As far as the dashboard is concerned, ours was outfitted with the Natural Grain Black Ash Wood with Aluminum Trim, both of which are genuine and of excellent quality, both visually and from a tactile standpoint. Perched atop the dash is a 10.25″ screen that is touch sensitive but can also be controlled by a controller on the center console.
Additionally many functions are duplicated by buttons or knobs, and many are even in multiple places, the dash as well as the steering wheel as well as “virtually” on the screen as well as verbally controllable. In short, there is no shortage of ways to control most functions manually to say nothing of doing so by voice as well. The display screen’s main menu can scroll if swiped across, and the screen in Navigation Mode responds to pinch and zoom gestures as well.
Speaking of voice commands I tried it and found it to be very responsive and actually possessing greater logic than I was using – for example I asked it to change the temperature setting to 81 degrees, it responded by telling me it was changing the temperature to 81 degrees for the driver and did so. I chuckled and then asked it to change the temperature for the passenger to 82 degrees, which it did and confirmed correctly that it was doing so for the passenger. For everyone that purports to hate touch screens, it appears that at least one manufacturer has figured out voice commands, and for the record this has certainly improved since I had used them in my previous own Mercedes of 2011 vintage. I’m guessing that overall this is better industry-wide than it was and helps to make that criticism less of an issue.
Our car was also equipped as standard with the Burmester Surround Sound System with more settings than I knew what to do with, I explored it for a bit then just went with it. It sounded great but the car also has its own soundtrack which sounds even better as I prattled on about earlier. As befits a pretty much top of the line vehicle, it had many other minor touches such as illuminated door sills, of course a cargo cover, keyless everything, ambient lighting that can change color to your preference, power everything imaginable, yada yada yada…
While in the cabin, we might as well discuss the back seat at this time. As you know, we used to own a 2011 Mercedes GL and I’ve driven/ridden in a number of MLs over the years as well. I’ve always considered the GLC (and GLK before it) to be “small”, however it really is not. When seated in the back seat with the front adjusted for myself, I still had a couple of inches of space in front of my knees and plenty of foot room. More surprisingly, as I am 6’1″ with a 32″ inseam (so kind of shorter legs) I had plenty of headroom even though this vehicle was equipped with the panoramic sunroof which usually causes issues for me. In short, the back seat was absolutely not objectionable for two adults, but three would be snug.
Upon leaving the Nature Center we drove about a mile down the road to Buffalo Bill’s Gravesite and Museum. Buffalo Bill (William Frederick Cody) is likely known to most as an American soldier, buffalo hunter, and showman later in life.
While from LeClaire, Iowa and the founder of Cody, Wyoming, he lived in Denver at the time of his death and chose to be buried on Lookout Mountain. His wife is buried beside him in a plot with wonderful views of Denver and the surrounding areas. Steps away is a very well done little museum chronicling his life and times with many interesting displays and artifacts.
Outside of the museum is a large veranda with sweeping views of Golden and Denver in particular and vistas stretching dozens of miles. The picture above shows Golden in the foreground, in the middle below Table Mountain is Colorado School Of Mines and to the left behind that the large gray buildings are Coors Brewing Company. Denver is to the right and off in the distance. Downtown Denver is just out of frame to the right.
Photo by Riley Klein
After visiting Bill, we continued on to I-70 westbound toward Evergreen, but on the way there is a large clearing visible to passing highway traffic near exit 254, “Buffalo Herd Overlook”, where frequently there is a large herd of Buffalo (or technically American Bison) that is kept by the city of Denver and makes for a wonderful and surprising sight when they are there.
In a performance vehicle in North America, one of the everyday delights is a simple freeway onramp, being one of the few places where it is socially acceptable to just floor it and go every single time. Of course in a car with 469hp and 479 lb-ft of torque this means that one will be at the speed limit very quickly and (theoretically) would easily be able to approach double the limit by the time the merge needs to occur at which point that type of speed is generally frowned upon. Still, unleashing this car onto an on-ramp has to qualify as one of the high points of the day from the driving standpoint, and if the chuckle from my son was any indication he enjoyed it as well. Soon enough (too soon?) we were at our next waypoint.
