Mercedes-Benz GLC

Introduction

In June 2008 the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class went on sale in its intended European markets. Designed to sit below the GL-Class, it became a rival for the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. But the engines aren’t as impressive any more, and the design’s getting a bit tired. Worry not, Mercedes is going to change that.

  

We’ve just seen the debut of the 2016 model - the 2nd generation if you like. But with one twist, it’s had a change of identity. The GLC-Class is the SUV based on the C-Class saloon sitting above the GLA-Class and below the GLE- and GLS-Class (formerly known as the M-Class and GL-Class).

  

Take a look here at Mercedes’ new naming strategy.

Interior

As we’ve already discussed, it’s the SUV counterpart of the C-Class meaning the interior has been heavily borrowed. That’s not a bad thing, though. The large, striking, one-piece console panel and lack of central gear lever equate to a pleasant, open space. Elbow room and kneeroom are said to be up by some 30-60 cm from the GLK-Class.

Thanks to some clever designing, the boot offers up to 580 litres of loading space, meaduring 132 cm by 110 cm. Fold down the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats and uncover a 1,600-litre cave. With the optional AIR BODY CONTROL, a GLC’s owner is able to lower the load compartment by up to 40 mm making it easier to lift heavy items into the boot. As you’d expect from such a car manufactured by a luxury company, the HANDS-FREE ACCESS enables the tailgate to open by performing a waving action with your foot under the bumper.

  

Powertrains

There are three main options for the GLC-Class - two diesels and one petrol. But Mercedes will also be offering a plug-in hybrid variant, an increasingly popular option. All models come with 4MATIC all-wheel-drive as standard.

First is the GLC 220 d 4MATIC. Producing 170 bhp and 400 Nm, it’s not short of oomph. Probably why it managed to be propelled to 62 mph in 8.3 s and onto 130 mph. Averaging a claimed 56 mpg, the 220 d emits 129-143 g/km.

The other diesel is a GLC 250 d 4MATIC which churns out 204 bhp and 500 Nm. It’s 0.7 s faster to 62 mph and has an 8-mph-higher top speed. As it’s the same engine as the 220 d, it averages and emits the same.

 

The petrol option is the GLC 250 4MATIC with 211 bhp and 350 Nm. It’s the quickest to 62 mph (7.3 s) and shares its top speed with the 250 d (138 mph), but, as expected, it’s less efficient. Mercedes’ claimed figures are 43 mpg and 152-166 g/km.

They all comply with the EU6 emissions standard and employ start/stop technology to ensure the best efficiency possible for them.

  

The PHEV comes in the form of the GLC 350 e 4MATIC. It produces 211 bhp and 116 bhp from the engine and electric motor respectively. It’s the quickest of all - 146 mph and 5.9 s to 62 mph, but the most important is efficiency. Just 60 g/km of CO2 makes it free to tax, and you can drive up to 21 miles in electric-only mode.

The petrol and diesel models are all mated to the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission, whereas the 350 e uses the 7G-TRONIC auto.

Driving Dynamics

A unique selling point for the GLC-Class is its AIR BODY CONTROL - none of its rivals offer such technology.

With DYNAMIC SELECT, the driver chooses between Eco, Comfort, Sport (suspension lowered by 15 mm), Sport+ and Individual. Each mode speaks for itself, really.

 

When it’s equipped with the Off-Road Engineering package, the GLC’s suspension raises by 50 mm to ensure a hassle-free off-road experience. This package comprises of Slippery, Off-Road, Incline, Rock Assist and Trailer modes. They’re all pretty obvious apart from Trailer which optimises the car to tow a trailer in tricky situations, such as pulling a caravan off a muddy field.

 

DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) automatically maintains the speed of the cruise control on steep downhill stretches.

Lastly, it’s important noting that although it’s an all-wheel-drive SUV, it’s slightly rear-wheel-drive-biased with a 45%:55% split.

