Electric Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 Opens for UK Orders From £55,495 With 389-Mile Range

Mercedes-Benz has opened UK order books for a new entry point into its all-electric GLC, and it brings the price of the family SUV down to £55,495. The GLC 250 joins the existing GLC 400 4MATIC at the top of the range, and despite being the more affordable choice it still claims up to 389 miles of range on the WLTP test.

That figure, paired with rapid charging and a single rear-mounted motor, makes the GLC 250 one of the longer-legged electric SUVs you can order at this price. Mercedes says the electric GLC has already taken more orders than any electric model in the company’s history, and the cheaper variant is likely to widen that lead.

Pricing and the Trim Walk

The GLC 250 starts at £55,495 in Sport specification, which becomes the new way into the electric GLC line-up. From there, buyers can move up through AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and the range-topping Premier Edition, the same ladder of trims used by the more powerful GLC 400 4MATIC.

The key difference between the two is drive layout. The GLC 250 sends its power to the rear wheels through a single motor, while the GLC 400 4MATIC uses motors front and rear for four-wheel drive. For most buyers covering school runs and motorway commutes, the rear-drive 250 will be plenty, and it carries a useful saving over the dual-motor car.

Range, Battery and Charging

The GLC 250 uses an 85 kWh usable battery feeding a 354 hp, 260 kW electric motor on the rear axle. Mercedes quotes up to 389 miles of range on the WLTP cycle, and a 0 to 62 mph time of 5.9 seconds, which is brisk for a family SUV of this size.

Charging is where the GLC 250 pulls ahead of many rivals. It can accept up to 320 kW on a suitable rapid charger, enough to take the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 22 minutes. On a long drive that turns a charging stop into little more than a coffee break. There is also a 128-litre frunk under the bonnet for cables, and a towing capacity of up to 2.2 tonnes for owners with a trailer or caravan.

Drivers planning the switch to electric outside the big cities should still check local rapid-charger coverage before committing, a point we explored in our look at the growing charging gap beyond London.

Inside the Cabin

The headline interior feature is the MBUX Hyperscreen, a wide glass panel that stretches across the dashboard. It is fitted to the AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and Premier Edition grades, so Sport buyers step up to a more conventional screen layout. The system runs on the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System, which links infotainment, comfort, charging and driver assistance and supports over-the-air software updates.

Driver assistance is grouped under the MB.DRIVE banner. DISTRONIC adaptive cruise and Parking Assist are standard, while optional packages add up to SAE Level 2 assisted driving and a 360-degree camera view for parking. An optional Refinement Package brings AIRMATIC air suspension and 4.5-degree rear-axle steering, which should sharpen low-speed agility and smooth out the ride on longer trips.

The new car also marks the debut of an evolved design language for Mercedes, including a re-designed grille that can be specified with illumination and animation. The brand is leaning on its anniversary year to present the electric GLC as a statement of intent.

Running costs should also work in the GLC 250’s favour. A rear-drive layout and a single motor tend to be a little more efficient than a dual-motor four-wheel-drive setup, so real-world range and home-charging bills should benefit, particularly for drivers who rarely need extra traction. The 85 kWh battery is large enough to make weekly home charging realistic for most households, and the high peak charging speed keeps the car usable on longer journeys when a top-up is needed away from home.

Even in the entry Sport specification, the GLC 250 is far from sparse. The trim covers the core comfort and safety equipment most family buyers expect, with the higher grades adding the Hyperscreen, more visible cabin trim and the option packs that unlock the air suspension and rear-axle steering. That gives buyers a clear path to spend more if they want the full technology showcase, while keeping the £55,495 starting point genuinely usable rather than a stripped-out headline figure.

How the GLC 250 Stacks Up

At £55,495 the GLC 250 lands in the thick of the premium electric SUV fight, up against the BMW iX3, the Audi Q6 e-tron, the Tesla Model Y and the Polestar 4. Its 389-mile range and 320 kW charging speed are competitive with the best of that group, and the badge and cabin quality give it a clear pitch to buyers stepping out of a combustion-engined GLC.

With order books now open, first UK deliveries are expected to follow in the coming months. For buyers who wanted the electric GLC but found the GLC 400 4MATIC a stretch, the 250 is the variant that makes the sums easier.