2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 63

Being a luxury crossover SUV from one of the most popular luxury automakers from Germany, people will have high expectations in terms of the luxury and comfort of the GLC 63 AMG SUV, and the car is actually able to deliver to that expectation quite well. But on top of that, being an AMG, the GLC 63 AMG also has serious potential in terms of performance with the capability to deliver sports car-like performance. Pricing for the 2021 GLC 63 AMG SUV is expected to start around $74,000 and at that price point, it will be competing with the likes of BMW X3 M, Porsche Macan Turbo, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and other similar luxury performance SUVs in the market.

As mentioned earlier, the GLC 63 AMG is in itself a trim level among the four trim levels available for the GLC-Class SUV. Two of these trim levels are high-performance variants tuned by the hooligans at AMG themselves, and the GLC 63 AMG is the most hardcore and top-of-the-line variant for the GLC-Class SUV. Being a carryover model, the 2021 GLC 63 AMG is overall pretty similar to its previous model, but the 2021 model does get some additional standard features equipped in the car with more standalone options as well. Some of the key standard features in the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV should include:

Trim	2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV
MSRP (expected)	$74,000
Key Features	Power front sport seats with driver-seat memory
	Heated front seats
	Keyless start
	Power liftgate
	Steering wheel with touch control buttons
	Voice control with natural language understanding
	40/20/40 split rear seats with power folding
	Heat and noise-insulating front side glass
	7 airbags

The German automakers are known for their precise build quality and good reliability and the GLC-Class is no exception. But make no mistake; the GLC 63 AMG is not your typical family SUV. It is an ultra-luxurious piece of engineering designed and developed by the engineers at Mercedes with serious performance potential thanks to the tuners at AMG. Being a luxury SUV, this will have a higher ownership cost than a typical SUV and as for warranty Mercedes provides the GLC 63 with a standard warranty as its other vehicles. 

Reliability and Ownership Costs

Apart from a few specific cases, most of the customer reviews are quite positive about the reliability of the vehicle. It is also quite apparent from the fact that the 2020 GLC managed to score 77 out of 100 in the J.D. Power report in terms of “Quality and Reliability”, which although is not the best, it is pretty decent for a technologically sophisticated car like the GLC SUV. Although no doubt about the reliability of the car, the GLC 63 AMG is a high-performance luxury SUV that makes it quite expensive to own and maintain. 

The average price paid for the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 is about $71,168. The people from Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Atlanta, and Delaware enjoy the lowest prices as they have exempted the sales taxes. Apart from the price of the vehicle you will be paying taxes, insurance, financing and average total ownership cost (doesn’t include vehicle price) for a GLC 63 after the first year of owning is around 21-grand this is pretty reasonable for a Luxury SUV. The total ownership cost will vary depending on where you live and your usage. 

Year	Price
2016	-
2017	-
2018	-
2019	$70,800
2020	$73,750

The first-year ownership includes $1,500 of insurance, $4,300 of taxes and fees, $2,800 of financing and $9,900 of depreciation. However, as the year move forward you depreciation, financing, taxes, and fees factors go down as years pass and factors like insurance, maintenance, repair increases. Another factor that we take into consideration in the annual fuel use and we take it as constant over the years. So, after owning the vehicle five years the average ownership cost will be around 71-grand. 

Warranty

If anything goes sideways, Mercedes provided a pretty standard warranty for all its vehicles. The Mercedes AMG GLC 63 is no exception it also gets the reasonable warranty policy. The warranty scheme for the GLC 63 AMG SUV looks quite similar to the other small luxury SUV’s in the market. The vehicle comes with four years or 50,000 miles period warranty for a new vehicle, and powertrain. In addition, they also provide four years or 50,000 miles roadside assistance. 

