2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 Review - A Racecar In SUV Clothing

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - What Is It?
The AMG GLC 43 is an SUV that identifies as a racecar. That’s OK with us, but we feel it is our duty to report the facts as well as our impressions. It can seat five, has about the same room as a Tesla Model Y or RAV4 Prime. Why would we choose these vehicles to compare this car to? Well, on the side, AMG printed “electrified,” so they must feel that is important.

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - How Is It Powered & What’s Its EPA Rating?
The GLC has a 2.0-liter engine with an electric-assist turbocharger. The idea is that a small electric motor helps turn the turbine before the exhaust gas does that for it, thus quickening the boost response time. We could not feel that effect. AMG describes the vehicle as a light hybrid and also says that “...the system also briefly provides an additional boost of 13 hp by the belt-driven starter generator (RSG).” 

The EPA Combined MPG Estimate is 21. The vehicle requires premium fuel. 

The GLC’s engine is mated to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G transmission with a wet start-off clutch. The vehicle is also equipped with AMG Performance 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive with a rear-biased torque distribution.

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - Price
The as-tested price of this vehicle we tested is $72,020 inclusive of the Mercedes Destination and Delivery fee, but less dealer Doc fees. 

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - The Drive
This vehicle feels like a highly-tuned racecar. It has a very powerful engine that can produce a peak output of 416 hp, but using the power wasn’t practical in our driving. When we were in traffic and needed a quick burst of speed, applying more input to the go pedal resulted in a lag where nothing occurred, some shifting by the transmission, and then way more power than appropriate for the situation. We could not really use the powertrain in a way that made this vehicle quick in the real world. If you wish to use Sport modes and the paddle shifters, we have no doubt they can help this vehicle do fast things, but in real-world driving, we could not make it go fast or be quick at a moment’s notice. And we have decades of experience doing exactly that. 

Mercedes says this vehicle can go from 0-60 MPH in about 4.7 seconds. That was impressive before electrification, but today, it is expected at this price point in every type of vehicle. 

The suspension has many settings, and we chose Comfort for nearly all of our time in this SUV. Still, it was very harsh. Every small road imperfection rattled the interior. We spent some time removing things from the trunk and console so they would not make noises from the firm ride. 

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - Interior and Infotainment
Inside, this is a very nice vehicle. It takes a bit of adjustment to get use to the wiper stalk being the gear selector, but we’ve been fortunate enough to drive a lot of great Mercedes and AMG vehicles, so we are now past putting the car in neutral when we want washer fluid. 

The wireless Android Auto system worked perfectly. The screens were generous in size without being massive tablets, and there is a head-up display that is as clear as any we have ever tested. The audio was excellent.

The materials used blow anything we’ve seen from Tesla or Lexus out of the water. Orange Nappa leather and piano black were the themes. The dash has black wood with what looks like silver piping. Superb. 

There is no spare tire in this sport utility vehicle, but the space where it should be is open and adds considerable space below the cargo area floor. 

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - Here’s the Thing
One issue we have with this vehicle is that it should be a low-slung coupe, not an SUV. The vibe is off. Why try to make an SUV a racecar? We have tested another Mercedes Benz vehicle almost exactly this same size we LOVED, called the EQB350 4Matic. That vehicle’s electric powertrain was dramatically better in real-world use than the GLC 43's tiny gas engine, and the instant torque from the EQB350 4Matic was many times more enjoyable to use than the on-off switch-style engine in the AMG. Despite the numbers on the spec sheet saying it’s slower, the EQB350 4Matic felt much quicker in traffic. 

Then there is the cost comparison. The EQB350 has a lower price by about $10K, and each year it is driven has a $2,250 fuel cost advantage. So, over ten years, the EQB saves its owner a massive $32,500 in cost. Your savings will vary based on your local fuel and gas prices. We used national averages supplied by the EPA’s website, www.FuelEconomy.Gov. 

2024 Mercedes AMG GLC 43 - Our Conclusion
Our advice is to be sure you drive this vehicle and understand that it is a very serious hardcore sports car in the body of an SUV powered by a gasoline engine. If that is what you want, this is one of the best of its kind. The hard part for us as reviewers is that BEVs like the Genesis GV60 and Tesla Model Y Performance cost about the same but are faster on paper and feel dramatically faster in public settings. 

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John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work at our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading.