Review: Can we find the true value of the Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e Coupe in Nilai?

CY Foong
CY Foong · 2025-02-04 09:15:00

For those of you who do not get the direct translated wordplay in the title of this review, Nilai means value in Malay and it is also the name of a town in Negeri Sembilan. Despite Nilai being described as a developing town known for its universities attracting international students and being close to KLIA, its true value lies in being a sort of transitionary town.

That is to say, Nilai is just a stopping point for people on their journey be it travel, education, or career. Its close proximity to Kuala Lumpur International Airport meant that the town sees quite a number of pilot schools and people working in the airport.

I always perceive Nilai as ironic seeing that the name itself is defined as value but what is the town really worth? I spent three years in this town and there was not much that stood out aside from pointing out it is a campus town surrounded by jungle.

The forests surrounding Nilai have now been dwindling though as the town has seen rising development over the past few years. Malls and service apartments tower over lush greenery and the old town where the train station is located is filled with congestion, reminding one of poor public transport accessibility outside the Klang Valley.

Overview: 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4Matic Coupe
PriceRM 425,888
SegmentPremium coupe-SUV
Engine2.0L turbo in-line four
Transmission9-speed automatic
Power207 PS
Torque320 Nm
Electric motor138 PS/440 Nm
OriginCKD, Pekan, Pahang

So, it seems ideal then for me to try and discover Nilai’s value with a car whose conception baffles me and plenty of self-proclaimed autophiles. The C254 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e Coupe was launched in Malaysia in November last year, locally assembled (CKD) in Pekan.

The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is the only variant offered for the swoopy coupe-SUV priced from RM 425,888. That is RM 27,000 more than the regular GLC 350e SUV which is also only available as a PHEV.

Divisive appearance

Before I come to terms with the PHEV powertrain, let’s start with the design. Initially, when the first coupe-SUV was introduced on the Ssangyong Actyon and to a much earlier extent, the Pontiac Aztek, they were unanimously mocked and sales were so poor, that the embarrassment eventually saw both brands shut down. Okay, they were not correlated but the writing was on the wall.

Then, BMW introduced the X6 and called it the Sport Activity Coupe but instead of ridicule, the sentiment switched to intrigue. The SAC acronym didn’t stick but the coupe-SUV began proliferating all over with Mercedes-Benz following the X6’s coattails in the GLE Coupe in 2015.

But what was initially seen as a fad in the automotive industry eventually became a mainstay as other brands offered their takes on the coupe-SUV styling. The likes of Porsche and Audi would offer coupe variants of their SUVs and the design even trickled down to mainstream brands like the Honda HR-V.

Alas, the coupe SUV shape takes out a lot of the practicality of a regular SUV but retains the high-riding view that many are attracted to the segment in the first place. The rear headroom of the GLC Coupe is more compromised along with rear visibility in the rain as there is no rear wiper.

Aside from the slightly compromised rear practicality, it is similar to the standard GLC SUV inside, equipped with the 15-speaker Burmester 3D surround sound system that turns it into a mobile concert hall.

Despite some of the criticisms I or any other automotive scribe might have against this design combination, consumers love the amalgamation of sports car and sports utility. Sales figures for coupe-SUVs are generally not as good as their more practical SUV twins but there is still demand.

What was initially thought to be a fad like convertible SUVs or off-roading sports cars saw a boom. The appeal is universal (us car guys are generally the vocal minority) with younger buyers attracted to its cool design and older buyers who can generally afford one take stride in great comfort while not compromising on the sleek appearance.

It is the same with Nilai, in a sense, that it is an appealing transitionary town for students. It may not be rife with activity on weekends, which usually involves driving 45 minutes up north to the capital, but it has a familiar small-town vibe where many students come from.

Plugged out

While the town is largely known as an educational hub, Nilai is also where the National Velodrome is located. Cycling is becoming an increasingly popular recreational activity and the investment of an internationally accredited indoor bicycle oval is one of the plans to inject some infrastructure into Nilai.

Yet, some of these projects can be seen as a white elephant; massively underutilized and poorly maintained. The sheen of the red and white striped panels attracts you when viewed from the PLUS highway but the lustre is completely gone as you approach closer.

The nation intends to produce the next Azizulhasni Awang but it seems kids are more interested in dangerous basikal lajak street races than on a proper track.

