We’re just a few days away from the unveiling of the most important car Mercedes-Benz has come out with in a long time: the GLC with EQ Technology (which I will henceforth call the GLC EV). But before the Germans officially take the covers off the compact crossover at the Munich auto show, we’re getting a sneak peek at its interior. Three things jump out at you immediately: A massive screen, more buttons, and a stunning amount of attention to detail for a mass-market, tech-focused car like this.
Of course, the real pièce de résistance is the 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen, the largest seamless display fitted to a Mercedes-Benz to date. The company says the ginormous screen has over 1,000 individual LEDs and features intelligent zone dimming, which will allow for simultaneous adjustment of two different display areas via sliders. This is meant to ensure the information you need is always clear and accessible, and the driver doesn’t get too distracted with superfluous readouts. Mercedes is so proud of this tech that it’s filed a patent for it.
Mercedes-Benz
As you might expect, most of the car’s core functions will be handled through this massive screen that runs pillar to pillar. It’ll serve as the gauge cluster, a center infotainment screen and a passenger display. It’s pretty similar to what we first saw in the Mercedes CLA, but without seams between the individual displays. I’m sure it’ll be fairly easy to navigate and quick to respond.
Mercedes says the screen can show high-resolution ambient styles as background motifs that are meant to offer a wide range of moods to the folks in the car, “from calm to intense, cool to warm, and technical to emotional.” The color of the gauge cluster, control panel and ambient lighting can be adjusted with these schemes.
More than a screen
We’ve only got a few photos to go off of, but from what I can tell, this new generation of GLC will bring with it more buttons than previous Mercedes-Benz models. We’re able to see a row of seven buttons and a scroll knob (presumably for the volume) on the center console between two cup holders and a couple of wireless phone charging pads. Haptic feedback haters will also rejoice in the fact that scroll knobs have made their triumphant return to the top spoke of the steering wheel in place of touch-sensitive controls. Overall, it looks like a solid mix of both physical and digital controls, but I’m sure it won’t be enough to please everybody.
Like all modern Mercedes-Benz models, the GLC EV’s interior is festooned with all of the ambient lighting you could ever want that can be changed to 11 trillion different colors and even illuminate red or blue when you switch up the climate control.
Mercedes-Benz
Attention to detail also seems to be a big deal inside the new GLC EV. Mercedes is employing a new sort of stitching, which is sort of reminiscent of the baseball glove stitching you’d find on Audi TTs in the early 2000s (just toned down). There’s also plenty of very pretty metal inlays in the dark wood trim and brightwork around the trim pieces and air vents that suggest the GLC EV is a much more premium vehicle than its compact crossover roots would suggest — just look how giant the single piece of wood is.
Overall, the GLC EV’s interior looks like a real winner. Let’s just wait to see if its exterior and performance can match what this is bringing to the table.
