercedes S-Class vehicles, and I had just climbed out of a current W223-generation car before my prototype drive. The GLC wafts along the highway in much the same way the S-Class does. It features the air suspension from the S-Class, but having the same hardware doesn’t mean it’s tuned the same way.
It’s almost uncanny how the heavy crossover cruises along with nearly the same comfort level as the suspension in the Mercedes-Benz flagship. While I like the Cadillac Lyriq a lot, when it comes to ride comfort in the posh setting, the GLC with EQ Technology is the clear winner.
It’s hard to find any gripes, though my time behind the wheel was limited. Still, it was good to experience the prototype GLC on a variety of different road surfaces in a short period; that’s what makes test facilities awesome. But it wasn’t enough time to live with the vehicle, find all its foibles, and render a solid final verdict.
That said, my initial impressions are solid. If Mercedes engineers can deliver on the charging performance and get close to its range estimates, it should have a solid EV on its hands. If the final version is as comfortable to drive—and sporty when it needs to be—while being able to haul kids, groceries, and gear like a family car should, the GLC with EQ Technology should find favor.