Evergreen is a small town in the Rockies with numerous items of interest. The town itself is picturesque with saloons and the typical boutiques etc but also a large lake that in the winter freezes and allows for skating or walking or just standing upon. My brother used to live here so we are pretty familiar with it and used to visit semi-regularly.
There is a dam and spillway at the south end of the lake (north end of downtown) and the town can make for a good stop to spend an hour or so walking about or enjoying a bite to eat both in summer as well as winter. This day at the beginning of February was a very unseasonably 60 degrees Fahrenheit, making it perfect.
Just outside of town is the Hiwan Homestead Museum, consisting of a 25-room log lodge plus three other original buildings built in the rustic style between 1880 and 1942. The museum displays many historic artifacts and gives one a sense of how the early settlers lived as well as also including many Indian artifacts.
While the car has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it also came equipped with something called “Augmented Video For Navigation” as a standard feature on top of the regular Navigation System. What this did, to our delight, was to split the screen and actually show real-time video of our path with an overlay directing us where to turn or what lane to be in etc using its front facing camera that also is used with the parking assist features.
While on the subject of screens, here’s one of the instrument panel, which is just a full width video screen. There are multiple “themes” that one can choose from as well as numerous items that can be displayed. Effectively there is no good way to describe everything, there are literally hundreds of options/combinations; I like to see my fuel mileage and also to keep an eye on the miles traveled etc so this screen setup worked well for me. This, by the way, was taken right after we arrived in Golden from home; we traveled about eight miles on surface streets in total and about 60 on the freeway at around the 75mph limit to this point. Our average shows a 61mph speed average with 19.1mpg for this leg. I’ll touch more on that later on, but the distance to empty graphic is fun to look at (249 miles left in this case) and the mpg graphic changes to gallons per mile when stationary with the engine on as in this case.
Leaving Evergreen, we continued down the highway toward the town of Morrison, the location where Red Rocks Amphitheater is located. If you are at all into music, you know of Red Rocks, which is simply the single best outdoor music venue in the world, to the point that when Pollstar magazine started to rate outdoor music venues and Red Rocks won eleven years in a row, they simply renamed the award the Red Rocks Award and removed the location from the running in order to give other places a chance.
Located among stunning rock formations, it was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the late 1930’s and was their largest and most ambitious project. The entire physical structure of the facility as well as all the finished terracing and stonework was all built by hand, no heavy machinery was used.
I’ve seen several concerts here and it is by far my favorite place to see any act, the terrace levels are deep with plenty of space to stretch out in your assigned “seat” (just mounted planks as part of the terraces) and the sound bounces off the rocks on the sides while in almost every seat the view beyond the stage is marvelous. Since it’s public space it is always open to the public; when we were there, there were numerous others as well just looking around, some exercising, some doing yoga on the stage or the terraces etc.
We walked down all the steps onto the stage, and then decided to race each other straight up the terraces/rows of seats. This is much harder than I thought it might be; I got a good start then started lagging as each “step” is basically chair height, but still managed to make it to the last row in one minute and fourteen seconds by my stopwatch function. The last half-minute was spent thinking about where a defibrillator might be should I need it, as it certainly felt like I might. There’s no air at 6,450 feet, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with that.
However, I recovered and my son eventually arrived too, his short legs were just overwhelmed by the “steps” and it became more of a climbing exercise than anything else for him. The above picture is a model of the place in the visitor center, it’s hard to take a picture of the whole actual area.
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Fascinating review, mainly because it drives home just how simple my own needs and desires are. And how out of reality the modern automobile market is for me. Two weeks ago, I picked up my latest playtoy, a 2002 Honda Civic Si. Mileage well into six figures, I’ve known the previous owner for decades and am well conversant with how she cares for cars. And at $3000.00, all I had to do was hit my friendly local bank teller for a withdrawal from my reserve account to complete the transaction.
Tech? I’m happily living with air conditioning, power windows, power sunroof and a five speed. I’m not so happily living with a single DIN stereo by JVC that is the same model I had installed in my Porsche 924S about ten years ago. No Bluetooth (a deal killer), no Pandora (inconvenient), no Sirius XM (ditto). Best Buy will be visited sometime before Memorial Day.
And then I look at the tech at the Mercedes. For me it’s overkill. Massive overkill. I could have the same run on these roads with that car and my Honda, and I seriously doubt that the Mercedes would give me any extra pleasure. Considering that I normally drive in the summer with both windows down and the sunroof open (yes, even AC is kind of optional to me – credit that to being a biker), 3/4ths of the tech in this car is probably never going to get used. Other than the sound system.
$80,000? Huh? I haven’t bought a new car since my first 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport, and the constantly escalating prices is why. With a realistic budget of $15,000.00 (maybe $20,000.00 – and both these figures mean financing, which I don’t like) it’s pretty obvious that my ownership of one of these will happen about 2030. As an 80th birthday present, secure in the realization that I probably won’t be able to afford the repairs as the systems deteriorate.
Thank you for a wonderful science fiction short story, I enjoyed it immensely. Who does buy these cars, anyway?
Nobody, at least not for another three years. People who obtain them from new generally lease.
Myself, I’m in the market for another manual-transmission subcompact while I can still get one, the plan is to buy new and keep it 10-12 years like I did the last one by which time EVs should be cheap, proven and long-range enough to make the jump.
If I didn’t live in road-salt country I’d do needed repairs to my ’08 Toyota Yaris and keep it like Paul’s doing with his xBox but I do and it’s (finally) starting to rust.
Who buys them? Relatively few people buy them, most (67%) are leased. My neighborhood is awash in leased Mercedes vehicles because no one wants them for the long term. They are unreliable as they age and , in my experience most Mercedes drivers want the newest items. They have no interest in being seen driving an older model.
Finally, I appreciate this article as it’s well crafted and well written. But I have no interest owning one of these. It’s not an enthusiasts’ vehicle, it smacks of someone who’s susceptible to fashion and can barely afford the payments.
If your figures are correct, it would appear that one in three people actually DO purchase instead of leasing. But not everyone wants to tie up that much money even if they have it to spend. And others have enough to be able to keep themselves supplied with the newest and latest.
Thank you for the compliment, I appreciate it.
100% agreed, Syke. I haven’t had a car payment since 1988.
Thanks for the great tour. Some of this was familiar from a family trip to Denver about 5 years ago. Not sure how we missed the Cabrini shrine though.
Like Syke, the idea of an $80k car sort of makes my head hurt. But then again, isn’t a high end car supposed to be 4-5x the cost of a modest new car? I wonder how many of these are purchases rather than leased.
You had me giggling at the “handcrafted by” plaque. Who would have figured that one of the finest automotive craftsmen in Germany would be named Esposito? An imported car made by imported craftsmen – now *that* is luxury! 🙂
A friend of mine “handcrafted” Toyota engines at the Cambridge, Ontario plant for seven years . He never got to sign anything. All he got for his trouble was carpal-tunnel syndrome and a job layoff because he could no longer shuffle bearing shells fast enough.
By “handcrafting” they mean that one individual builds the entire engine from block to finished piece. This is fairly rare in the automotive world. What your friend did was most likely work on an assembly line doing a repetitive job (Peg A into Slot B, repeat).
Thanks for the great tour!
As a lifelong Illinoisan, the Land of Lincoln manufacturer plate immediately caught my eye. Where’d the front one go? 😉
I’m kinda in Syke’s camp, though my fleet is considerably more modern than his, but that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the GLC and very much enjoying Jim’s review. And it was a great reminder of a wonderful long weekend my wife and I spent in Jefferson County five years ago, including a concert at Red Rocks (and a rental C-Max). But I struggle with a Mercedes that has the numbers 6 and 3 in its name, and doesn’t have a 6.3 liter SOHC V8. Somehow, I don’t think those 14.2 “ disks would fit inside the 14” wheels of a 300SEL 6.3, or even the 15-inchers of a Grösser 600.