Design

The GLK-Class’ Cd value was 0.34, whereas the completely redesigned GLC’s is 0.31. Throw with that the total aerodynamic drag of 0.794 (GLK: 0.87) and it’s obvious that efficiency has been an important part of the update.

 

Weight has been cut too, by 80 kg, thanks to the use of aluminium, high-strength steels and glass-fibre-reinforced plastic.

Safety

Whenever a new car is announced, it’s a fair bet to say that safety has been improved. Although the GLC hasn’t been Euro NCAP tested, the GLA, C-Class, CLA, M-Class and soon-to-be-gone GLK have all achieved 5 stars. Let’s take a look at some of the new safety tech.

 

Standard equipment includes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, Crosswind Assist, Headlamp Assist and ATTENTION ASSIST.

The Driving Assistance package plus comprises of DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, PRE-SAFE® Brake with pedestrian detection, BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and PRE-SAFE® PLUS (the latter is pretty cool - it identifies impending rear-end collisions, alerts the traffic behing by operating the hazards at a higher-than-normal flashing frequency, activates preventive occupant protection measures and brakes the vehicle to a standstill after a rear-end collision).

 

Traffic Sign Assist will display relevant information to the driver, including speed limits, wrong way notifications, no entry warning and no overtaking warnings.

The LED Intelligent Light System with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus can stay on all the time because it adapts automatically.

 

To help you avoid accidental damage to this high-tech compact luxury-SUV, it can also be fitted with a 360-degree camera and Active Parking Assist for parallel and bay parking spaces.

 

Bentley Flying Spur Beluga

Bentley's new trim for the Flying Spur is the Beluga. It completes the car with 20-inch alloys, namely 'Black and Bright'. The gloss black radiator finish and body-coloured lower grille bar further enhance the luxurious looks of Bentley's chauffeur car.

Inside, the piano black veneer, knurled gear shift paddles and contrast stitching push the boat out that little bit extra, and to add to that, the deep pile floor mats and boot carpet complete with contrast leather binding successfully demonstrate the owner's style and class.

Running costs are not an issue for a potential owner of such a vehicle, but with the ability to travel up to 500 miles on a single tank, fuel stops should be few and far between. To take you those 500 miles, you (or more likely your chauffeur) will be using some of the 500 bhp from the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which is good for 0-60 mph in 4.9 s.

  

Vauxhall Mokka

Vauxhall puts its Mokka against the Nissan Juke and Škoda Yeti. If it were more upmarket, we'd be talking Audi Q3 and BMW X1 territory. Well, is it upmarket enough to compete directly? Let's take a look.

Apparently, 75% of the Mokka's buyers are private, the other 25% belonging to company car drivers. For this, Vauxhall debuted the Mokka with S, Exclusiv, Tech Line and SE trims with Tech Line being specifically aimed at company car drivers who require some added comfort for those long journeys.

Despite the claims of having a "muscular stance", it's also said to display an "elegant exterior". The perky rear end, integrated spoiler and countless creases and folds along the body certainly suggest just that.

What we wouldn't necessarily assume is that the Mokka is a practical crossover, but with a road clearance of 157 mm and the option of four-wheel-drive it's well-equipped for those days where the owner dares exit the bright lights of the city. The 4x4 system is activated automatically when the car decides it's necessary, and thanks to its light design (65 kg) the Mokka is able to stay light, helping fuel economy and driving dynamics. Weighing between 1260-1415 kg means that it can tow up to 1,200 kg braked and 500 kg unbraked.

The 356-litre boot is less than average in its class. Despite being larger than that of the Ford EcoSport (333 litres) and similar to the Nissan Juke (354 litres) and Peugeot 2008 (360 litres), it doesn't offer quite as much as the Škoda Yeti (416 litres), Renault Captur (455 litres), Audi Q3 (420 litres) or new BMW X1 (505 litres). With its seats folded down though, it offers a comparable amount to its rivals apart from the 1760 litres offered by the Yeti thanks to its boxy design. Don't be put off though, with a low load lip and flat load bay after having folded the 60:40 split folding rear seats, the Mokka's boot is very useable.

