The luxury SUV market is extremely hot for the 2018 model year. With hybrid and electric models becoming mainstream, carmakers like Mercedes-Benz have a massive market on which to capitalize. Competition is heating up with Acura, Lexus, Jaguar and widely-known Tesla all trying to claim the biggest piece of the pie.
Mercedes-Benz has more than one luxury SUV with which to compete. In the compact SUV segment, the GLC 350e can be found making a splash. It’s a fantastic blend of everything you expect from the best-selling luxury brand – stylish, feature-heavy, stable, and well-performing – with the added benefit of being extremely fuel efficient.
The question isn’t if Mercedes-Benz has a good product; it’s obvious that the 2018 GLC 350e is a worthy contender. Rather, the question is if the GLC 350e does enough to differentiate itself from other vehicles in its class. The Acura MX Sport Hybrid offers a very well-equipped experience for a similar price. The BMW X5 xDrive40e is more expensive but is a larger, more capable vehicle. The Tesla Model X carries a much higher price tag but is a fully electric SUV. Where does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e fit in?
Exterior styling
Like all German-engineered Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the 2018 GLC 350e is impeccably good-looking. The silhouette is less boxy than most of its competitors, opting instead to take a less traditional SUV approach and instilling wagon-like cues. Its body design is bold with tasteful flashes of chrome and strong, muscular bulges in the front end and over the fenders.
In typical Mercedes fashion, wheels no less than 18 inches in diameter are standard. 19-inch AMG-style wheels are available in either the AMG Line or Night Package trims along with fancy trim accents. There’s no doubt about it: the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e is a sharp-looking sport utility vehicle.
