How is the quality and layout?

Good overall. Mercedes used expensive materials on the GLC’s most common touchpoints, such as the centre console, door handles and steering wheel. The leather used to trim the seats and central storage bin is of an equally high quality and we’re big fans of the SUV’s ambient lighting system. It makes the GLC’s interior feel a bit like a posh London wine bar.

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Mercedes has cut a few corners, though. The stalks feel a little cheap and flimsy, and the row of buttons under the infotainment screen wobble on their mounts when you poke them. A BMW X3 might be less flash, but it’s more solidly put together.

Infotainment and technology

The GLC shares its technology suite with the Mercedes C-Class saloon. That means you get the same 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 11.9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen. The gauge cluster is great. It has sharp graphics and a choice of menu designs ranging from data heavy to minimalist.

You can cycle through the menu screens using the touch-sensitive icons on the four horizontal spokes of the steering wheel, which also house the controls for the stereo, cruise control and more. The controls can be a little frustrating, though, as they’re too easy to trigger when you’re driving.

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The central touchscreen is pretty good. It responds well to touch commands and it still looks modern despite the fact the system has been used in other Mercedes cars since 2020. Our biggest issue with the system is its lack of physical controls. Everything – the climate controls, safety assistance tech and sat-nav – is controlled using the screen which can be irritating on bumpy roads. The GLC’s firm suspension means you can’t hold your arm steady enough to hit the correct icon on the screen.

Comfort

• Firm but supportive seats
• Steering column is very adjustable
• Road and wind noise well controlled

So far, we’ve only tried GLCs trimmed in Mercedes’s AMG Line Premium specification. They come with a pair of fully electric leather seats – and they offer plenty of adjustment. The only criticism came from our tallest testers who wished the seat base would extend further to support their legs.

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The seats are firm, but they offer plenty of support. That means you remain comfortable even after 200 miles at the wheel. The steering wheel extends a long way out of the dashboard, too, so you don’t need over-stretch if you’re lanky. We’ve also found the GLC to be a very quiet cruiser on the motorway. Road and wind noise are well suppressed by the car’s sound deadening and engine noise is only intrusive when you accelerate hard. It’s a little less refined around town, though. The firm suspension allows more clonks from the tarmac can to pass into the cabin.