With the Mokka comes Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control which works at speeds of 3-12 mph. All manuals come equipped with Start/Stop technology - the automatics do without.

You've got a choice of four 4-cylinder engines, 2 petrol and 2 diesel.

The 1.6i is a naturally aspirated unit which produces 115 PS @ 6,000 rpm and 155 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. Because it's mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, it manages a dismal 41.5 mpg and 159 g/km.

The turbocharged 1.4i kicks out 140 PS @ 4,900 rpm and 200 Nm @ 1,850-4,900 rpm. It can be had with a 6-speed automatic transmission, a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed manual with 4x4. Depending on your transmission, it can achieve between 40.9 and 45.6 mpg, emitting 145-160 g/km.

Next are the diesels. The 1.7 CDTi makes 130 PS @ 4,000 rpm and 300 Nm @ 2,000 rpm. Again, it can be mated to a 6-speed auto, a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed manual with 4x4. Economy varies -53.3 mpg to 62.8 mpg and 120-139 g/km.

Lastly is the 1.6 CDTi. Slightly more powerful than the 1.7, making 136 PS @ 3,500-4,000 rpm and 320 Nm @ 2,000-2,250 rpm. This has the same transmission and powertrain options as the 1.4i and 1.7 CDTi, with emissions varying between 114-134 g/km, running at 55.4-65.7 mpg. You can even have a 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX. This is the most economical on offer. With no choice other than a 6-speed manual in a front-wheel-drive layout, it can achieve 68.9 mpg and emit as low as 109 g/km.

It's a shame that no Mokka manages the sub-100 g/km boundary, which means road tax will cost between £20-£180. Especially with the likes of the Renault Captur offering CO2 emissions from 95 g/km.

The quickest is the 1.6 CDTi FWD paired with a 6-speed manual, reaching 62 mph in 9.3 seconds. It goes on to a top speed of 119 mph which can only be beaten by the 1.4i offering 120 mph.

Standard spec is top notch for Vauxhall's compact crossover. Exclusiv offers a 230-volt (3-pin) plug for rear passengers, a front centre armrest, front passenger's underseat tray, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth®, a multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with air con and 17- or 18-inch alloys depending on the engine choice. As regards media, it comes as standard with the CD 450 system - that's a CD player, auxiliary input, AM/FM radio and 6 speakers.

Tech Line has all the bells and whistles that Exclusiv can offer, but adds to that the Navi 950 IntelliLink which offers the same as the CD 450 but throws in a sat nav, audio streaming capabilities and a 7-inch display.

Top-of-the-line SE models come with the CD 450 setup as opposed to Navi 950 IntelliLink, but to make up for that you get the Winter Pack as standard (heated front seats and steering wheel) and ergonomic front sports seats with semi-electric adjustments. Certainly not what you'd expect for a small SUV like this, but then again it's such a competitive market Vauxhall needs to stay on top of its game.

At the moment there's a Limited Edition model. It's essentially an Exclusiv with a black roof and door mirrors and 19-inch 5-twinspoke alloys.

So what advice do I have for those in the market for a car of this type? The Yeti lacks imagination and its design doesn't appeal to the trendy city type. The Juke has always won customers from day one, and the Captur's definitely an interesting idea. Peugeot's 2008 doesn't seem to attract too many customers which is a shock due to its modern design, which leaves us with the bold Mokka. It's your style that will finally decide.

But here's how I would spec my Mokka:

Vauxhall Mokka Configuration

Renault Clio RenaultSport 220 Trophy

Between the 25th and 28th of this month (June, 2015) at the Goodwood Festival of Speed we will see the UK debut of the Clio RS 220 Trophy - Renault's hottest Clio in the lineup. But what do we know already?

