2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC Looks Similar but Is New Underneath

• Behind similar styling, the new 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC is bigger than its predecessor.

• Mercedes says the new MBUX infotainment interface is quicker and smarter.

• A turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with a 48-volt hybrid system will be the only U.S. powertrain option at first.

Where the Mercedes C-class leads, the GLC crossover follows. Given the close relationship between the two cars, which sit on the same platform and share the same powertrain, it's no surprise that the new GLC that you see here features most of the same technical innovations as its sedan sibling.

Not that we were expecting anything radical. The previous-generation GLC sold well for most of its life thanks to its entirely predictable combination of the typical Benz virtues of handsome design and peppy performance. The styling of the all-new version has evolved so gently that we suspect many will struggle to spot the generational shift; reshaped headlights frame a single horizontal metal strip on the radiator grille, where the outgoing version had two, while the narrower taillights are the giveaway at the back.

Dimensions have expanded slightly. The new GLC is now 185.7 inches long, making it 2.4 inches longer than its predecessor. The wheelbase has also expanded by 0.6 inch to 113.7 inches. Passenger accommodation is barely changed, with Mercedes claiming that rear legroom has increased by 0.1 inch. The most obvious result of the growth is a useful increase in luggage capacity, with the new car's 22 cubic feet being 3 cubic feet more than the last one.