Tested: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe Proves to be Fun If Odd-Looking

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Marc UrbanoCar and Driver

A coupe is colloquially known as a two-door car. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) classifies a coupe as a vehicle with less than 33 cubic feet of rear-seat space. The Mercedes-AMG GLC43 coupe meets neither of those requirements, but that doesn’t stop Mercedes from calling this slope-back AMG-tweaked GLC a coupe.

If you’re deeply offended by the misnomer, you can always opt for the regular GLC43 SUV, which is mechanically identical to the GLC coupe. Sorry, there goes that word again. For 2020, both versions of the GLC43 get a new infotainment system but, more important, horsepower rises from 362 to 385. An exterior reskin brings redesigned LED headlights, vertical chrome fins in the grille instead of the old diamond-block pattern, and a more aggressive-looking lower fascia.

Money Talks

Mercedes has revised its pricing to close last year’s $4200 gap between the “coupe” and regular GLC43 to $2500. A 2020 GLC43 coupe starts at $63,995, an increase of $1800 over last year. Even bundled with $7810 worth of options, our GLC43 coupe’s as-tested price was $71,805.

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Our GLC43’s interior wore the standard black leatherette seats that come with microsuede inserts to help hold you in place. Open-pore wood trim stained black on the center console and the aluminum trim looks every bit the price of entry. The new 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is a $750 option that we expect few will skip. A loud and clear Burmester audio system added $850 to the total, but when it’s quiet time the noise-insulating side glass ($150) helps turn down the volume. Our GLC’s 68 decibels at 70 mph is three fewer than an earlier GLC we tested without the insulating-glass option.

While Mercedes claims that both the GLC coupe and SUV have about the same cargo volume behind their rear seats, we noticed a big difference when we opened the hatch and started loading carry-on suitcases. The coupe could only hold five suitcases versus seven of the roller bags that went into the SUV. The BMW X4 and Porsche Macan can hold more luggage than the misshapen Merc.

Touch and Go

Unfortunately, Mercedes-Benz’s new (MBUX) infotainment system can be frustrating. It projects through a new 10.3-inch touchscreen that replaces last year’s smaller non-touch displays, which is great if you like trying to interact with an iPad at 70 mph. A large touchpad replaces the old and reliable rotary controller. It’s better to just rely on the tiny touch-sensitive pads on the spokes of the GLC’s new steering wheel. The left pad controls the gauge cluster, and the right one operates the infotainment system. The steering-wheel pads are so intuitive and easy to use that we rarely reached for the touchpad or the screen.

Performance Art

Larger turbos and software tweaks are responsible for the GLC43’s extra 23 horsepower. The GLC43 sticks with the familiar twin-turbo V-6 and likely won’t change to Benz’s new twin-turbo inline-six in this generation. To combat turbo lag, the larger turbos are mounted closer to the exhaust ports. Like all AMGs, there’s a provocative soundtrack, which was amplified by the $1250 AMG performance exhaust.

AMG calibrates the nine-speed automatic, and should you feel the need to get involved, there’s a satisfying heft to the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. This conventional automatic transmission lacks the immediacy of the Macan’s dual-clutch automatic, and we did catch it stumbling through gears during low-speed maneuvers.

If you tick the 21-inch wheel option, it’s possible to order summer tires on the GLC43, but our tester arrived on the standard Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season run-flat tires—size 255/45R-20 front and 285/40R-20 rear. Although the 0.88 g of grip on a 300-foot skidpad is great for something this tall and heavy on all-season tires, the lengthy 182 feet to stop from 70 mph is less impressive. The 2017 GLC43 coupe we tested on Continental ContiSportContact summer rubber performed returned 0.94 g and stopped from 70 mph in just 154 feet.

Despite the extra power, the new GLC coupe didn’t reduce acceleration times by much. New and old both hit 60 mph in a fleet 4.2 seconds. The power difference doesn’t show up until the quarter-mile where the 23 extra horses result in a quarter-mile of 12.8 seconds at 108 mph, 0.1 seconds and 2 mph quicker than the old 362-hp GLC43. The newfound power hardly affects the coupe’s EPA ratings. EPA city estimates drop from 19 to 18 mpg, but the 24 highway and 21 mpg combined numbers are unchanged. We found it will exceed its highway rating by returning 26 mpg in our 75-mph highway cruise test of real-world fuel economy.

The ride on the standard air springs is delightfully smooth and serene in Comfort drive mode. Switching to Sport or Sport Plus transforms the tipsy default motions during high-speed cornering into faster flat ones. The meaty sidewalls that protect the 20-inch wheels do an admirable job of cushioning impacts. While the steering is less communicative than in a Porsche Macan, we enjoyed the AMG’s quick and direct behavior, especially in the firmer, sportier settings. The 43’s brake pedal has a strong initial bite preceded by a short stroke, which was tricky to modulate in stop-and-go traffic. Still, we admire how easily the GLC43 coupe can change from grocery getter to driver’s delight. The fact that it’s between $13,500 and $21,100 cheaper than the outrageous GLC63 S coupe is another reason it’s our favorite Mercedes hunchback, er coupe.

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