In 2025, the Mercedes-Benz GLC, despite competition from domestic NEVs, continues strong sales of 7,500 to 16,000 units monthly.
The all-new all-electric GLC SUV, set for global launch, emphasizes enlarged size, intelligent features tailored for Chinese consumers, and advanced technology, aiming to maintain its market leadership against rivals like BMW.
Despite the fierce offensive from domestic new energy vehicles (NEVs), the Mercedes-Benz GLC still maintains a monthly sales volume of 7,500 to 16,000 units in 2025, firmly ranking among the top five in the 400,000-yuan class SUV list regardless of energy type.
Having entered the Chinese market for a decade, the Mercedes-Benz GLC has built a solid “fortress” in the hearts of high-end vehicle users. Facing challenges from domestic high-end NEV products, Mercedes-Benz has no intention of responding passively.
On September 8th, Mercedes-Benz made its global debut of the all-new all-electric GLC SUV at the Mercedes-Benz Night during the Munich Motor Show.(We were also invited to interview several Mercedes-Benz executives at the Mercedes-Benz Open Space. For detailed content, you can click here.)
For Mercedes-Benz, this all-electric GLC SUV—with an enlarged size and enhanced intelligent capabilities—carries significant meaning. Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, stated, “With the arrival of the all-new all-electric GLC SUV, we will continue to launch the strongest product and technology offensive in Mercedes-Benz’s history.”
It undertakes the mission of opening a new chapter in electrification for Mercedes-Benz’s global best-selling model. As one of Mercedes-Benz’s most important markets, the extended-wheelbase version of the all-new all-electric GLC SUV will also enter the Chinese market in 2026.
What changes has Mercedes-Benz embodied in this model? And what advantages does it possess?
Let’s take a closer look.
The Vanguard
The primary target market for the all-new all-electric GLC SUV is China.
This judgment is not only based on Källenius’ description of the “strongest product and technology offensive in Mercedes-Benz’s history” brought by the all-new all-electric GLC SUV but also on the insights revealed by Zhuang Mude, Senior Executive Vice President of Mercedes-Benz (China) Investments Ltd., in an interview with us—that the intelligent design of the new vehicle takes into account the needs of Chinese customers.
This reflects Mercedes-Benz’s understanding of the Chinese NEV market.
So, what are the “fruits of Mercedes-Benz’s learning”? First and foremost is the new vehicle’s larger size.
The all-new all-electric GLC SUV will be the largest GLC SUV in Mercedes-Benz’s history. Compared with the standard-wheelbase GLC SUV, its wheelbase has been extended by 84mm to 2,927mm.
This extension brings tangible benefits to the all-new all-electric GLC SUV: front and rear legroom have increased by 13mm and 47mm respectively, front and rear headroom have risen by 46mm and 17mm respectively, and it features a 128L frunk (front trunk) and a 570L rear trunk, resulting in significantly improved interior space.
The all-new all-electric GLC 400 4MATIC, which will be launched first overseas, is equipped with a 94kWh battery and offers a cruising range of 713km under WLTC conditions. Future models are expected to achieve a cruising range of up to 735km.
The all-electric GLC SUV with four-wheel drive supports DC fast charging with a maximum power of 330kW and has a top speed of 210km/h.
Despite the progress in size and cruising range, Mercedes-Benz believes this is still not enough for Chinese consumers who have a preference for larger vehicles.
The long-wheelbase version, to be launched in 2026, will not only be further extended based on the existing version but also offer a six-seat configuration. The second row will be equipped with 2 independent seats, possibly featuring zero-gravity seats to enhance a sense of luxury and comfort. The wheelbase of the Chinese-specific version is expected to exceed 3 meters.
In terms of intelligence, Mercedes-Benz has catered to Chinese consumers’ preference for large screens by installing a 39.1-inch (99.3cm) integrated through-type display in the new vehicle, which combines the instrument panel, central control screen, and front passenger screen.
In the cockpit of the Chinese-specific version, the software functions are led by the Chinese R&D team, built based on localized applications such as the Doubao AI large model, Sogou Speech recognition, and Mercedes-Benz customized navigation, making it more in line with Chinese users’ driving habits.
Mercedes-Benz has not disclosed details about the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) of the all-new all-electric GLC SUV. However, Mercedes-Benz has previously signed an ADAS cooperation agreement with Momenta, stating that at least 4 models will be equipped with Momenta’s ADAS solutions. The all-new all-electric GLC SUV, which is equipped with 10 external cameras, 5 radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors, is expected to adopt this ADAS solution.
In terms of handling—an area where Mercedes-Benz excels—the all-new all-electric GLC SUV will adopt the same AIRMATIC air suspension as the S-Class sedan and a rear-wheel active steering system with a maximum angle of 4.5 degrees in both directions. This not only enhances driving stability and comfort but also enables the vehicle to flexibly handle scenarios such as narrow-road turning and U-turns.
Coupled with the meticulous attention to high-end details that is characteristic of traditional luxury brands—such as the new-generation shield-shaped grille integrated with 942 interactive backlit light sources, and the intelligent light-sensing panoramic sunroof equipped with 9 zones and starry sky ambient lighting—the all-new all-electric GLC SUV undoubtedly represents another evolution of Mercedes-Benz.
But this time, has Mercedes-Benz made sufficient progress?
New and Old Competitors
Coincidentally, BMW also launched the all-new BMW iX3 at this Munich Motor Show, a model positioned similarly to the all-new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV.
Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW Group, also made a bold statement, claiming that the all-new BMW iX3 “is bound to become an industry benchmark.”
The two models have begun to compete even before their official delivery. The all-new BMW iX3 boasts a CLTC pure electric cruising range of 900km, which is equivalent to approximately 720km-783km under WLTC conditions, and supports DC fast charging with a power of 400kW. Judging from the data alone, it may be slightly superior to the all-new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV.
However, for consumers considering these two models, the small gap in paper data is hardly a decisive factor in their final choice. Instead, the difference in design style between the two vehicles may carry more weight.
Looking at the evaluations of the interior and exterior designs of the two models on social platforms, opinions generally converge on the view that the all-new BMW iX3 has a bold and challenging exterior design while featuring a highly innovative and futuristic interior. In contrast, the design of the interior and exterior of the all-new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV is more intuitive and easier to understand.
The competition between these two long-standing rivals will mainly take place outside the Chinese market. Within China, however, they will face ambitious domestic high-end NEV models and the reshaping of consumers’ brand awareness in the new energy era.
More importantly, Chinese automakers have shown a growing enthusiasm for participating in the Munich Motor Show in recent years, which coincides with the advancement of their overseas expansion plans.
At this Munich Motor Show, Leapmotor Lafa5 made its global debut, AITO covered the airport with advertisements, and the all-new Xpeng P7 made its European debut… Chinese automakers have demonstrated a strong presence. They hold advantages in areas such as intelligence or cost-effectiveness—two aspects that Mercedes-Benz needs to catch up on and balance.
Notably, the all-new all-electric GLC SUV does not adopt Mercedes-Benz’s latest MMA pure electric platform; instead, it continues the configuration of the EQC and is equipped with the latest MB.OS architecture. This has become a reason for some consumers who prefer the MMA platform to hesitate.
Although Mercedes-Benz has made efforts and reflections on pure electric platforms and intelligent capabilities in recent years, can the all-new all-electric GLC SUV continue the success of the fuel-powered GLC SUV and further boost the sales of this model series?
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