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Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 review

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 12:00 AM

Straight-six SUV aims to banish memory of four-cylinder plug-in hybrid AMG is quietly changing direction with this new Mercedes-AMG GLC 53.Three years after launching the technically ambitious but commercially divisive four-cylinder GLC 63 S E-Performance, it has stepped back from the highly complex plug-in hybrid formula used by that car in favour of something that feels far more natural for a fast mid-sized SUV: six cylinders, less complication and a much sharper focus on drivability. In the process, Affalterbach has fundamentally reshaped its GLC line-up.The previous four-cylinder GLC 43 and PHEV GLC 63 have disappeared, replaced by a single six-cylinder GLC 53 conceived to balance genuine performance with everyday usability. The move mirrors changes already seen with the CLE 53 Coupé and Cabriolet, where AMG has begun moving away from heavily electrified four-cylinder powertrains in favour of larger-capacity six-cylinder engines with a more traditional character. In the GLC 53, the approach feels particularly well suited.The first-generation GLC 63 used a turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 – still one of the defining engines of the modern AMG era. After the mixed reception for its four-cylinder PHEV replacement, the new GLC 53 feels much closer in spirit to that original model, even if the emphasis has shifted slightly away from outright aggression towards a more rounded and mature character.