Mercedes-Benz continues broad SUV offerings with new GLC model for 2023

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Mercedes-Benz's newest SUV is a comprehensive update of the tidy GLC model.

The 2023 GLC 300 hits one of the sweet spots of the new car market: premium compact crossover SUVs.

But this is definitely not playing catch-up to the hot segment.

In fact, it's quite the contrary.

Mercedes was in it about 15 years ago with the airy GLK model first introduced in 2008. Someone may have had great foresight as to what was to come, or maybe they just got lucky.

Now, a decade and a half later, the second-generation 2023 GLC is ready for comparison shopping.

Highlights are safety and convenience technology, hallmarked by a new MBUX touchscreen display and efficiency in the form of standard 48-volt mild-hybrid power.

It's not something you'd necessarily notice while driving, but the electric motor gives a small bit of an "oomph" off the line, assisting the turbo gas engine and helping the vehicle eke out a bit more fuel efficiency as well.

All wrapped up in an SUV that's not too big and not too small, while carrying Mercedes-Benz's current design language, the company calls the GLC a mid-size model, though it tends to compete with other upscale SUVs in the compact category.

Starting suggested price for a GLC 300 with two-wheel drive is $48,250 before options.

Yes, Mercedes continues to have the hot compact segment covered with the new GLC, which should continue to be a strong seller, but they've also got models up and down the size chart.

This year, there's three fully-electric SUV models.

Going in order of size and/or sticker price, it's an almost dizzying array of gasoline-powered SUV offerings.

There's the compact GLA, the GLC and GLC Coupe, the GLE and GLE Coupe, the GLS, and the sturdy, blocky one they call the G-class.

Want to go fully electric?

They've been busy there as well, from the $55,000-base price EQB, right up to the $100,000+ EQS SUV, with the upcoming EQE SUV in the middle.

It's a safe bet they won't be stopping at three SUV EV models, with others likely on the way.

But the GLC is carrying the torch for conventional power from Mercedes, and it's been a top-selling model for some time now. In 2019 alone, they sold more than 73,000 of them in the U.S.

And for 2023, it's definitely not merely following the trend.

If anything, its predecessor - the GLK from way back when the iPhone was still a new thing - helped set the stage for such a big segment today.