The Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 Lives Up to Its Hyperscreen

Mercedes-Benz first got serious about electric vehicles with the 2019 European launch of the EQC, but it didn’t go all-in. The compact SUV was built on a modified internal combustion engine vehicle platform which made it suboptimal for an EV.It earned an EPA range rating of just 220 miles per charge, which took 40 minutes to reach 80%, and was set to go on sale in America in 2021 for $68,895. But the numbers didn’t add up, so it never made it here as Mercedes-Benz introduced models in other size classes. Its successor has.The 2027 GLC 400 4Matic Electric is an all-new vehicle designed from the ground up with electric propulsion in mind. It has a 350-mile range and lists for $64,950. Even the fully loaded example I recently tested checked out at $85,950, which is what the GLC would cost today if adjusted for inflation.The GLC 400 4Matic has a front trunk and an illuminated faux grille. Mercedes-BenzAs the 4Matic part of the name indicates, it has a standard all-wheel-drive system with a motor at each end and a combined 483 horsepower, which is substantial for a vehicle this size. Future trims with less power and lower prices are planned, but details have not yet been announced.Unlike many EVs, the GLC 400 features very conventional exterior styling, save for a large silver radiator grille inspired by 1960s Mercedes-Benz styling. The thing is, it’s not a grille. Electric vehicles don’t really need them, so it is fitted with dozens of LEDs that can illuminate it and put on an animated show when you unlock and lock it.There’s an even more dazzling display inside. The GLC 400 4Matic is equipped with what Mercedes-Benz calls the Hyperscreen. It is a single screen that stretches across the dashboard, incorporating the gauge cluster, a central touchscreen infotainment system interface and another touchscreen in front of the passenger seat. The GLC 400 4Matic is rated for 350 miles of driving between charges. Mercedes-BenzCombined with an ambient light strip that wraps around the top of the dash in the color of your choosing, it is a lot to take in at first, but it succeeds at making the car feel special. The screen can be configured in myriad ways and the system it controls is comprehensive. Along with the functional controls, it is loaded with games and video apps that the passenger can use while the car is in motion. A camera mounted in the screen can detect if the driver is trying to watch and will shut the display if it catches them sneaking a peek. An augmented reality head-up display that projects a map on the windscreen for the navigation system should keep their attention.The system also has Apple and Android smartphone mirroring and voice controls that can do things like turn up the heat, change the radio station and tap into connected AI services that provide information from the internet. What’s missing are buttons and switches. The touchscreen controls most functions, including adjusting the front seat lumbar support. A few more tactile controls would be welcome, as they are easier to use while driving.A modest rear cargo area is augmented by a front trunk under the hood, while the passenger compartment is spacious in both rows. It is topped by a full glass roof with a built-in electrochromic shade that can be darkened in sections. The Burmester audio system has a 4D surround feature that can be set to vibrate the seats and flash the ambient lighting to the beat, which is entertaining but can be a bit much. The GLC 400’s glass roof has an electrochromic shading system embedded within it. Mercedes-BenzThat also applies to the all-wheel-drive power, which is more than adequate for a mainstream vehicle. The GLc 400 4Matic can accelerate to 60 mph in about four seconds and reach a 130 mph top speed, which might be useful back home on the German Autobahn.My test car had a computer-controlled air suspension system and a four-wheel steering system that turns the rear wheels up to 4.5 degrees for tighter turns at low speeds. It rides like it is on a cloud and practically erases ruts and potholes as you cruise over them. You can do that for a long time, because it lives up to the 350-mile range rating in the real world and can charge in half the time the EQC needed at the fastest public charging stations.Although the electric vehicle market isn’t as hot as it once was, the GLC 400 4Matic is good enough to sell on merit. Its arrival in showrooms during historically high gas prices is especially promising, but just getting there was an achievement unto itself.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 Lives Up to Its Hyperscreen

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 Lives Up to Its Hyperscreen

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