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Tipped to arrive just days apart in Australia in the second half of 2026, the headline news is Benz has struck back where it hurts, with figures suggesting its GLC 400 4MATIC will outmuscle the 345kW iX3 by punching out a more impressive 360kW.
Mercedes has been a bit shy about parting with the performance figures, but we would be amazed if the GLC doesn’t slice at least a tenth of a second off the 4.9 second dash the BMW iX3 takes to accelerate from 0-100km/h.
Helping the Munich carmaker score back points over its Stuttgart nemesis, the BMW iX3 can cover a class-leading 805km on a single charge due to its larger 108kWh battery.
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Capable of being topped up at up to 400kW thanks to its 800V electrics, BMW claims you can squeeze as much as 350km of range into the battery just ten minutes after plugging it in.
The new GLC comes with a smaller 94kWh battery that sees the GLC travel a still very respectable 713km but with a lower recharge rate just 303km are added after the same ten minutes.
Since Australia is still saddled with mostly 400V chargers, most of the pub-bragging rights about superfast charging is just that, with Benz confirming our cars locally will come with a 400V converter fitted as standard.
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One narrow victory that places the GLC back in pole position is efficiency, with the mid-sizer GLC claimed to be capable of consuming just 14.9kWh/100km if you’re not silly with options and wheel sizes, beating BMW by the narrowest of margins (15kWh/100km).
Benz says there’s yet more winning when it comes to space thanks to a wheelbase that grows by 84mm. With the GLC offering 13mm more leg- and 46mm extra headroom upfront, while legroom and headroom in the rear seats have been boosted by 47mm and 17mm respectively, compared to the current combustion powered GLC, with a larger 570 litre boot and 128L frunk than the iX3 (520L, 58L).
BACK TO THE FUTURE
We’ll leave it up to you to judge who wore it best, but it’s interesting that both Germans have looked to the past to style their next generation of EVs, and the return of the bold upright grille and silver star will appeal to traditionalists and brand loyalists.
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Inside, like the latest CLA sedan, the GLC comes with an AI-powered MB.OS superbrain, with top models coming with an enormous 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen that looks lifted from an EQS.
The screen offers up to 11 different wallpapers and is combined with ambient lighting that shows off a range of mood-enhancing hues from calm to intense. The infotainment uses Benz’s latest fourth-gen MBUX that features AI from both Microsoft and Google to improve accuracy and can now indulge in a proper chat, software engineers claim.
Finally, the navigation is able to take into consideration the weather, topography, route layout and traffic when plotting your journey, including where to stop at your preferred charger.
Appealing to wealthy urbanites, there’s now the option of a Vegan Society-approved alternative to leather. Elsewhere, its makers boast the GLC will set new standards for high-quality materials.
Another highlight of the cabin is a new Sky Control panoramic roof that at night apes a Rolls-Royce by illuminating 162 stars in the night sky.
Behind the wheel, Mercedes promises both class-leading comfort and agility, with both air suspension and a 4.5-degree rear-wheel steering both available.
Dare to go off road and there’s both a new Terrain mode for gravel roads and a Land Rover-like Transparent Bonnet.
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Like BMW, there’s new brake-by-wire tech that uses its regenerative braking (instead of discs and pads) for 99 per cent of all real-world scenarios – a whole 1 per cent more than the latest iX3.
Set to land in Australia in the second half of 2026 priced from around $100,000 plus on-roads, as well as the new iX3, the new Mercedes GLC will also face stiff competition from both the Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron that have already been introduced Down Under.