When I bought my ’08 Prius a couple years ago (a car that is tech-heavy its age) I played with all the buttons and gadgets for about a month and largely haven’t touched them since. I *still* can’t bring myself to stare at a TV screen in the dash to drive backwards – my neck swivels just fine.
I’ve gotten used to the rearview camera on my wife’s Dart GT and have learned to love it. May add one to the Honda when I do the stereo, although the one that really needs it is the Kia van.
One thing I wish you could do to those cameras is switch them on at will. While mirrors work find while swapping lanes there are occasional moments when I’d prefer to have the camera. Like at the I-95 southbound/I-64 eastbound interchange, with Arthur Ashe Boulevard about 1/4 mile down the road. And AAB is the exit for The Diamond and Richmond Flying Squirrels games. Attempting to do that shuffle thru the ramps and into the exit lane for a 1830 ballgame on a weekday can be nerve wracking.
These are really rather nice. Overall, I think it’s a very different experience than the Jaguar F-PACE SVR which is a little more raw and on, all the time. It’s probably very similar to the Porsche Macan Turbo and BMW X3 M.
But “hot vee” engines make me nervous, which is why I don’t have a CPO 750i/Li.
It is an extremely livable vehicle. Why does the hot V setup make you nervous? I understand re: heat but if nothing else at least it’s extremely accessible as opposed to some other twin turbo setups where they are crammed aside the block next to the wheelwells, making access difficult (Audi 2.7t comes to mind). I don’t think exterior air flow is really that much better down there with underbody shrouds etc anyway.
Thanks for a very nice review.
Hot-V makes great sense in V engines. Heat rises, so cold intake below the block and hot exhaust above the block are ideal. It’s not the traditional setup because it doesn’t work with a single carburetor. With port or direct injection that’s no longer a problem. Hot-V is the logical setup today.
Reminds me of a R&T review back when I used to read it, Very professional indeed!
You really took me along with you; sounds like a fun way to spend a day. It’s the kind of car I would really enjoy driving for about a day or so on the open road. A real monster!
I have never seen something like this in Eugene, and probably won’t anytime soon, so you’ve given me the only exposure to it I’m likely to have.
Thanks for the motor tour, Jim, looks like that was a grand day.
The rabid crossover does nothing for me, unfortunately. My 83 grand would go to a GS-F without a second thought. A few more years of being bludgeoned by the crossover reality may bring me around somewhat, but for now I want my performance car to be sedan/coupe, my SUV to be an SUV, and a crossover to be a practical tool. This one is breaking the rules of a polite society and I’m not yet having any of it 🙂
Somewhere you just made some product planner perk up with excitement that someone is still potentially interested in a sedan/coupe!
Conceptually I understand your point completely but would add that this car and some others like it really kind of change the conventional wisdom a bit, Sure, perhaps the same powertrain in a conventional sedan/coupe MIGHT be even better but as is the performance is already so much better than most performance sedans/coupes in many/most respects that the extra practicality and livability really might make one think different as it could wear multiple hats without much if any compromise depending on actual use case.
It seems that Mercedes really nailed the looks on this car. It manages to look special without being garish — kind of like what a Mercedes ought to look like. And it’s well-proportioned, too… the image of the AMG parked next to the GLE “Coupe” at the Amphitheater is interesting, because your test car is such a more pleasing design.
And oddly, I never thought about what the AMG initials actually stood for… now I know.
“It manages to look special without being garish”
If only that 3 pointed star on the grille could be a little smaller. 🙂
At least it doesn’t light up. I guess my standards have changed…
I’m sure the lighted star is a dealer-installed option.
If it has a distance sensor in the star, the lighted star isn’t available.
The bling bling, don’t even think about taking these off-road rims, AMG engraved exhaust tips and the overcompensating for something three pointed star say anything but understated.
