2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe gets big tech upgrade, still isn't a coupe

Mercedes-Benz showed its updated GLC-Class crossover SUV at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, packing a more powerful engine and a lot more onboard tech. It only makes sense, then, that these same updates will be applied to the more-rakish GLC-Class Coupe, and Mercedes-Benz confirmed Tuesday that we'll see the refreshed coupe-over at the New York Auto Show in April.

The exterior design changes are minimal, but welcome. New headlights and an updated LED signature are the most obvious updates up front, while redesigned taillights help freshen that round rump.

Inside, the biggest change is on the infotainment front, where the GLC gets Mercedes' MBUX tech, with natural speech voice control. The main MBUX interface is housed on a 10.2-inch touchscreen atop the center stack, complemented nicely by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. In addition to voice control, you can operate MBUX via the touchpad on the center console, or by touching the screen. Thumbpads on either side of the steering wheel allow for hands-on-the-wheel control of the two displays, as well.

Enlarge Image

Otherwise, the GLC Coupe's cabin carries over largely unchanged, save for a few new upholstery options. The sloping roofline means rear headroom and overall cargo space isn't nearly as plentiful as in the more upright GLC, but that's the price you pay for that coupe-over style.

The GLC300 Coupe is powered by a turbocharged, 2.0-liter I4 engine, with 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque -- the former is a 14-horsepower increase over the 2019 model. Unlike the standard GLC, the Coupe is only available with 4Matic all-wheel drive. Expect hotter AMG versions of the GLC Coupe to debut in the not-too-distant future.

Following its debut at the New York show next month, the GLC300 Coupe will hit Mercedes-Benz dealers in late 2019. We won't have pricing until closer to the on-sale date, but the current GLC300 4Matic Coupe commands a full $4,600 more than the more practical GLC300 SUV on which it's based, so expect a similar price gap between the refreshed 2020 models when they hit US soil later this year.