• Rivals have more efficient engines
• Three-year unlimited mileage warranty
• Two plug-in hybrids available

What are the running costs?

Thanks to a wide range of petrol, diesel and hybrid powerplants, running costs range from insignificant to substantial. With no full electric version (the closest you’ll get is the related EQC), it’s the diesel-electric hybrid 300de that emits the least CO2 and promises the best economy if you’re willing to charge it up regularly. 

While the 300de drops just below 50g/km of CO2, the petrol-electric 300e emits over this figure, putting it in a higher company car tax bracket. The petrol engine is also thirstier than the diesel, making the 300de a better bet for those planning on driving long distances. Neither have a particularly impressive electric-only range which also pushes company car costs up.

Similarly, the 220d and 300d diesel engines are more efficient than the 300 petrol. While the latter might manage low 30s economy if you’re being exceptionally careful, the diesels will easily manage high 30s. None of the conventional engines are great for CO2 emissions, though.

If you’ve really got money to burn, the V6 AMG GLC 43 and especially the V8 GLC 63 will quickly empty your bank account. Expect mid-20s mpg from the 43 and sub-20 from the 63 if you enjoy all that power.

View detailed MPG and CO2 figures on the Mercedes GLC specs pages

Servicing and warranty

You get a fairly standard three-year warranty with the GLC, although it is at least an unlimited mileage policy. You can extend this by one or two years or opt for a one month rolling warranty for a fee.

If you’ve selected a plug-in hybrid GLC, the battery is covered by a six-year or 62,000 mile warranty that’s separate from the main car warranty. As for servicing, you have the option of paying for it in advance with one upfront payment or a monthly direct debit.

Reliability

• Overall reliability record is good
• Plenty of recalls, though
• Tried and tested engines

Reports suggest that the GLC is one of Mercedes’ more reliable SUVs, no surprise given that it uses plenty of tried and tested oily bits.

It’s a little troubling, then, to see so many recalls on the against the GLC’s name. Scroll through the list and 2018 alone yielded eight, relating to everything from front seat belt tensioners not functioning to inadequate bonding of the windscreen. Said issues were all fixed under warranty by Mercedes-Benz.

Head on over to our owner’s review section to see what this generation GLC has been like to live with.