If it weren't for the battle for the top spot, I'm afraid nothing would have brought Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz together like they do today. Fortunately, they have the opportunity to compete together, and the most competitive of them should be the B-segment SUV. For these three manufacturers, they rely on the Q5, X3 and GLC for sales. With the introduction of the new generation GLC, the competition for the best SUV in the B-segment four-wheel drive diesel version has begun.
In length is 41There are no shortcuts on the 195-kilometre course, which is the essence and essence of the marathon, although there was no such metaphor when the sport was set up. Ambition is not enough. You can wake up in the morning and declare yourself a marathon runner, but you're not really a marathon runner until you're done, standing at the finish line, and looking back. Just as many car manufacturers want to elevate themselves to the premium category: the premium is not a constant ranking, but a constant competition.
Seriously, it's hard to find three other car companies that can compete as diligently and for as long as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. The Q5, X3 and GLC are all extremely important models among these three car companies. What's going to happen next?It's clear that Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a new generation of GLC: this time the race for the best SUV is about to begin, with the Audi Q5 50 TDI, the BMW X3 30D and the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 D.
If we think about it, we never seem to feel older over the years, but it feels like the world we live in has been getting younger. The same goes for the Audi Q5. The current Q5 began to take off in 2016, and it seems to have been able to harness the power of tradition to counter the increasingly renewed modernity of young people. This convergence and confrontation has been going on for seven summers – the last facelift was in 2020.
The facelifted Q5 has three light clusters at the rear and a more pronounced grille at the front (although the difference doesn't seem to be that big). And the fact that the new touch-only system replaces the traditional knob design in the update of the internal in-vehicle interaction system has thrown it into a whirlpool: this proves that change does not necessarily mean progress. At the same time, it is not always easy to prove that it is not always easy to navigate the control menus accurately and smoothly on a small touchscreen. And compared to the X3 and GLC, the Audi's voice control isn't too smooth. However, when it comes to controlling basic functions, Audi is the easiest.
In addition, Audi offers the most flexible space flexibility: the comfortable seats in the rear can be moved longitudinally, the angle of the backrest can be changed, and it can be folded in three sections. The folding angle can even be locked. If it weren't for the solidity of the Q5, such a feature would even feel redundant. This shows the traditional character of Audi, especially in a model range that is not aimed at young people. At the end of the day, Q5 is all about "maturity". And this feature goes far beyond the car's production process and comfort. The test car had perfectly tuned air suspension (2,000 euros). It's a fluffy comfort, and when driving on rough roads, there are no bumps, no rumbling sounds, just a little shaky in the corners.
This gives the driver a sense of comfort. Of course, seats like large sofas also contribute to comfort. And you'll never have to worry about its dynamic nature putting you in danger. Because the Q5 is no longer a cornering monster, although it has a sports differential on the rear axle (1350 euros) and a dynamic steering on the front axle (1000 euros). While its steering system has variable gear ratios, there's still too much feedback that is cut out. With a weight of 2,050 kg, the Q5 is very nimble and has inadvertently reached high speeds at a very high level of driving safety. Isn't that satisfying, though?
Now, instead of a serpentine stretch, we're on a long journey. That tepid starting acceleration has been unable to suppress this 3The 0-liter diesel engine is surging with power. In addition to high fuel consumption, the torque-strong TDI engine is perfectly matched with the lightweight, agile eight-speed automatic transmission. The Q5**, which has a huge space and a grand driving feel, is almost 80,000 euros. Is it worth the price?It's too early to tell.
If you think about it, it seems that we are not buying a car, but a promise. The promise is: the more expensive the car, the less it matters whether the car can be driven, but how the car can be driven. For example, if you own a BMW X3, you should feel 7 times better on the road than you do when you drive a Dacia Sandero!Whoever thinks that "feelings" cannot be calculated is wrong, feelings can be constructed. And among these feelings, the premium promise is also one. In other words, only the kind of car that feels like a BMW to drive is a BMW (can you feel the difference in the front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series?).）。
For five and a half years, the current X3 has been in the rear echelon of the B-segment SUV. For historical reasons it has always retained a knob, which can be easily manipulated by turning the elbow. In addition, it retains a large number of physical switches and buttons, such as those that can directly turn off certain auxiliary functions. It is also because of these dexterous operations that sometimes the small problems of communicating with voice control are not so annoying.
With the gossip out of the way, let's get down to business: the in-line six-cylinder. The twin-scroll supercharger with independent channel design and variable geometry starts to pulse, and the 8-kilowatt motor of the 48-volt mild-hybrid system is activated. When the engine goes to sleep during the coasting phase, the mild hybrid motor will also supply power to the vehicle's electrical system. In addition, because the ZF automatic transmission is very good at switching between 8 gears, the X3 looks energy-efficient (test fuel consumption 7.).9 liters 100 km) but has a strong sense of power reserve and can have a slight lead.
Matching the feeling of power is the handling settings. BMW engineers designed their steering system to combat hand pressure, which accentuates directness, makes it more suitable for cornering, and allows more precise feedback to be transmitted to the hand. In addition, the suspension has been adjusted to the most dynamic first gear in the comfort characteristic curve of the shock absorbers. Extremely stable and homogeneous.
In the dynamic driving test at the test site, there was not much consistency between the results and expectations: despite the use of 20-inch hybrid tyres totalling 7,800 euros, adaptive shock absorbers and the M Sport package, it was still behind the other two competitors in the S-shaped pile winding and emergency line change tests.