Criteria	Period
New vehicle limited warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
Powertrain/drivetrain warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
Rust protection warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
Roadside assistance	4 years / 50,000 miles

Moreover, Mercedes also provides an Extended Limited Warranty option for your Mercedes vehicle with the option to add an extra one, two, or three years of protection for up to 100,000 miles, whichever fits your needs. The Extended Limited Warranty offers additional protection once the original 4-year/50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty expires. On top of providing additional peace of mind, the Extended Limited Warranty also increases the resale value of the car.

Miles Per Dollar

Considering driving for 15,000 miles per year on average, miles per dollar for the GLC 63 AMG SUV stands roughly in the neighborhood of 1 mile per dollar, which is quite impressive for an upmarket performance-oriented luxury SUV.

The GLC 63 AMG is an interesting choice in the space of performance-oriented compact luxury crossover SUV. Although there might be a few compelling alternatives by the Germans and the Italians in this segment, the GLC 63 AMG has its own characteristics and its own value proposition that makes the SUV quite unique on its own. The attractive exterior, refined interiors, and breathtaking performance from the rumbling V8 under the hood make the GLC 63 AMG really unique and stand out in the market. And although there might be similar or better options out there, you will not go wrong going for a GLC 63 for your driveway.

Is buying a used car Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV a good idea?

Since German cars are pretty well made and are very reliable, buying a used Mercedes should never be an issue, given the car has been decently well maintained and regularly serviced. Moreover, the depreciation rate is fairly low for the Mercedes AMG GLC 63, standing somewhere around 55% in five years' time, which is quite decent, to be honest. However, finding one will be difficult especially getting one at a reasonable.

When you see an AMG badge on a Mercedes, it means serious business. The engineers at AMG turned the regular GLC-Class SUV into a serious performing beast thanks to a plethora of performance upgrades while keeping its luxury quotient intact. The skunk works group has developed a V8 engine for their roading going car and the GLC 63 has a version of it. The top-of-the-line GLC 63 AMG is powered by a rumbling 4.0L Biturbo V8 producing 469 HP and 479 lb.-ft of torque. 

The torque and power of the V8 is managed the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9-speed automatic transmission. The 9-speed multi clutch gearbox in tandem with 4MATIC+ system cleverly sends power to all four wheels. The SPEEDSHIFT MCT gearbox also makes sures you get fast and smooth shifts.

In addition, 4MATIC+ system makes sures all the four wheels are supplied power when its required. 

Models	2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63	2021 BMW X3 M	2020 Porsche Macan Turbo	2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
MSRP (expected)	$74,000	$69,900	$83,600	$80,500
Engine	4.0L Twin-Turbo V8	3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6	2.9L Twin-Turbo V6	2.9L Twin-Turbo V6
Drivetrain	AWD	AWD	AWD	AWD
Transmission	9-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	7-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Power	469 HP @ 5,500 rpm	473 hp @ 5,600 rpm	434 HP @ 5,700 rpm	505 HP @ 6,500 rpm
Torque	479 lb.-ft @ 1,750 rpm	442 lb.-ft @ 2,600 rpm	406 lb.-ft @ 1,800 rpm	443 lb.-ft @ 2,500 rpm

The power output from the turbocharged V8 in the GLC 63 AMG is pretty comparable to most of its competitors. The Quadrifoglio has the highest power out followed by the BMW with a considerable difference and following the BMW closely is the AMG. All these vehicles have significant amount of power for a compact luxury SUV. They are all pure performance vehicles and bring honor to their skunk work and performance badges. 

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV Acceleration and Braking Performance

As of now, you could have probably guessed that the GLC 63 AMG is a serious performing machine. Its thundering Biturbo V8 makes the car capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in as low as 3.8 seconds, which is pretty impressive for a car its size.

The power is effectively put to the ground with its advanced 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system.

Models	2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63	2021 BMW X3 M	2020 Porsche Macan Turbo	2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
0-60 MPH (seconds)	3.8*	4.1	4.3	4.1
Quarter Mile (seconds)	NA	NA	12.2	12.0
Top Speed (mph)	155 (electronically limited)*	174	167	176
60-0 MPH (ft.)	NA	104	NA	NA

*2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV figures used for reference

With regards to the brakes in the car, the 2021 GLC 63 AMG SUV will be equipped with ventilated discs both at the front and the rear. The AMG GLC 63 dominates the competition in terms of acceleration, thanks to the huge amounts of torque produced by the engine and a clever all-wheel-drive system.

