NEW MODELS | Mercedes-Benz GLC range refreshed for 2020

It’s been four years since the Mercedes-Benz GLC and its slightly younger GLC Coupe cousin first emerged, and it’s now facelift time.

For the new pair, the company says it has adopted a sportier, more distinctive off-road look accentuated by details such as chrome trim that now continues from the front end to the rear, redesigned headlamps and heavily contoured radiator grilles.

Both models get redesigned LED rear lights and smaller and flatter LED High Performance headlamps as standard fitment, while more sophisticated Multibeam LED headlamps can be optioned.

Their interiors are retouched with high-grade materials such as open-pored wood inserts and both versions now enjoy standard fitment of the MBUX infotainment system which allows a variety of inputs such as touch control, gesture control and enhanced voice control as standard. The MBUX augmented reality function for navigation now uses video images of the surroundings.

The driving assistance suite is enhanced with Active Distance Assist and Active Steer Assist that when activated, keep a safe distance and steer the car between the lanes. The speed now adjusts automatically ahead of bends or junctions while risk of potential collisions can be reduced Active Brake Assist, which applies the brakes automatically if drivers fail to see oncoming traffic on a junction. Trailer Manoeuvring Assist is a new addition which eases reversing when towing.

Optional Dynamic Body Control offers adjustable damping of individual wheels depending on the driving surface and speed on the road while a Dynamic Select function tailors the ride experience to reflect "Comfort" or "Eco" modes. For harder pedalling, “Sport" and "Sport+" where the damping is tauter can be selected while these settings also offer modified engine, transmission and steering characteristics.

Opting for Air Body Control air suspension enables the suspension to be raised or lowered by 15mm to suit different terrain conditions.

A new generation of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines are introduced. The powerplants have been improved for further reductions in consumption and emissions, as well as lower operating costs and improved performance.

The new range can be had in GLC 220d (143kW/400Nm); GLC300 180kW/500Nm; and GLC 300 (190kW/370Nm) engine variants, and all models are exclusively fitted with nine-speed automatic transmissions and 4Matic all-wheel drive underpinnings.

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Pricing:

GLC 220d 4Matic — R786,100

GLC 300 4Matic — R842,800

GLC 300d 4Matic — R825,100

GLC 220d 4Matic Coupe — R929,600

GLC 300 4Matic Coupe — R985,300

GLC 300d 4Matic Coupe — R964,200