Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 GLC | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 GLC | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 GLC | 13 | 0 |
| 2016 GLC | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 GLC | 2 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Service brakes5
- Engine5
- Air bags5
- Unknown or other3
- Structure3
- Power train2
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Electronic stability control (esc)2
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Crash-test ratings by year
NHTSA 5-star results for 3 model-year variants; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Year | Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2026 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC PHEV SUV PHEV AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2024 | 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2021 | 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV 4WD | ★★★★★ | 18.5 % |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
In New Zealand
2,854 GLC cars are on the New Zealand register; 9% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 239 | 239 | 0 |
| 2025 | 303 | 300 | 3 |
| 2024 | 280 | 279 | 1 |
| 2023 | 192 | 191 | 1 |
| 2022 | 226 | 221 | 2 |
| 2021 | 249 | 242 | 5 |
| 2020 | 320 | 308 | 9 |
| 2019 | 406 | 380 | 25 |
| 2018 | 297 | 234 | 57 |
| 2017 | 205 | 155 | 47 |
| 2016 | 135 | 22 | 112 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
25,833 GLC cars are on Dutch roads; 59% arrived later as imports, and 7,176 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,890 | €85,562 |
| 2025 | 1,963 | €85,091 |
| 2024 | 2,263 | €90,009 |
| 2023 | 2,487 | €88,454 |
| 2022 | 1,261 | €75,124 |
| 2021 | 2,566 | €74,709 |
| 2020 | 2,744 | €75,697 |
| 2019 | 1,852 | €78,635 |
| 2018 | 3,077 | €76,227 |
| 2017 | 3,304 | €77,065 |
| 2016 | 1,877 | €73,173 |
| 2015 | 549 | €70,848 |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
12,123 GLC cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 62% petrol, 37% diesel, 2% electric; 69% of all are hybrids. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 365 | — |
| 2025 | 521 | 17,000 km |
| 2024 | 884 | 22,000 km |
| 2023 | 840 | 25,000 km |
| 2022 | 707 | 72,000 km |
| 2021 | 1,429 | 80,000 km |
| 2020 | 1,779 | 93,000 km |
| 2019 | 497 | 123,000 km |
| 2018 | 1,465 | 132,000 km |
| 2017 | 2,173 | 154,000 km |
| 2016 | 1,096 | 192,000 km |
| 2015 | 367 | 203,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Road collisions in Great Britain
From 2021 to 2025, 1,249 GLC cars were involved in road collisions in Great Britain that injured someone and were reported to the police. 17 of those collisions were fatal and 234 caused serious injuries. As with any count, models with more cars on British roads appear more often.
| Year | Cars in injury collisions | Fatal | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 275 | 5 | 69 |
| 2024 | 232 | 5 | 44 |
| 2023 | 278 | 3 | 46 |
| 2022 | 257 | 3 | 47 |
| 2021 | 207 | 1 | 28 |
Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data 2021–2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
98,346 GLC cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,048 | 16 |
| 2024 | 6,458 | 65 |
| 2023 | 5,909 | 72 |
| 2022 | 6,077 | 97 |
| 2021 | 5,921 | 178 |
| 2020 | 10,488 | 365 |
| 2019 | 15,923 | 361 |
| 2018 | 17,587 | 590 |
| 2017 | 11,805 | 290 |
| 2016 | 8,849 | 184 |
| 2015 | 1,281 | 35 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
73,232 GLC cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 88% passed first time, against 84% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 453 | 94% |
| 2020 | 11,988 | 91% |
| 2019 | 17,851 | 90% |
| 2018 | 19,427 | 88% |
| 2017 | 12,787 | 86% |
| 2016 | 9,363 | 85% |
| 2015 | 1,363 | 83% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | GLC | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.3% | 5.3% |
| Suspension | 2.4% | 2.0% |
| Brakes | 1.4% | 2.9% |
| Visibility | 1.2% | 3.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.0% | 4.1% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 0.3% | 0.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
640,588 new Mercedes-Benz GLC cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2015 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Germany (22,362), France (7,499), Italy (6,391).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 58,438 | 129 (WLTP) |
| 2021 | 68,312 | 110 (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 96,055 | 152 (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 105,145 | 191 (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 120,372 | 199 (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 105,585 | 138 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 69,540 | — |
| 2015 | 17,141 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
202,799 Mercedes-Benz GLC cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2024 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel hybrid versions average 6.6 l/100 km on the road, against 5.4 l/100 km in the official WLTP test — 22% more. Plug-in hybrids use 6.3 l/100 km against 1.3 l/100 km on paper, with 24% of their distance covered with the engine off.
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,092 | 13.1 | 11.9 | +10% |
| Petrol hybrid | 27,478 | 9.5 | 7.9 | +21% |
| Diesel | 31,377 | 7.6 | 6.4 | +18% |
| Diesel hybrid | 43,381 | 6.6 | 5.4 | +22% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 96,471 | 6.3 | 1.3 | +392% |
Litres per 100 km: total fuel used divided by total distance driven, from the car's own fuel consumption meter (OBFCM), collected in 2024 by the manufacturers, mostly remotely, and by national authorities. WLTP figures are the type-approval CO₂ values converted to litres. Hybrids, including mild hybrids, do not plug in; plug-in hybrid figures include the distance driven on electricity. European Environment Agency, Real-world CO₂ emissions from cars and vans · CC BY 4.0
What it costs in fuel
On real-world figures the diesel hybrid Mercedes-Benz GLC uses 6.6 litres per 100 km, so 15,000 km a year takes about 990 litres: €2,247 at this week's average price in Germany, its largest market in Europe.
| Country | Diesel hybrid | Diesel | Petrol hybrid | Petrol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | €2,247 | €2,573 | €3,108 | €4,275 |
| United Kingdom | £1,976 | £2,263 | £2,490 | £3,425 |
| France | €2,326 | €2,664 | €3,180 | €4,373 |
| Italy | €2,225 | €2,549 | €2,875 | €3,955 |
| Spain | €1,873 | €2,145 | €2,540 | €3,493 |
| United States | $1,644 | $1,883 | $1,614 | $2,220 |
Fuel for 15,000 km (9,300 miles) a year at real-world consumption. Pump prices with taxes, week of 19 October 2026: European Commission Weekly Oil Bulletin, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, US Energy Information Administration. Non-euro EU prices are in euros as the Bulletin publishes them.
Work it out for your driving
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the GLC in at least 12 alerts. European versions can differ from the North American car.
A manufacturing defect in the steering coupling may lead to loosen mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering box, leading to a loss of steering and increasing the risk of an accident. The product does not comply with the Regulation on t…
Specific 12V and 48V ground connection bolts may have been secured with incorrect torque, which may lead to the wiring harnesses being not properly secured. As a result the electrical resistance at the connection points could increase. The temperature may ther…
An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact or incorrect fuse ratings. Therefore, systems connected to the fuse could fail, including the vehicle losing drive without warning as well as the restraint systems or the instrument cluster being co…
The welding of mounting brackets on rear axle carriers may break while driving, which can lead the bracket to become detached from the rear axle carrier. This can result in an impairment of the wheel guidance and driving stability, increasing the risk of accid…
The durability of the integral carrier might be affected over the lifetime of the vehicle. This can affect the controllability of the vehicle, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and ma…
Certain bolt connections in the dashboard area may not be tightened to the correct torque. This can impair the restraining effect of the driver airbag, passenger airbag or knee airbag. In the event of an accident involving airbag deployment, this increases the…
The three aluminium screws of the steering box may corrode due to exposure to spray water and aggressive road-grit (salt) used for melting ice. Advanced corrosion could weaken the screws, leading to potential breakage during manoeuvring or parking. If all fixi…
A fuse may be faulty, which can lead to engine failure or impairment of the restraint functions and instrument cluster. This increases the risk of an accident, injuries and fire. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market survei…
A bolt on the high-pressure pump may be faulty, which could impair the sealing function between the high-pressure pump and the tandem oil pump. As a result, oil and fuel may leak onto the road, posing a risk to the following traffic. In addition, oil and fuel …
The windows may not be properly attached and can fall out, creating a risk of an accident. The front airbag may not work as intended if the windscreen comes loose, increasing the risk of injury. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval a…
The front towing eye bolt/screw may detach, creating a risk of an accident. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units in…
The trailer coupling device may not be able to withstand the load. The coupling armature could detach from the vehicle, creating a risk of an accidents/injuries. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor v…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0