Mercedes-AMG used to mean V8. It meant tires smoking and engines screaming. Then they lost the plot for a while. They started stuffing that little 2.0-liter four-cylinder into everything. From hot hatches to the big expensive GT.
The ‘M139’ engine was technical marvel, sure. But it was boring. Silent, efficient, and soulless. It sounded like a spreadsheet coming to life.
Well. That chapter is closed.
The new 2026 Mercedes-AMG GLC signals a return to form. A big brute of an SUV that actually has some personality.
The six-cylinder resurrection
Don’t expect the old 6.2-liter V8 magic. AMG isn’t going fully retro just yet.
Instead you get a 3.0-liter inline-six. It makes 443bhp. It’s hybrid assisted, naturally. This is the same unit found in the CLE 55 coupe, but AMG tweaked it. Upgraded cylinder heads. New camshafts. Bigger air intake.
They even beefed up the electric compressor in the turbo. Why? To kill the lag. It works. There is 600Nm of constant torque. If you mash the gas hard it hits 640Nm for ten seconds of pure chaos.
“This isn’t a hybrid for economy. It’s a hybrid to make the engine respond when you point the nose into a corner.”
The result is 0 to 62mph in 42 seconds.
The exhaust sounds really good. AMG installed special resonators. It’s deep. Husky. When you lift off the throttle it crackles and pops. It sounds naughty. It’s not exactly the symphonic roar of the old V8, but it’s authentic. Distant enough from the cabin to not annoy you on long trips, but present enough to remind you this car wants to play.
Comfort with a twist
Put it in Comfort mode? The engine stays quiet. You can slip through a sleepy village at midnight and nobody wakes up.
It feels like a humble diesel until you ask for more. Then the beast wakes up.
The suspension is new too. AMG wanted a bigger gap between soft and stiff. It works, mostly. The ride is compliant. Planted. Steering feels sharp and has some weight.
But.
It’s heavy. It’s over 2.1 tons. Brake hard and the nose dives. Floor the accelerator and it squats back. Take it fast on a twisty country road and it rolls more than it should. Physics is a harsh teacher.
The transmission is where things get frustrating.
It’s a nine-speed auto. Smooth, generally quick. But put it in Comfort mode and step on the gas? It pauses. Just for a second. A whole second. It thinks. Then it drops gear and accelerates. By then you’ve missed your gap.
Lift off? It holds the gear. You’re left listening to the engine whining higher than necessary.
Worse: the paddles do nothing unless you flip a specific setting dial on the wheel. You’re in manual mode? Touch the steering wheel wrong or take your hand off? It goes back to automatic. Mid-corner. Try to predict what it wants. Good luck.
The expensive options menu
All that power goes to all four wheels. Mostly to the rear, though. You can send it to just the back in “Drift mode.”
Who wants to drift a 2.1 tonne family hauler? Nobody. Obviously.
But AMG offers it anyway. As part of a £7,500 package called Pro Performance. That adds Race mode, a limited-slip differential, and raises the top speed from 155 to 170mph.
Do you need that? No.
Do AMG buyers care? Also no.
They probably won’t mind that the official economy is 30 mpg either. We got 18 mpg in testing. For a performance SUV? You knew what you were signing up for.
Inside it’s a mix of old and new tech. The two 12-inch screens are nice. Not a wall of displays like some competitors. The icons are big and easy to hit. But the menus are clunky compared to newer Mercedes. The buttons on the wheel are haptic. You keep hitting them by mistake. And there’s a lot of carbon fiber trim. If you don’t like the look, sorry, it’s everywhere.
Space? It’s excellent. 620 liters of boot space. That beats the Audi SQ5. Beats the BMW X3. Plenty of room for golf clubs or dog carriers.
The price hurts, though.
The standard SUV starts at £79,250. The coupe version adds £2,000. That is significantly more than the BMW and Audi rivals.
Want the limited edition version? Golden accents, graphics, all the toys pre-installed? You’re looking at nearly £95,000. Porsche Cayenne territory.
“The GLC 55 is characterful again. The sound is right. The power delivery is sweet.”
Is the annoying gearbox worth the price hike?
Is the thirst for petrol justified?
Is it just too much car for the average road?
Mercedes has its soul back. They just have to charge extra for the privilege of driving it.
