2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC
midsize luxury SUV / 4-door SUV
Award applies only to vehicles with specific headlights
Small overlap front: driver-side
Rating applies to 2016-22 models
Tested vehicle: 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4-door 4wd
The Mercedes-Benz GLC was introduced in the 2016 model year as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz GLK.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
|
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but rolled to the left because the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the head and torso. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects. |
Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.
The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but rolled around the left side, allowing the head to move toward the gap in coverage between the frontal and side curtain airbags.
The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEN1722 |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 1 |
| Footrest (cm) | 10 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 7 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 3 |
| Parking brake (cm) | |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 1 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 1 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 2 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 2 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEN1722 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 224 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 10 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 23 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 1.1 |
| Right | 1.0 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 2 |
| Right | 3 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.64 |
| Right | 0.41 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 3.0 |
| Right | 1.8 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 86 |
| Right | 61 |
Small overlap front: passenger-side
Rating applies to 2016-22 models
Tested vehicle: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4-door 4wd
The Mercedes-Benz GLC was introduced in the 2016 model year as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz GLK. Two passenger-side small overlap frontal tests of a 2018 model GLC were conducted, one by the Institute and the other by Mercedes-Benz. Ratings are based on both tests.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the Institute's passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger's survival space was maintained well (Institute test car shown).
The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury (Institute test shown).
The passenger's space was maintained well in both tests, but forces on the right lower leg were just high enough to indicate the possibility of injuries in the Institute's test. In the test conducted by Mercedes-Benz, injury risk to both legs and feet was low.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side
| Test ID | CEP1712 | VTP1702 |
|---|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | ||
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 | 2 |
| Footrest (cm) | 16 | 8 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 8 | 3 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 4 | 3 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 | 0 |
| Upper occupant compartment | ||
| Center dash (cm) | 1 | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 | 3 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 4 | 3 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 4 | 4 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CEP1712 | VTP1702 |
|---|---|---|
| Head | ||
| HIC-15 | 122 | 53 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact | no contact |
| Neck | ||
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 17 | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 18 | 19 |
| Femur (kN) | ||
| Left | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Right | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | ||
| Left | 1 | 1 |
| Right | 0 | 1 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | ||
| Left | 0 | 0 |
| Right | 0 | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | ||
| Left | 0.21 | 0.17 |
| Right | 0.81 | 0.15 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | ||
| Left | 1.1 | 0.2 |
| Right | 4.7 | 0.5 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | ||
| Left | 68 | 41 |
| Right | 109 | 60 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEP1712 | VTP1702 |
|---|---|---|
| Head | ||
| HIC-15 | 105 | 42 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact | no contact |
| Neck | ||
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 7 | 4 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.12 | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 21 | 18 |
| Femur (kN) | ||
| Left | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Right | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | ||
| Left | 2 | 1 |
| Right | 3 | 3 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | ||
| Left | 0 | 0 |
| Right | 0 | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | ||
| Left | 0.18 | 0.27 |
| Right | 0.49 | 0.26 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | ||
| Left | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Right | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | ||
| Left | 23 | 25 |
| Right | 47 | 53 |
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2016-22 models
Tested vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4-door 4wd
The Mercedes-Benz GLC was introduced in the 2016 model year as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz GLK. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTF1626 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 1 |
| Left (cm) | 1 |
| Center (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 1 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | -1 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | -2 |
| Rearward (cm) | -7 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTF1626 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 131 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 13 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.21 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 0.8 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 0.7 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 2 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.17 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.27 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.9 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 2.8 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 45 |
| Right | 68 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2016-22 models
Tested vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4-door 4wd
The Mercedes-Benz GLC was introduced in the 2016 model year as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz GLK. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTS1625 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -24.0 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTS1625 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 133 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 25 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 32 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 29 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.44 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.53 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Combined force (kN) | 2.2 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.6 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 41 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 46 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | VTS1625 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 137 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.4 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.6 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 38 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 36 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 16 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.39 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.43 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 0.1 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.9 |
| Combined force (kN) | 1.9 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.4 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 46 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 50 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2016-22 models
Tested vehicle: 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4-door 4wd
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,026 lbs |
| Peak force | 24,311 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 6.04 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seat
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seat |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 38 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -14 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 16.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 57 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 21 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 464 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.
Headlights
Ratings are given for 3 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.
Trim level(s)
- GLC 300 trim equipped with Advanced Lighting package
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good in all 4 tests.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was good in all 4 tests.
High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the gradual left curve.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2017-19 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 100.2 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 73.4 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 87.8 m | 5.6% |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 69.7 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 72.8 m | 21.4% |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 70.1 m | 19.5% |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 141.1 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 125.0 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 95.5 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 94.8 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 75.8 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 79.6 m |
Trim level(s)
- GLC 300 trim equipped with LED Headlamps and Taillamps package
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and fair on the right side. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left curve and fair on the sharp left and both right curves.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2017-19 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 88.8 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 68.9 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 58.6 m | 2.1% |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 66.4 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 50.4 m | 32.0% |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 53.8 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 165.1 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 129.1 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 70.7 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 74.2 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 55.3 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 57.2 m |
Trim level(s)
- GLC 300 trim
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was fair on the gradual right curve and inadequate on the sharp right and both left curves.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2017-19 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 84.0 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 52.6 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 59.3 m | 12.6% |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 49.4 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 45.5 m | 47.9% |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 43.3 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 165.6 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 107.4 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 65.8 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 59.6 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 49.4 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 46.7 m |
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2016-22 models
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | GLC 300 |
| Seat type | leatherette |
This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.
It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | GLC 300 |
| Seat type | leatherette |
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated. | |
thether anchor symbol | Tether anchor |
lower anchor symbol | Lower anchors |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| not too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors | |
| 2 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| none available | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| not too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors |
Seat position 21
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 1 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 55 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 1 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 49 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Middle seatback |
| Confusing hardware present | Yes |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
Yes |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 22
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Lower anchor B | |
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Middle seatback |
| Confusing hardware present | Yes |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
Yes |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 23
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 0 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 55 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 0 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 53 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Middle seatback |
| Confusing hardware present | Yes |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
Yes |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |