GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz GLC200 AMG Line facelift

Existing SUV drivers and prospects looking to upgrade to a premium brand will very likely end their search with this, the Mercedes-Benz GLC. The default choice along with the BMW X3, it feels like the GLC has been around forever, but no – before 2016, Mercedes actually didn’t have a contender in this space.

After a strong start to life here, the X253 GLC was given a facelift in December 2019, and the launch variants were the GLC 200 and GLC 300 AMG Line. Even if Malaysians weren’t so obsessed about all things AMG, the sporty trim looks better than the Off-Road exterior package-equipped GLC 200, which looks rather grumpy to me.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia gave the GLC 200 an AMG Line update in October 2020, which means that the entry GLC can now be had with that desirable sporty look, as per the GLC 300. We’ll take a closer look in this gallery post.

While the previous Off-Road exterior pack featured more rugged bumpers with chrome “skid plates”, the GLC 200 AMG Line does away with the “4×4 look” for a sportier front end with large faux intakes, a prominent rear diffuser element and a diamond grille with chrome pins. The latter features one horizontal bar instead of two before.

However, the GLC 200 AMG Line does not come with Merc’s Night package. That means that areas like the grille louvre, side mirror caps, roof rails and bumper trim are not finished in black. Also, while both GLC 200 and 300 come with 20-inch wheels, the bigger brother rides on five-twin-spoke items compared to the multi-spoke rims that you see here. I actually prefer this set, how about you?

AMG Line goodies can be found inside as well. AMG floor mats aside, you get a sportier steering wheel with a slightly flat bottom and perforations on the sides to go with the carryover open-pore oak wood trim.

Like before, the GLC 200 comes with Artico man-made leather upholstery, 64-colour ambient lighting system, paddle shifters, dual-zone Thermatic climate control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and electric front seats with memory.

The base GLC also gets LED High Performance headlamps (a rung below the GLC 300’s Multibeam LEDs) and the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) system with a 10.25-inch touchscreen. There’s Keyless-Go, so keyless entry and start are now present together (it was just keyless start before this).

No changes in the safety and driver assist department, which includes seven airbags, Active Brake Assist (that’s Merc’s name for autonomous emergency braking, AEB), Blind Sport Assist, Active Parking Assist with Parktronic, cruise control, Pre-Safe and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Of course, what’s under the hood is unchanged as well. The M264 2.0 litre turbo-four makes 197 PS and 320 Nm of torque from 1,300 to 4,000 rpm. Paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels (4Matic is only for the GLC 300), the GLC 200 takes does 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and top speed is 217 km/h (258 PS, 370 Nm, 6.2 seconds for GLC 300). The move to AMG Line has brought on Agility Control suspension with a selective damping system, replacing the Comfort suspension with a 20 mm higher ground clearance.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 AMG Line is priced at RM299,539 on-the-road without insurance, with full sales tax exemption as it’s locally assembled. So, this or the BMW X3 for you?

GALLERY: 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 AMG Line