The Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV will arrive in Australia during the second quarter of 2023 with just one engine option.
The GLC 300 4Matic petrol will be the only GLC offered locally at launch, packing a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 190kW of power and 400Nm of torque. It’s all-wheel drive, and sprints to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.
A 48V mild-hybrid system has a starter-alternator producing 17kW and 200Nm, designed to deliver smoother start/stop and provide a jolt of extra power under acceleration.
MORE: 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC detailed
A less powerful GLC 200 is available abroad, along with a pair of diesel engines, none of which will feature locally at launch.
The current GLC is available with three powertrains, excluding Mercedes-AMG options. Diesel power is no longer offered, but a plug-in hybrid is available.
Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed the trio of plug-in hybrid options offered abroad won’t make the trip Down Under with the new GLC, however.
“For GLC and C-Class, we won’t be offering plug-in hybrid,” a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson told CarExpert.
“We’ve definitely seen a shift over the past few years,” the spokesperson said. “Especially as our EV portfolio has grown … [buyers want] either ICE or EV.”
The mid-sized GLC SUV goes head-to-head with the BMW X3 and Audi Q5 locally.
2022 GLC 
2023 GLC
It was the second-best seller in its class in 2021 behind the BMW X3, with 4206 deliveries across its wagon and coupe body styles. The X3 alone found 4242 homes; sales combined with the X4 coupe totalled 5223.
Supply of the outgoing car “might not be enough” to stretch until the new model arrives in Australia, although “it will depend on demand”.