On the other hand compared to the newer Lexus CUVs and GM full size trucks, it is pretty tame.
One criticism that I have with all Merc’s that use this type of exhaust tip setup. They are leg burners. I learned the hard way several times ( slow learner apparently) that its easy to get your leg scorched by casually brushing next to one loading the rear compartment.
A very timely, excellent review, and enjoyable travel log. Here in SoCal, the GLC is Mercedes-Benz’s bread-and-butter car. It is not difficult to understand why. The enormous three-pointed star provides entre for those who care, the car is highly configurable, ranging in price from $40K to $80K , at 183” long and under 75” wide the size is perfect for urban driving, and the styling is handsome not radical.
My cousin received this highly optioned ($78K sticker) but pedestrian (no signed engine) AMG 43 version for Christmas three years ago. For her it has been an excellent car with excessive tire wear being one of the few issues. I find the ride a bit firm even in Comfort mode but at 6’1” agree with Jim that the rear seat in such a small vehicle is perfectly comfortable. The 63 seems a bit excessive as the 43, with a bi-turbo V6 and 385/384 HP/torque rating has plenty of scoot.
A nice place to be.
Thank you. Your cousin’s car does look quite nice, and must be very well optioned indeed as the GLC43 starts at $59,500 for the 2020 model year. And yes, those power levels are likely very satisfactory already.
A terrific review of an intriguing Mercedes. Paul is right as spending some time in the pilot’s seat would be a wonderful way to spend some time. It sounds like you chose the ideal setting to experience the goodness of this red beauty.
I’m sure if you bought Mrs. Jim one she wouldn’t mind.
She would in fact not mind at all but is also wise enough to have decided that she would not need the extras that this provides over the more pedestrian trim levels. 🙂
I got very lucky with the weather that day. The rest of the week was less agreeable in that respect but the winter tires did their job extremely well, even in the larger sizes as fitted here so it was able to give a well rounded accounting.
Thanks for the great write-up on tour! I lived in Denver-area for eight years and loved the close proximity of mountains and outdoor activities. So much that I hadn’t gotten to do everything I wanted to do in Colorado during the eight years. This article gave me lot of wonderful memories.
I learnt the hard way about the carburetted engines in my first year of residence there when driving at higher altitude. I got stuck on the mountain pass road when my car couldn’t muster any more power to climb. No room to turn around to head down to the lower altitude. Thankfully, the park ranger knew the trick and managed to get my car started. He also gingerly turned my car around on the two-lane road with quick drop-off at the edge. The ranger advised me not to take any road that goes above 7,000 feet in the future if I drive a vehicle with carburetted engines.
We always stop by Beau Jo’s pizzeria in Idaho Springs on I-70 for pizza every time we head to the mountains or home in Denver.
I definitely miss Colorado…
The ranger advised me not to take any road that goes above 7,000 feet in the future if I drive a vehicle with carburetted engines.
I don’t know what exactly was wrong with your car, but that advice is of course utterly absurd. Tell that to the inhabitants of Leadville (el. 10,151′) and so many other high elevation places in Colorado. Folks have been driving up Pikes Peak (el. 14.115′) since the road was built in 1915. We drove our 1965 Coronet wagon up the even higher Mt. Evans road, as have hundreds of thousands of others, before fuel injection was ever installed on any mass-market cars in the US.
I drove my 40 hp VW all over the highest roads and back-country mining roads, over some very high passes. It ran like a top.
Altitude does reduce power, but not to the extent that a car suddenly can’t make it over a pass or grade. Something obviously was wrong with your car. It might have been vapor lock, which used to be a fairly common ailment back in the ’60s and earlier. But pulling over and waiting for the engine to cool so the fuel stops boiling cured it.
I miss Colorado too. I spent lots of time driving my carburated cars there, exploring every possible little back “road” and driving over the high passes. I could stay with some friends who had a cabin at almost 9000′, right at the edge of Rocky Mt. National Park. I’ve hiked just about every trail in that spectacular place.