2023 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe Review: Going Out In Style

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe is the car's last model year in the USA before the redesigned GLC Coupe arrives next year, and a new AMG GLC 43 Coupe a year after that. The 2023 GLC SUV has already been redesigned, leaving the current GLC Coupe as an outdated Mercedes and one of the last with the old M276 twin-turbo V6 engine, which has been replaced by a mild-hybrid inline six-cylinder engine in newer Mercs. You wouldn't say it's old looking at it, as it's still fresh and dynamic, with a dramatically receding rear roofline and premium detailing. And old the V6 might be, but it snarls heartily and packs 385 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque, shunting the compact crossover to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds, while a bevy of under-the-skin AMG hardware keeps it stuck to the blacktop even under severe cornering duress. Its price and specs put it right in the crosshairs of the Audi SQ5 Sportback and BMW X4 M40i, and its AMG credentials will also see it cross swords with the Porsche Macan S, all serious rivals. With an all-new Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe on the horizon, should you still consider the old one?

New for 2023

The 2023 AMG GLC 43 Coupe is the last model year for the type and one of only two trims left in the GLC Coupe range, which has been rationalized over the past few years in anticipation of the arrival of the redesigned 2024 car. The V8-powered GLC 63 trims were discontinued after 2021, and now only the GLC 43 and non-AMG four-cylinder GLC 300 remain; we review the latter separately. The GLC 43 enters the new year completely unchanged except for the deletion of the previously optional dashcam from the options sheet and a price increase of $1,700.

2023 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe Price: Which One to Buy

The price of the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe is $68,200, as opposed to last year, when it cost $66,500, representing a modest 2.5% increase - below the current norm in these inflation-ridden times. This price is MSRP and excludes all extras and the $1,150 destination fee.

A word of caution: exercise restraint when ticking options boxes because they can quickly inflate the price to around $80k if you're not careful. The car is well-equipped as standard, but we do miss a few features, and we suggest adding them. We wouldn't bother with any of the cosmetic packages or the Multimedia package, because the navigation contained in the latter is its only notable feature, and it's not strictly necessary, considering the standard phone mirroring. We feel that the missing driver assists are more of an issue, though, and these include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-change assists, and evasive steering assist - all gained via the Driver Assistance package.

Interior and Features

The interior of the AMG GLC 43 Coupe features high-quality materials, leatherette upholstery, metallic accents, and wood finishes, but the rear seating area is somewhat cramped due to the sloping roofline and intrusive transmission tunnel.

The interior of the AMG GLC 43 Coupe is still smart and contemporary, thanks to periodic updates. The seats might be upholstered in leatherette and not the real thing, but it's of high quality and contrasts nicely with the metallic accents and wood finishes. The trademark round air vents are present and accounted for, and the dashboard is generally constructed of upscale materials. Technology is right up to date, with dual digital screens incorporating all the expected multimedia features and conveniences. A boon is that the touchscreen functions can also be accessed via a touchpad controller, and Mercedes has retained hard buttons for the climate control.

Space

In terms of interior space, the AMG GLC 43 is still fully competitive, despite its age, offering above-average rear headroom for a sloped-back compact crossover. The second row is liveable but more snug than that of a GLC SUV, and despite a longer wheelbase than that of all its typical rivals, rear-seat legroom is average and still bested by the Q5 Sportback. In reality, rear-seat passengers will feel hemmed in due to the intrusive transmission tunnel and below the sloping roofline, limiting that center seating position to emergency use only. Two children or adults of shorter stature should be perfectly comfortable, though, unless they're prone to claustrophobia. Getting inside through the rear doors also requires more of a stoop than the GLC SUV, but the raised ground clearance makes it far easier to access than something like a CLA sedan. The narrowing rear glasshouse hinders over-the-shoulder visibility, but luckily the AMG GLC 43's backup camera is supplemented by standard front and rear parking sensors, automatic parking, and a surround-view monitor, while standard blind-spot monitoring alerts you of further hazards.

Cargo

The AMG GLC 43 Coupe's trunk space suffers most of all due to its stylish rear-end treatment, and the poor 17.6 cu-ft on offer is 4.3 cu-ft down on the normal GLC SUV. It's even worse than the X4's 18.5 cu-ft and positively dwarfed by the SQ5 Sportback's 24.7 cu-ft. Trunk volume can be expanded by folding down the 40/20/40-split second row, but the resultant 36.1 cu-ft is again at the tail end of the class. At least doing so is easy, thanks to electrically folding rear seats disappearing at the touch of a button in the cargo area.

