M
ercedes was one of
the first premium
brands to enter the
British 7UV market,
but ironically it was one of the
last to introduce a mid-sized x
to go with its bigger Zehicles. That
happened because the old +0/
wasn’t engineered for right-hand
driZe ̄ so while Audi, BM; and
0and RoZer were making hay with
the 5, < and *reelander, Merc
was posted missing.
,aZing been caught out by the
boom in small 7UVs’ popularity
back then, Merc certainly wasn’t
going to make the same mistake
with the +0/’s replacement. And
that’s good news if you like suaZe,
elegant xs with beautiful interiors
and enough eUuipment to make
your head spin.
That’s the +0C in a nutshell.
;hereas most manufacturers aim
to make their 7UVs look as rugged
as possible, you might mistakeMerc’s for a large hatchback ̄ but
unlike some of its more self-
consciously butch riZals it comes
with four-wheel driZe as standard.
And while it’s not in any way truck-
like, it’s capable enough on uneZen
terrain to hold its own.
;e should stress at the outset
that yes, we know the +0C is about
to be replaced by a new model. The
reason it’s worth looking at now is
that for this Zery reason, remaining
stock of the current model is
aZailable for Zery tempting money.
Money, let’s talk about that. At
the top of the range, where AM+
models are to be found lurking, the
+0C can be an enormously costly
thing. But the model we haZe here,
a mid-range 20 d 7port, is actually
Uuite affordable. Its list price is
0,60 ̄ Nust oZer a grand more
than when we took these photos,
but the point is that when you look
at what other mid-size 7UVs cost
now, it’s not off the scale.Under the bonnet, the 20d has
a 2.1-litre diesel with 20bhp and
6 lbf.ft, the latter from a Zery
promising 1600rpm. These figures
translate into a .6-second 0-62
time and 6.mpg combined.
It’s not exactly going to be news
that the Zehicle feels Uuick. ;hat
matters is how strongly it pulls all
the way through the mid range, and
in particular the Uuiet smoothness
with which its power is deliZered.
There’s a complete absence of
Zibration from the driZetrain, and
bumps in the road are smoothed
away masterfully ̄ it feels light on
its feet, without feeling at all light in
terms of substance.
The +0C is agile on the road,
too, with plenty of steering feel
and a tautness to its suspension
that allows it to change direction
without rolling or wallowing.
Naturally, there’s no shortage of
grip if you want to push the limits
̄ which of course means that therest of the time, it’s Nust Zery secure
and drama-free in exactly the way
you want an 7UV to be.
Around town, the effects
of Britain’s awful roads are as
well damped out as you could
reasonably hope for the bumps
come though, sometimes fairly
heaZily, but the edge is taken off
them so they’re neZer harsh. MoZe
to the motorway, meanwhile, and
it cruises Zery Uuietly indeed, with
not a lot more than Nust a muted
swoosh from the road ̄ you
certainly don’t need to turn the
stereo up Zery loud to block it out.
Talking of the stereo, this is part
of an array of eUuipment that makes
the +0C Zery pleasing indeed to
be in. It’s not Nust the presence of
lots of fancy kit that makes it what
it is, though ̄ it’s the elegance
with which it’s presented. This is
the hallmark of a proper premium
Zehicles, and they don’t come much
more premium than Merc.ON TEST GLC 250 d Sport
32 | AU+U7T 201 4x4
DRIVEN
MERCEDES-BENZ GLC
Merc’s first medium-sized SUV looks very car like but can walk the walk off-road. It’s about
to be replaced – so now is an excellent time to score a deal on what’s still a very good 4x4