It uses the same 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged petrol unit as the Clio RS 200 models, but has a 20 bhp and 20 Nm upgrade, meaning the 220 bhp 260 Nm Clio can reach 62 mph in 6.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 146 mph. Additionally, there's a 20 Nm 'torque boost' in 4th and 5th gears.

It revs to 6,800 rpm, that's 300 more than in the Clio RS 200 models. Peak power comes in at 6,050 rpm with torque peaking at 2,000 rpm. Despite a powerful, high-revving engine, Renault claims the Clio RS 220 Trophy is capable of 47.9 mpg, emitting 135 g/km of CO2.

As you'd expect, you can change the drive mode. Through the R.S. Drive system, you have the choice of Normal, Sport and Race. No Eco here! To help the 220 Trophy achieve the claimed 47.9 mpg, Stop&Start technology is used in the Normal mode. Race mode does not change gears for you, the driver must upshift and downshift using the paddles located behind the steering wheel.

Front suspension is lowered by 20mm and the rear by 10mm. That combined with the Michelin Pilot Super Sport 205/40R18 tyres give the Clio a real get-up-and-go racey attitude.

Eighteen-inch 'Radical' alloys with black inserts add an element of bi-tone, giving it a mature yet aggressive look. There are various flashy paint jobs and even a gloss black roof and spoiler option for £1,300.

Slightly more expensive, at £1,600, are the front heated leather Trophy sports seats with integrated headrests, proving that you can live with this car and not have to go without some of the comforts you could've had if you hadn't have gone for another hot hatch.

For £295 you can specify the RenaultSport Monitor V2, an onboard telemetry system that lets you understand certain aspects of your car like the throttle responsiveness.

That's enough options for now, what about the standard spec? Don't be fooled by it being the top-of-the-range RenaultSport Clio, it retains the R-Link infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, voice control, TomTom LIVE satellite navigation, DAB, Bluetooth®, 3D Arkamys sound, USB and auxiliary connection and rear parking camera and sensors.

The Renault Clio RenaultSport 220 Trophy uses a hands-free keycard, meaning keyless entry, an engine start/stop button and auto-locking doors. Automatic climate control, auto wipers and auto headlights are all standard too.

Cruise control and a speed limiter are, guess what, standard! So are all-round electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and a height adjustable driver's seat.

Definitely not short on equipment, but does that come at a cost? Ever so slightly.

It's more expensive than the Volkswagen Polo GTI (£18,900), Vauxhall Corsa VXR (£17,995) and Ford Fiesta ST (£17,395). Only the Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport (£21,995) is more expensive.

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

On the subject of comparisons, the Clio shares its 0-62 mph time with the Polo. The Corsa and 208 are 0.2 s faster, and the Fiesta 0.3 s slower. All hot hatches are capable of more than 140 mph apart from the 139 mph Fiesta.

Ford Fiesta ST

The Fiesta and Polo join the Clio in the mid-40 mpg region, with the Corsa falling behind at 37.7 mpg and both the 208 and Polo while mated to a 7-speed DSG auto transmission exceed 50.

Volkswagen Polo GTI

The Polo (7 DSG) and 208 fall into the D Band for road tax resulting in a reasonable £110 annual cost. The Polo (6-speed manual), Clio and Fiesta sit in Band E (£130) whilst the Corsa unfortunately emits 174 g/km placing it in Band H (£205).

Peugeot 208 GTi

Apart from the 1.8-litre Polo GTI, they all use a 1.6-litre engine. Take a look at this chart for power and torque outputs.

So each hot hatch has its own thing going for it, but essentially they're very similar. When we talk about the hot hatch audience, we're talking about several different groups of buyers. For some, price is everything. For others, that 0.1 s in the 0-62 mph sprint is critical.

But for those in the market for something head-turning, well-equipped yet at the same time sensible, the Renault Clio RenaultSport 220 Trophy is the one to go for.

