As Mercedes has been pressed for years to deliver outstanding luxury vehicles, they have also instilled a great amount of sportiness to their fleet. When sports and luxury come together, it’s easy for consumers to demand more and more. With Mercedes historically leading the way in the German market, the GLC43 AMG is here and wow is an understatement.

For 2024, the GLC43 AMG is powered with a handcrafted 2.0-liter inline 4 turbocharged with hybrid assist offering 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. An AMG Speedshift nine-speed transmission, 4MATIC all-wheel drive, ride control suspension with adaptive damping and enhanced braking system are all standard. Other items on our test vehicle included power heated seats, AMG illuminated door sills, panorama roof, SiriusXM and high-performance tires. Comfort mode was very good for both the driver and passengers, but with other modes, such as sport or sport plus, the ride stiffened up significantly and was more race-like and less comfort.

The GLC43 AMG's Citrus Silver Magno exterior paint and black microfiber interior with red stitching showed out exceptionally. Black 21-inch AMG Y-spoke wheels with black accents added $1,600 to the price. Other options added included AMG carbon fiber, AMG performance steering wheel, AMG dynamic plus package and an array of others.

As a current owner and devotee of the Mercedes GLK, which was eliminated from the fleet in 2015, I found the GLC43 AMG similarly amazing. For those who love the combination of sport and luxury, the GLC43 AMG checks a lot of the boxes in the SUV market. The GLC43 AMG offers great space, nice style, excellent comfort and plenty of power, making it a well-rounded luxury SUV with an uninflated base price.

Could this just be a future replacement option for my GLK lovers like me? I think so!

2024 Mercedes Benz GLC43 AMG

MSRP: $64,950

MPG: 19 city/25 highway/24.1 as tested

As Tested: $77,575

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