Just like the difficulty of maintaining a state-of-the-art sports complex, in order to get the most efficiency out of a PHEV, it is not just simply through refuelling like a regular hybrid. The need to both charge and fill up the tank, is to me, a rather pointless endeavour and it is also largely neglected by most owners.

Even though it has a claimed electric-only range of 100 km, realistically you’re getting around 80 km of range on battery power alone. Similarly, the claimed combined 8.3 L/100 km fuel consumption is impressive for a vehicle of this size but single-digit figures are unlikely in the real world and our trip computer averaged around 10-11 L/100 km.

Besides, the PHEV system on the lone GLC Coupe only makes sense if you charge it daily. Otherwise, you are just carrying deadweight – all of the compromises and none of the benefits of electrification.

With electricity/hybrid mode on, there is a quiet feeling of a regular battery electric vehicle (BEV) and just a little bit of that instant response from the motor but with limited range, it can run out quickly, forcing you to recharge every time you’re heading home. If you do remember to plug in, that is.

The throttle pedal also has plenty of resistance which means driving aside from Sport and customizable Individual modes is a pain during long distance driving. The system feels even more pointless when the battery is depleted, and the engine is trying to compensate for the extra weight.

Speaking of weight, the battery on this plug-in beast is a 31.2-kWh lithium iron pack which is too big and heavy to be replenished by braking and coasting in normal driving conditions. Besides, the PHEV powertrain adds an extra 430 kg of weight over its mild-hybrid (MHEV) equivalent. It does seem like a waste when it isn’t fully utilised.

Other than my qualms over the PHEV experience, the GLC 350e Coupe is a supple SUV like how a Mercedes-Benz is always perceived. It is also very commendable around the corners with not much body roll for a vehicle of its size and is easily planted.

People can claim that a PHEV is an environmental solution but I would argue that there needs to be more choice for the consumer. Previously, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia offered the fully imported (CBU) GLC 300 Coupe with MHEV but the CKD PHEV model subsequently replaced that.

Since most users do not recharge their PHEV batteries, they would seem wasteful and as we have seen in the used car market, hamper resale value as well.

The MHEV option of the GLC Coupe is available in Malaysia albeit in the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe which is also CKD from Pekan. However, not many are willing to fork out nearly RM 500,000 let alone appreciate a high-performance coupe SUV. Some just want the package of a sleek coupe high-rider with just the prestige and comfort of a three-pointed star.

On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz is powerless when it comes to government regulations which have shown favoritism towards electrified vehicles. Hence, the absence of internal combustion engine-only (ICE) variants for its newest models globally. So, you can’t really blame the carmakers for seemingly “forcing” buyers to go electric or walk away.

What value is there?

Democracy can be a funny thing as the results can be against what you intend for. It’s not political by any literal means but the expression of choice is what makes this world go around. It can be a choice to study in Nilai or the big city or in the case of our subject, practicality and sense or style with some pizzazz.

The coupe-SUV was initially designed to go against the grain of how a conventional SUV can appear. Yet, it grew from a niche idea to something that is common across various segments from luxury to mainstream brands. The design will always remain divisive but it will never go away.

The value of this is that consumers have a choice for style over substance and vice versa. Most would go for the conventional but the GLC Coupe represents some bit of individuality which has an acquired taste.

But when it comes to powertrain options, that can be quite limiting for the consumer. You can choose to fork out RM 27,000 more than the GLC 350e SUV for its Coupe twin or spend nearly half a mil (RM 498,888 to be precise) for the potent AMG 43.

Yet, you cannot choose a locally assembled non-AMG GLC Coupe with MHEV and that might sound like a deal breaker. If you want the regular GLC SUV with MHEV, it’s only available used or recond.

The PHEV system works ideally if you stay in a landed property where you can easily charge it through a wallbox. Even if the high rise has a charging facility, the hassle of going up and down between floors to move the car frequently is just too troublesome. That’s why PHEVs are not for everyone.

Value is quantifiable when a figure is placed on it but in some cases, those numbers need to be acquired. I’m no data scientist or an appraiser, just a regular automotive journalist, but what value can be ascertained from the GLC 350e Coupe is that it can be seen as the best of both worlds but not entirely shown with this powertrain.

CY Foong

CY Foong Writer

Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars.

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