2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC Spied During Cold Weather Testing

Approximately six years ago, Mercedes-Benz revamped the GLK, giving it a new name in the process too: the GLC.

A challenger to the likes of the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, among many other premium compact SUVs, it’s now getting ready to be replaced by an entirely new generation.

Expected to launch before the end of the year, the 2023 GLC’s exterior design will go down the evolutionary road. Even though the wraps have yet to start coming off, we can see that it will have a cleaner front bumper and a reinterpreted corporate grille. The head- and taillights are not the final production items and the profile looks very similar to its predecessor, though the wheelbase appears to be a hair longer.

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Slotting between the GLA/GLB and the GLE in Mercedes’ lineup, the all-new GLC will be built around the MRA II platform. This is shared with the 2022 C-Class and the 2021 S-Class flagship, including the Maybach model, and supports a wide variety of powertrains. It should be offered with the usual petrol and perhaps diesel units, depending on the market, besides the mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid assemblies.

Just like the new AMG C63, the GLC 63 range-topper won’t be offered with the ubiquitous twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 anymore. Instead, it will feature a four-pot with plug-in hybrid capabilities that has yet to be detailed.

In addition, the new Mercedes-Benz GLC is expected to feature a largely similar dashboard layout to the C-Class. This includes a large 11.9-inch portrait-oriented screen for the infotainment system, alongside a 12.3-inch high-resolution display for the instrument cluster.