2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43

Mercedes' updated GLC 43 is a family-sized hot hatch
Mercedes' updated GLC 43 is a family-sized hot hatch

by Nick Tragianis | February 3, 2025

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I don’t know what to make of the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43. On one hand, it embodies everything we hate about New Mercedes—it gets a downsized engine, it trades refinement and solidity for tech, and it goes hard in the ambient lighting department. But on the other hand, this thing is a riot.

Mercedes began rolling out the second-generation GLC in 2023, starting with the base GLC 300. The freshened 43 followed last year, and as a result, carries into 2025 mostly unchanged. Still, we saw some pretty big updates—there’s a nip-and-tuck inside and out, a massive touchscreen now anchors the dashboard, and the twin-turbo V6 is gone. Were you really expecting anything else?

Any other day, I’d be mildly annoyed at that. The old V6 was a sweetheart of an engine backed by a raucous soundtrack, but it’s been replaced by Mercedes-AMG’s little-but-mighty M139 engine. More powerful than the C 43 that uses a similar setup, this 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and mild hybrid combo muscles out 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Credit where it’s due: a lot of clever engineering went into this engine that’s frankly way too long to dish here, and it’s impressive that a four-cylinder engine today, in the year of our lord 2025, is more powerful than a V12 you’d find in a W140 S-Class.

It’s hooked up to a nine-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes’ AMG-tuned 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system. These bits are unique over what you get in a GLC 300; the GLC 43’s AWD is rear-biased, so it feels more playful and tail-happy in corners. The transmission is a bit different, too—it uses a wet clutch instead of a torque converter. This means faster shifts when you give it the beans, but around town, you might notice some jerkiness.

Our real-world experience reflects this. The GLC 43 is a rocket, blasting off with the ferocity you’d expect from a much lighter hot hatch. The all-wheel-drive system hooks up hard and fast, delivers plenty of grip through super tight corners, and genuinely does make the GLC 43 tail-happy. Honestly, when you’re ripping on the GLC 43, it’s a riot. It sounds and feels like a family-sized hot hatch.

But at some point, our qualms with New Mercedes caught up with the GLC 43. It rides stiff over anything but glass-smooth pavement, but when you do find yourself on some glass-smooth pavement, the cabin is well-hushed from wind noise. The transmission does feel jerky around town, but it mostly disappears into the background on the highway. A little more annoying is the bouncy rear end especially on long sweepers, feeling as though the rear end wants to ping-pong between the lane markings when the steering wheel is turned ever so slightly for longer periods. It’s … annoying.

And of course, there’s the overall lack of Old World Mercedes solidity throughout the GLC 43’s cabin. It’s nice enough, but just doesn’t feel like a bank vault the way a Benz should. That’s mostly because these days, Mercedes-Benz equates luxury to technology, and there’s a big focus on that inside the GLC 43. A big, portrait-oriented touchscreen dominates the dashboard, running Mercedes’ latest MBUX infotainment. I’m the odd one out here—I actually like MBUX; I find it has some of the fastest and most natural voice controls in the business, effectively making up for any other qualms you might have with it. Plus, it tells jokes!

One consistent take-away we all had with the GLC 43 was that it looked great. Say what you will about it blending in, but metallic dark grey suits the 43’s widened hips and AMG bits. The two-tone black on saddle brown interior adds a classy touch to this colourway, and those wheels! You could get lost in the mesh spokes, and the fitment fills the GLC 43’s hips perfectly.

Another consistent take-away we all had was that the GLC 43 would feel more special as a 53. We had a go in a CLE 53 around the same time, and its mild hybrid inline-six powertrain was an absolute sweetheart, with its burbly exhaust and effortless power. It would suit the mission better, especially when the GLC 43’s competitors pack at least six cylinders. Alas, the GLC 43 is already an expensive-enough proposition. You’re looking at $96,298 as-tested for this particular 43; I wouldn’t be surprised if the big engine would mean a $110,000-plus bottom line.

I came into the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 ready to be let down. And to be fair, I was in the ways I expected—I knew the GLC 43’s interior would feel so-so, I knew it would be stiff, and I knew it would go heavy on the screens. But I wasn’t expecting the GLC 43 to be a riot. The way it builds power, the raucous exhaust, the tail-happy nature—it all makes it feel like a family-sized hot hatch.

 

Vehicle Specs
Segment
Midsize luxury sedan
Engine Size
2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder w/ mild hybrid assist
Horsepower (at RPM)
416 hp @ 6,750 rpm
Torque (lb-ft.)
369 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel Efficiency (L/100km, City/Highway/Combined)
12.6/9.4/11.2
Observed Fuel Efficiency (L/100km)
11.9
Cargo Capacity (in L)
620/1,594 (seats up/down)
Base Price (CAD)
$79,900
As-Tested Price (CAD)
$96,298
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About Nick Tragianis

Managing Editor

Nick has more than a decade of experience shooting and writing about cars, and as a journalism grad, he's a staunch believer of the Oxford Comma despite what the Canadian Press says. He’s a passionate photographer and loves exploring the open road in anything he gets his hands on.

Current Toys: '90 MX-5 Miata, '00 M5, '16 GTI Autobahn

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