However, when it comes to the national highway, the X3 combines all the handling advantages into a great suite: the steering contributes to the extremely precise prelude, the chassis connects the upper and lower levels perfectly, and the unwavering torque distribution of the all-wheel drive – slightly biased towards the rear axle in Sport mode to ignite the driving storm. When the vehicle accelerates and rushes out, the rear of the car also sounds the horn of the charge. That's what a BMW should look like!
In terms of comfort, BMW also has its own "characteristics". Don't expect too much from the chassis and drive cautiously on small bumps. The feedback is transmitted directly to the driver via the seat, which is 66 centimeters above the ground, without screening. Luckily, the driver is wrapped tightly in the sports seats, as travel is not so pleasant when sitting in the back. Although the angle of the three-stage foldable rear backrest can be adjusted, the entire cushion support surface is very short.
In contrast to the ultra-short cushion is the X3's extra-long list of test-related options. The assessed total is approximately €10,000 higher than the basic**. Will such an expensive optional cost allow the X3 to win the crown or is it not worth the price?Let's wait and see.
If you think about it, the GLC is arguably the most characteristic Mercedes-Benz model series – a true Engineer's car. It basically brings out all the advantages of the design concept, and there are no disadvantages, and its magnificent space is almost close to that of the Q5. It's all for everyday use – it's easy to access, the luggage compartment floor is flat, and the stiff rear seats with three-section fabric backrests turn it into a full loading space. Pull the floor up and there's a space underneath that resembles a wine cellar and is large enough to accommodate folding boxes. And the Mercedes-Benz folding box has now become part of the Mercedes-Benz folklore, just like the heat-insulating WD glass of the Mercedes-Benz W123 back then.
While it has a wide variety of features, GLC is in most cases easy to operate with the help of a touchscreen and excellent voice control. The vast majority of cases?Yes, after all, there are still some functions that need to be carefully operated, which can only be done through the small touch zone on the steering wheel.
The good news is that GLC does a lot of other things without going wrong. It uses driver assistance systems that keep up with the times, and when the system works, it doesn't hesitate or feel clumsy. Its LED projection headlights are sure to cut through the darkness in the dark, clearly marking the road to guide you forward, so you won't miss a warning sign. And all this, compared to the quality of the drive and chassis, seems to be nothing at all. The structure of the four-link front axle and the stereo rear steering axle is sublimated in this test car with air suspension and all-wheel steering (technical package, 3320 euros). The system gives the GLC the same high level of suspension performance as the Audi, although they have their own characteristics. The GLC doesn't have the same level of fluff as the Audi Q5, but instead allows the insiders to feel that the body is going over bumpy roads. However, this does not mean that comfort is compromised, and the vehicle can be more tightly controlled. The gradient of the engine characteristic curve is exactly matched to this. Sport mode isn't what it's good at, but it's still comfortable enough to lean forward and roll back on stumbling rural roads. This can be regarded as GLC's extraordinary handling talent from the side.
The Mercedes' handling is different from the X3's extremely sharp handling, but it also achieves the same high level, and the Mercedes is more stable. The new GLC is more harmonious and precise. Thanks to the combination of polished steering feedback, responsiveness and hand torque generated through the steering wheel, the steering in corners becomes more silky. At speeds of up to 60 km/h, the steering of the rear wheels is in the opposite direction to the front wheels (max. 4.).5° angle). In addition to the very practical small turning radius, it also creates exciting maneuverability in some of the tighter corners. At speeds above 60 km/h, the front and rear wheels are steered in the same direction, which improves driving stability. Even on high-speed corners with a lot of traffic, GLC is still very confident.
The capabilities of the GLC are also well demonstrated during the vehicle dynamics testing phase with the test items of the pile wrapping and the two-lane change. It's true that the Q5 was faster in testing, but Audi put a 40-ratio tire on the 21-inch wheel. The GLC gets narrower 19-inch wheels and tyres with 55 and 50 aspect ratios. This is, of course, in order to take into account the driving pleasure to the same extent while taking care of the safe driving.
If I had to find something that didn't go as well as I could see, it would be this diesel engine. Its four-cylinder character is evident in its louder voice and slightly frail temperament. To be able to use it in the GLC, Mercedes has increased the piston stroke of the OM654 by 2 mm and the designers have increased the injection pressure from 2,500 bar to 2,700 bar. What's more, both superchargers in the twin turbines have variable geometrical cross-sections. The four-cylinder engine is powered by the most powerful mild-hybrid power electronics. By centralizing an electric motor in a nine-speed automatic transmission, the power unit increases power output by 17 kW and 200 Nm. Even at the start, the diesel engine is smoothly pushed into the high rev range. The electric motor also provides power during acceleration, while the battery in the hybrid system keeps the on-board power supply running during the coasting phase.
All of this is done to improve the efficiency of the engine, and the lighter full-time all-wheel drive with variable torque distribution also reduces frictional losses. In the test, the fuel consumption of the 300d was 73 liters per 100 km, which is 5 liters less than the Q1 and half a liter less than the BMW X3.
What else can we tell us about GLC?Perhaps, there are two details worth mentioning. First, the air conditioning system provides an "unobtrusive fresh air experience", which leads us to the revealing question: should we decide for ourselves this intrusive featureSecondly, Mercedes offers "technical chassis protection" at an additional cost of 5117 euros. Does this mean that the protective device under the standard configuration should not have any protective effect?
Fortunately, GLC doesn't need to do anything to show, because of the overall evaluation, it won this contest by a clear margin. We are sure that Mercedes will also be very happy to congratulate their worthy rivals Audi and BMW, even though they only finished second and third in this cross-section.