Cabin storage is lacking too, and the spaces available, such as the four door pockets, aren't very generous. Besides the usual glovebox, there is a center-console storage bin, front seatback pockets, a storage net attached to the transmission tunnel in the front passenger's footwell, storage nets in the cargo area's sidewalls, and a lidded storage area at the front of the center console hiding twin cupholders and a space to put your phone. The rear passengers get two cupholders as well.

Materials and Colors

There are only three available interior colors for the AMG GLC 43 Coupe, and the default upholstery is a combination MB-Tex leatherette and microfiber faux suede in black with red stitching. Leather upholstery is a $1,620 option and can be had in black with red or light-gray stitching, or in Saddle Brown or two-tone Cranberry Red/black. Whenever one of the options with the red stitching is chosen, the seatbelts are also red, else they're black. If you don't like the red seatbelts, they can be swapped for black ones at no cost. The sports steering wheel is trimmed in leather, but an AMG Performance steering wheel finished in Nappa leather and microfiber with AMG Drive Unit controls on it costs $500. The trim can be rendered in any of four no-cost options - three wood finishes, namely dark-brown Linden wood or natural-grain Walnut or Grey Oak. The fourth no-cost finish is a combination of natural-grain black Ash wood and aluminum, while you pay $975 for AMG carbon fiber.

Features and Infotainment

The feature count is a mixed bag, and although AMG performance-oriented goodies such as adaptive air suspension and six AMG Dynamic Select driving modes (including a customizable Individual mode) are standard, leather upholstery is an extra-cost option, and the car has fewer driver assists than expected. The front seats are powered and heated with a three-person memory, while front-seat ventilation and rear-seat and steering-wheel heating are optional. You also get a power sunroof (a power panoramic roof costs extra), keyless entry and go, remote start, a power liftgate (gesture activation is not available at all), 64-color adjustable interior ambient lighting, and dual-zone climate control (three-zone climate control is available).

The driver is faced by a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and the MBUX infotainment system also incorporates a 10.25-inch centrally mounted touchscreen with "Hey, Mercedes" keyword activation and voice commands, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, Bluetooth audio streaming, and a six-speaker FrontBass audio system. The system can be controlled via a console-mounted touchpad controller as well. You pay extra for the MBUX Interior Assistant ($250), a wireless charging pad ($200), a head-up display ($1,100), and a 13-speaker Burmester audio system ($850). The $1,300 Multimedia package adds navigation with augmented video and a year's free map updates, a year's live traffic information, and speed-limit assist. The AMG Drive Unit ($400) adds the AMG Dynamic Select controls to the steering wheel, and the AMG Track Pace app can be added to the MBUX system for $250.

Performance

The 385-hp SUV has good performance, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds, and it acquits itself well dynamically with responsive handling from the AMG-tuned AWD system.

The M276 V6 engine in the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe first saw the light of day way back in 2010 as a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated unit. In the GLC 43, it has a capacity of 3.0 liters and benefits from direct injection and twin turbochargers to produce a stout 385 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. It might be old, but it still packs a powerful punch and snarls seductively as it revs - a sound that can be enhanced via an optional AMG sports exhaust. The only drivetrain configuration offered is a nine-speed AMG Speedshift TCT automatic transmission and AMG Performance 4Matic all-wheel drive. All of this ensures excellent performance, and the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe's 0-60 sprint takes just 4.7 seconds, on its way to a top speed limited to 130 mph. It might be all-wheel drive, but this AMG is not meant to go off the beaten track, and there is no off-road mode, just a Slippery mode for slick roads and gravel tracks - and limited ground clearance. And it hasn't forgotten its SUV roots, so its trailering ability is entirely decent, with a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the appropriate factory-supplied Class II tow hitch ($575) installed.

AMG has done an excellent job setting up the GLC 43 Coupe, and the adaptive AMG Sport air suspension keeps the body flat during vigorous cornering, the fat tires ensuring excellent grip. A powerful AMG Sport braking system with 14.2-inch front rotors reins in the 4,200-pound-odd mass effectively too. AMG Performance 4Matic AWD apportions drive in a 31:69 split front:rear. This provides a pleasingly rear-wheel-drive handling feel, while the nine-speed auto issues crisp and quick shifts, especially in the Sport and Sport+ modes, which also dial up the steering's weighting and stiffens the suspension. None of this magically turns the AMG GLC 43 into a sports car, but it does give it a sporty bent, and you never get the feeling that you're flirting with disaster when you press on. And when you don't, the suspension slackens off and delivers a properly comfortable ride. Overall, an excellent showing, considering the car's age.