Although the official mileage figures for the 2021 GLC 63 AMG is yet to be released by the company, being a carryover, it is expected to be pretty similar, if not the same, to the 2020 model. Hence, the 2021 GLC 63 AMG is expected to deliver somewhere around 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on a highway with a combined average mileage of 18 mpg. Although fuel economy figures are quite low, it is quite expected for a powerful high-performance SUV like the GLC 63 AMG. 

Model	2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63	2021 BMW X3 M	2020 Porsche Macan Turbo	2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
MPG (City)	16	14	17	17
MPG (Highway)	22	19	22	23
MPG (Combined)	18	16	19	19
Fuel Capacity (gallons)	17.4	17.2	19.8	16.9
Range (City/Hwy) (miles)	278 / 383	241 / 327	337 / 436	287 / 389

Fuel tank capacity stands at 17.4 gallons, which is in a similar ballpark as most of its competitors. The Porsche Macan has the Largest tank size of 19.9 gallon, which gives its significantly more range than the competitors. The overall best gas milage is offered by the Quadrifoglio, but the Merc and the others are not far behind. 

Being a carryover model, the 2021 GLC 63 AMG will be equipped with the old-style interior, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Mercedes gave the GLC a makeover last year and the new interior is a huge improvement over previous generations interior in many ways. So, it is not a bad think that they have carry forward the previous year’s interiors because it is pretty fresh and modern to this day. 

The industrial design suits the car pretty well and the exposed carbon fiber complements that look quite nicely. Premium high-quality materials are used all around the car along with soft-touch materials that make spending time inside the car quite pleasant and enjoyable.

The seats are very comfortable and supportive as well and provide a good amount of adjustability to get a snug fit and the perfect seating position.

Model	2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63	2021 BMW X3 M	2020 Porsche Macan Turbo	2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Seating Capacity	5	5	5	5
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	37.8 / 57.3 / 40.8	41.1 / 57.6 / 40.4	N/A	40.2 / 57.5 / 36.6
Second Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	38.5 / 56.5 / 37.3	38.5 / 56.0 / 36.4	N/A	38.9 / 56 / 35.9

Although not one of the best in the segment, the GLC 63 AMG is more or less in the same ballpark with most of its competitors in terms of interior dimensions. However, when it comes to ergonomics, tech and comfort the Merc and the BMW is ahead of the other two. Furthermore, when it come to tech the Merc has the upper hand over the other three.

How is the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV infotainment system?

The 2020 GLC got the new and improved MBUX infotainment system from Mercedes which will be carried forward to the 2021 model as well. You can interact with the system with the help of a 10.25” multitouch floating display at the center of the dashboard. It can also be controlled with the help of the console touchpad and the touch control steering wheel as well. Moreover, it also responds to advanced voice control which can be activated by saying “Hey, Mercedes”. 

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration are also available along with Bluetooth audio streaming as well as HD Radio receiver. Speed and other information of the car can be viewed in a large 12.3” digital instrument cluster in front of the driver. As for listening to music, the GLC 63 AMG is equipped with a premium Burmester surround-sound system with a total of 13 high-quality speakers.

The 2021 AMG GLC 63 will carry over the new and refreshed look of the 2020 model. The new design makes the new GLC look tougher and more SUV-ish than ever before. But the looks of a car being a very subjective term, some people might not be a big fan of the new design and prefer the sportier look of the old design. Nonetheless, the new design did give the GLC SUV a fresh look and made it stand out a bit more in their SUV lineup.