BMW X1

As much as I love BMW cars, I never liked the first generation X1 which was introduced back in 2009. It was an awkward compromise between a rugged estate (think Audi's Allroad models or VW's Alltrack models) and a small SUV (its bigger brother, the X3). I'm sure the 730,000 worldwide customers would beg to differ, but I don't doubt that there are people of my opinion too.

However here we are 6 years down the line and BMW has announced its second attempt. The second-generation X1. And I can safely say it looks a lot better. It has ditched the estate look for a more mature SUV physique.

We'll be seeing 4 powertrains, all of which are 4-cylinder 2.0-litre units with almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution. All models manage 0-62 mph in less than 10 seconds and exceed 127 mph which is quick enough for most of us.

The first of which is the only petrol, the xDrive20i. That produces 192 bhp and 280 Nm. Emitting 146 g/km, it's the most harmful to the environment. That can be said for fuel economy too, at a dismal 44.8 mpg (remember that's the claimed figure, and you can often expect some 10 mpg less!).

The least powerful diesel is the 150 bhp 330 Nm sDrive18d. It's the most efficient, thanks to its two-wheel-drive layout, achieving claimed figures of 65.7 mpg and 114 g/km.

Next is the xDrive20d, producing 190 bhp and 400 Nm. BMW's claimed figures are 57.6 mpg and 128 g/km.

Finally is the xDrive25d. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit is tuned to produce 231 bhp and 450 Nm. It's the quickest to 62 mph (6.6 seconds) but for that you have to compromise running costs. Fifty-six-point-five mpg and 132 g/km make it the least efficient diesel in the lineup (it's still better than the xDrive20i).

All models apart from the lesser-powered 18d will come with an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission as standard. The 18d comes with a 6-speed manual and the option to upgrade to the Steptronic.

If you're familiar with the BMW naming system, you'll know that xDrive represents all-wheel-drive and sDrive models are two-wheel-drive only. You'll probably also know that BMW is famous for its rear-wheel-drive cars (when not specified with xDrive, obviously). Well that's changing. To decrease weight (thus improving fuel efficiency) BMW is opting for a front-wheel-drive layout in many of its cars, as seen with the 2 Series Active Tourer.

The new xLine trim is where you should put your money. That brings you out of cloth upholstery territory and into Dakota leather land. Among other things are aesthetic upgrades, LED headlights and heated front seats.

There are 2 trims above xLine - Sport Line and M Sport. These bring front sports seats and contrast stitching, with the latter adding 18-inch M alloys and other M bodystyling.

It's nice to know that all models come with front fog lights, keyless engine ignition and automatic headlights and windscreen wipers. Oh, and of course, every new BMW will have a sat nav as standard. The infotainment system comprises of BMW's easy-to-use iDrive system on a 6.5-inch screen with 6 speakers, USB and aux connectivity.

Behind the standard automatic tailgate is a 505-litre boot which marks an 85-litre increase over the outgoing X1. Fold down the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats to uncover a loading bay measuring a total of 1,550 litres. You can specify 60:40 split folding rear seats instead, and even a passenger's seat back which folds down to allow you to carry very long items.

Some options include a 'Panorama' sunroof, a CD player, DAB radio and a Harman Kardon audio system upgrade with 12 speakers.

You can also specify the new X1 with M Sport suspension which is lowered by 10mm for a firmer ride. The standard Driving Experience Control allows you to choose from Comfort, Sport or Eco Pro. You get the idea by now.

The Optimum Shift Indicator and Start/Stop technology are put in place in order to try and get the very best out of every litre of fuel.

Along with all the normal safety acronyms are Forward Vehicle Collision Warning, City Collision Mitigation and Brake Preconditioning which are meant to help prevent an accident, or at least lessen the severity.

The 2nd generation X1 will be going on sale on the 24th of October this year. Hopefully this will dilute the population of hideous 1st gen X1s!