Fuel Efficiency

The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe's mpg figures are less than impressive, and they are a pointer to the engine's age. Gas mileage lags behind that of class rivals, and its EPA estimates for the city/highway/combined cycles are 17/24/20 mpg. That combined figure is worse than the gas SQ5 Sportback's 21 mpg and well behind the mild-hybrid X4 M40i's 23 mpg. The 17.4-gallon fuel capacity ensures a range of around 348 miles combined.

Safety

The most advanced safety features are listed as options, but the GLC range's crash structure held up brilliantly in crash tests.

There isn't an NHTSA or IIHS safety review of the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe specifically, but its front structure is the same as that of the regular GLC SUV, which received a full five stars overall from the NHTSA and a 2022 Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS.

The obligatory safety features are present, including ABS, tire-pressure monitoring, a backup camera, stability control, and a brace of seven airbags, but you pay extra for rear-seat side airbags. The list of driver assists isn't bad, but there are a few glaring omissions. As standard, you get forward-collision warning, automatic brake initiation, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view monitor, the Pre-Safe system, automatic LED headlights with auto high beams, rain-sensing wipers, and front and rear parking sensors with automatic parking. At this price level, we would have liked to see standard adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist as well, but these, in addition to evasive steering assist, automatic emergency braking, and more, are part of the $1,700 Driver Assistance package. Speed-limit assist can, strangely, only be had as part of the $1,300 Multimedia package. The more advanced active speed limit assist also forms part of the Driver Assistance package.

Reliability

The reliability of the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 AMG isn't rated separately by JD Power, but the GLC range as a whole secured an impressive Quality & Reliability score of 81 out of 100, way better than the Audi Q5's rather woeful 69 and close to the X4's 83. So far, 2022 and 2023 GLCs have only been recalled once for a fuel pump that may shut down, leading to a loss of drive power. This is a lot better than the 2021 GLC 43 Coupe, which was recalled six times, not only for the same fuel-pump problem but also for headlight failure, a non-operative backup-camera display, a faulty front-seat position switch, and a disabled or inaccurate emergency eCall system.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe's warranty cover is only average. Both the regular limited warranty and powertrain warranty are valid for four years/50,000 miles, with no complimentary servicing or maintenance included.

Warranty

Design

The AMG GLC 43 Coupe belongs to a subclass of SUVs that makes little rational sense but is still undeniably popular, so automakers keep churning them out. First of all, the stylish profile that arcs down dramatically at the back gives the crossover a coupe-like side view, making it worse in terms of rear-seat space and luggage capacity alike - things one might presume are important to SUV buyers. It seems buyers are willing to sacrifice these qualities on the altar of style, and the GLC 43 is certainly glamorous and dynamic, despite its age. Premium detailing includes all-LED exterior lighting, frameless doors, rear privacy glass, a power sunroof (a panoramic roof is optional), AMG body styling, and 20-inch AMG Y-spoke alloy wheels. Via the AMG Night package ($750), exterior trim can be blacked out, while the AMG Performance Studio package ($1,950) combines the Night package with the Optics package, the latter adding aerodynamic features like a more aggressive front splitter and rear diffuser. The Optics package is not available separately. Other optional exterior enhancements include larger 21-inch alloy wheels ($1,100-$1,600), brushed-aluminum running boards ($650), an illuminated Mercedes star in the grille ($500), and AMG crest LED logo projectors ($275).

Verdict: Is The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe A Good SUV?

Judged in isolation, the AMG GLC 43 Coupe is an excellent SUV. AMG has done enough to sharpen up the driving experience to make it fun to pilot, even if it's not as quick or sporty as an X4 M40i. In terms of style, tech, and features, it's still a frontrunner in its class, too. The car's biggest problem is the fact that 2023 is its last model year, and if you buy one now, you'll have an outdated car within a year. The GLC SUV has already been redesigned and has whetted our appetites for an even better GLC 43 that will follow as a 2025 model, no doubt with mild-hybrid assistance and a new-generation engine to improve performance and efficiency. Add to this the poor trunk space, and we have enough reasons to pass over the 2023 GLC 43 in favor of a rival - if you can't wait two years for the new one.