The new design is brawn and sensual at the same time. In addition, paired with the AMG styling the car looks like its ready to take on any challenger. The SUV comes with dual tone 20-inch wheel, wider rear bumper, sporty diffuser, and wider AMG-style grille resulting in a SUV many will like. The vehicle also comes with optional features like 21-inch wheels and panoramic sunroof for extra pizazz. 

Model	2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63	2021 BMW X3 M	2020 Porsche Macan Turbo	2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Curb Weight (lbs.)	4546	4620	4430	4313
Length (inches)	184.2	185.9	184.9	185.1
Width (inches)	76.0	74.4	76.2	77.0
Height (inches)	63.8	66.0	63.9	66.3
Ground Clearance (inches)	6.1	8.0	7.4	NA
Wheelbase (inches)	113.1	112.1	110.5	111.0

Although the GLC 63 AMG is in a similar ballpark with its competitors when it comes to exterior dimensions, it is on the heavier side of the spectrum with a curb weight of 4546 lbs. However, the heaviest of the bunch is the BMW, it is also the longest but not by a significant margin. The Porsche Macan Turbo has the smallest wheelbase in the bunch but not by a considerable margin to have a real-life effect. 

Mercedes never compromises with the safety and security of their vehicles and the AMG GLC 63 SUV is no exception. It is evident from the fact that the 2019 GLC-Class SUV managed to score a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA overall safety rating scoring perfect 5 stars in almost all the individual tests except the rollover test where it scored a 4 out of 5 stars with a rollover risk of 18.60%. In 2020 IIHS crashworthiness test the GLC scored well even receiving the 2020 Top Safety Pick award. Moreover, the car is equipped or can be equipped with a plethora of modern and advanced active and passive safety features available to keep the occupants as safe as possible.

Some of the highlight standard safety features available for the 2021 AMG GLC 63 SUV includes:

• Active brake assist
• Blindspot assist with exit warning assist
• Attention assist
• Crosswind assist
• Adaptive braking technology
• 4-wheel Electronic Traction System (4-ETS)
• Trailer stability assist
• PRE-SAFE
• PRE-SAFE Sound

Some of the highlight optional safety features available for the 2021 AMG GLC 63 SUV includes:

• Active distance assist DISTRONIC
• Active steering assist
• Evasive steering assist
• Congestion emergency braking
• Active lane-keeping assist
• Active speed limit assist
• Surround-view system

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 Vs 2021 BMW X3 M

BMWs are known for their driving dynamics and the BMW X3 M is no exception. The M-sport division of BMW did a pretty good job developing the X3 M which the potential to give the Merc a run for its money. Although the turbocharged Inline-6 in the X3 M produced more power than the turbo V8 in the Merc, it is still 3/10th of a second slower to 60 than the Merc.

Both offer great performance, comfort, and luxury; you might want to test drive both before making your decision.

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 Vs 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo

The Turbo trim is the most hardcore version of the Porsche’s entry-level SUV and it has a serious potential to give the Merc a run for its money. Although not quite as powerful and fast as the Mercedes, it still has the edge when it comes to driving dynamics and the overall handling aspect of the car.

So, if you want performance and driving pleasure go for the Macan Turbo, but if you want Performance and Luxury go for the Merc. 

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 Vs 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Coming from Italy, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a pretty different animal than the others in the competition. Just like most other cars from Italy, the Alfa Stelvio was also designed and built with passion, and you can feel that as soon as you get behind the wheel of the car.

An impressive entire in the luxury performance SUV market, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is a great alternative to the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV. However, it still lacks some of that luxury factor compared to the Merc. 

With serious performance potential on tap, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV is a perfect choice for those who do not want any compromise in terms of opulence and luxury. The GLC 63 AMG is a perfect blend of luxury and performance and can adapt to your need according to the situation. The performance luxury crossover SUV is a pretty competitive segment and the GLC 63 AMG faces some steep competition from some of the most capable and unique SUVs in the segment. Nonetheless, the GLC 63 AMG has its own value proposition and has the potential to hold its value pretty well in the market. That being said, you should definitely check out some of its competitors before going for the Merc.