MERCEDES-AMG GLC 63 S REVIEW & PRICES

The previous Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 had a pretty simple outlook on life. Take a family-and-school-run-friendly medium SUV, and give it the performance of a true V8 performance thoroughbred. Like taking a family car and getting NASA to fit it with the rocket engine from a Saturn V.

This, the new — and plug-in hybrid — GLC 63 S aims for the same target of being a practical car with impractical levels of performance, but goes about things a very different way. Fast SUVs aren’t a new thing, though, with alternatives like the Porsche Macan GTS, BMW X3 M and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio to consider.

It might be a plug-in hybrid, but don’t go expecting lots of electric-only mileage out of the AMG GLC 63 S. In fact, the tiny battery pack will only take you a maximum of 7.5 miles if you take the time to charge it up fully. It hardly seems worth the effort, really.

Unlike the standard GLC PHEV models, which can run for as much as 62 miles on a full charge, the AMG 63 S is designed around one thing and one thing only — performance. So the small battery’s job is basically just to drive the electric motor that runs the rear wheels, with the extra power coming from the petrol engine up front.

Out goes the old 63’s glorious, symphonic, stereophonic, 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and in comes the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the AMG A45 hatchback. That develops 476hp on its own, but combined with the electric motor you get a frankly daft 680hp.

That’s enough to shove this 2.3-tonne SUV from standstill to 62mph in 3.5 seconds. The school run won’t know what hit it.

While you do lose the wonderful thunder of the old V8 engine, the upside is vastly better fuel economy — Mercedes claims 37mpg, compared to the 21mpg of the old one — but you’d have to be driving in a fairly saintly fashion to achieve that.

You get four-wheel drive and the rear electric motor can distribute the power to whichever of the back wheels is best able to handle it to improve acceleration out of corners. You’ll have to check back once we’ve been behind the wheel to see if that makes up for the drama that’s been lost by switching away from that glorious V8 engine.

One thing you can be sure of is the GLC’s cabin quality. It’s beautifully made, and the big MBUX touchscreen, reclining in the centre of the dash, uses some of the best in-car software around, making it much easier and more logical to use than most alternatives.

There’s ample space and comfort in any of the seats, but the packaging of the hybrid system means that the boot is hugely compromised. In fact, at just 470 litres, it’s barely any bigger than the boot of a Ford Puma.

On top of that, this hybrid-engined AMG GLC 63 S is searingly expensive — more than £20,000 on top of the price of the previous V8 version. You are getting a lot of extra technology and some astonishing performance for that cash, but it will have to be utterly brilliant to drive to justify it.

If those massive specs are enough to get your reaching for your wallet, find out how much you could save through Carwow by browsing the latest Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S deals. You can also take a look at used Mercedes models from our network of trusted dealers. And when it’s time to sell your current car, Carwow can help with that, too.