Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
Every model year 2016–2027: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
Every Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Electric Hybrid | A | 0 | 0 | — | 350 mi | |
| 2026 | Hybrid | C | 3 | 11 | — | 27 mpg | |
| 2025 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | C | 4 | 48 | — | 27 mpg | |
| 2024 | Hybrid | F | 8 | 31 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2023 | Hybrid Gas | F | 12 | 64 | — | 28 mpg | |
| 2022 | Gas | B | 2 | 64 | ★★★★★ | 24 mpg | |
| 2021 | Gas | D | 9 | 75 | ★★★★★ | 25 mpg | |
| 2020 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 20 | 80 | — | 25 mpg | |
| 2019 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 14 | 69 | ★★★★★ | 25 mpg | |
| 2018 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 15 | 99 | ★★★★★ | 25 mpg | |
| 2017 | Gas | F | 12 | 117 | — | 24 mpg | |
| 2016 | Gas | F | 12 | 141 | — | 24 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2022 is the cleanest GLC-Class year we hold, and the 2016 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2027: added electric; 5 → 7 EPA configurations
- 2026: dropped plug-in hybrid; 8 → 5 EPA configurations
- 2025: added plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 29 → 27; 5 → 8 EPA configurations
- 2024: dropped gas; best combined mpg 28 → 29; 4 → 5 EPA configurations
- 2023: added hybrid; best combined mpg 24 → 28; 5 → 4 EPA configurations
- 2022: best combined mpg 25 → 24; 8 → 5 EPA configurations
- 2021: dropped plug-in hybrid; 9 → 8 EPA configurations
- 2018: added plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 24 → 25; 5 → 9 EPA configurations
- 2017: 2 → 5 EPA configurations
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 GLC-Class vs Audi Q9 · Midsize SUV | GLC-Class +3 | |
| 2027 GLC-Class vs Audi SQ9 · Midsize SUV | Toss-up | |
| 2027 GLC-Class vs BMW XM · Midsize SUV | GLC-Class +28.1 | |
| 2027 GLC-Class vs Chevrolet Equinox · Compact SUV | Equinox +8.4 | |
| 2027 GLC-Class vs Jeep Wrangler · Compact SUV | GLC-Class +28.9 | |
| 2027 GLC-Class vs Kia Sorento · Compact SUV | GLC-Class +28.1 |
Common questions about the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2022 GLC-Class comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade B (89/100), 2 recalls and 64 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class years should I avoid?
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 have the weakest recall records in this range. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every GLC-Class model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class have?
Across model years 2016–2027, NHTSA has posted 111 recall campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.