Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe First Drive Review

Around the first bend, my attention is amazingly drawn to the instrumentation that just depicted the Gs I just pulled-off! With every passing kilometre, I realised that the crazy decibels with the ridiculous loud pop and crackles was getting me hooked. But I wanted more. With only so much control in auto mode, the devil in me nudges the dedicated manual-mode button on the console.

So now, I only rely on the paddle shifters to go up and down the nine gears of the smooth, quick-shifting AMG Speedshift torque convertor. By now, there’s just infinite drama as I’m shifting at the maniac 6200rpm limit. You see, if 100kmph comes up in a preposterous 4.75 seconds, imagine how insane reaching 150kmph in 10 seconds sounds! Even overtaking is more like mocking other roadies, as the 40-100kmph run in kick-down takes just 3.95 seconds.

Call me lame, but it’s Sport+ for me any time since it rhymes flawlessly with the AMG persona. It’s outrageously illegal and seriously evil. Only if I’m running low on fuel would I toggle to ‘Comfort’ mode. And since we are on the subject, how does an average of 5-6kmpl sound to you? Well, I can live with it since I’ve owned a 1.6-litre Fiat Palio!

Come to think of it, there are other fixed modes in addition to ‘Sport+’ such as ‘Sport’, ‘Comfort’ and ‘Slippery’ that alters the steering, suspension settings and engine responses, along with the exhaust note. Responses are dialled down as one toggles across these above modes. Plus, there’s also an ‘Individual’ mode that can be customised for varied throttle, transmission and dynamics.

Now, for the most important part of owning an AMG; some static showing-off. A quick pit-stop at a busy midnight food joint should do the job. All I do is noisily park out in the front, and then just sit back and enjoy the glazes and selfie frenzy that follows.

Composure around corners though, is entertaining, as you don’t feel the 2460kg gross weight thanks to some pristine chassis engineering that’s coupled to the AWD setup and wide 20-inchers. Likewise, exceptional high-speed stability also makes this AMG an accomplished long distance bullet train.

Surprisingly, my first few minutes in this SUV was a frantic toggling between modes to get the air suspension off the stiffest setting. But slotted it was, in ‘Comfort’! So yes, the ride can be jarring at slower speeds over serious bumps, but thankfully, it settles down as one goes faster. Yet, there’s no running away from the firm ride unless you find that flat stretch of tarmac. And lest I forget, no worries about scraping the belly as this sporty SUV cleared all the speed breakers I fed it.

Ironically, I developed a strange affinity to the all-digital instrumentation. Not for being overly attractive, but for feeding you the infinite customisation options such as boost or g-force data which frankly won’t bore you for week’s altogether. Something far from impressive though, is the tiny rear windscreen that’s ridiculously raked which makes marking anything out of the rear quite demanding. So I’ll rub it in; relying solely on the rear or 360-degree cameras is the order of the day.

For the record though, visibility from the explicitly adjustable driver’s seat is spot-on, especially around the A-pillar. As for the front seats, they’re supremely bolstered with firm cushioning that braces you deftly. This is further complemented by the adjustable lumbar and thigh support. Something worth noting is that for those with large frames, there’s no dearth of head or shoulder room here either.

Even so, like with any feverishly sloping roofline, the rear seating geometry had to be revamped. So, although there’s plenty of leg and head room (I’m 5’5”), the same can’t be said for the thigh support. Which, when combined with the slightly upright backrest can be uncomfortable for longer stints. More so for the middle occupant, who also needs to dodge the intrusive transmission tunnel.

What we appreciated though, is that the centre seat cushioning didn’t feel like a bulging afterthought, as the passenger can be seated in reasonable comfort. As for the boot, the enclosure is visibly short due to the sloping roofline. But even then, two medium-sized suitcases and some soft bags should do it here.

We really liked the Burmester Surround Sound System that sounds like heaven. Its Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible, got MBUX with voice controls along with a touchpad and also sports the ‘Mercedes Me’ app connectivity functions. As for the display, its high-res with good colours and decent graphics. Call me picky, but I’d love to see faster processing with quicker frame rates, just to replicate the sportier nature of this AMG.