The new battery-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC has taken the “German Premium Car of the Year 2027” title at the German Car of the Year (GCOTY) awards. The prize was handed over at the Nationales Automuseum – The Loh Collection on 22 September 2026, with the jury praising the SUV’s coherent overall concept and its balanced, comfortable road manners. It is a notable win for the nameplate that has been Mercedes-Benz’s global best-seller for years, now in its first fully electric form.
The electric Mercedes-Benz GLC has been voted “German Premium Car of the Year 2027” by the jury of the German Car of the Year awards. The trophy was presented at a ceremony at the Nationales Automuseum – The Loh Collection in Dietzhölztal-Ewersbach, Germany.
According to the award organisers, the jury singled out the new electric GLC for what it called an exceptionally coherent overall concept, along with a balanced and comfortable driving character — qualities that tend to matter more to buyers of a family-sized premium SUV than outright performance numbers.
Why this model matters to Mercedes-Benz
The GLC line has been the brand’s best-selling model range worldwide for several years, so the electric version carries considerable commercial weight. Mercedes-Benz says the EV continues the attributes that made the combustion-engined GLC a customer favourite, while adding a design language of its own and what the company describes as intuitive digital intelligence.
The manufacturer positions the car around long-distance comfort, everyday usability and a straightforward user experience, arguing that generous space and a high level of comfort should make electric motoring less complicated for mainstream buyers.
“At Mercedes-Benz we understand premium as the interplay of comfort, safety, everyday usability and the good feeling of being at home in a Mercedes-Benz from the very first moment. The fact that the new electric GLC has been awarded ‘German Premium Car of the Year 2027’ confirms our ambition to make exactly these qualities tangible for our customers every day anew.” — David Perdomo Hollatz, Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany
Chassis, space and towing
On the technical side, Mercedes-Benz lists optional AIRMATIC air suspension and rear-axle steering with up to 4.5 degrees of steering angle, a combination the company credits for both ride comfort and agility. Practicality comes from a 128-litre (4.5 cu ft) front boot and a towing capacity of up to 2.4 tonnes (5,291 lb) — a figure that puts it among the more capable electric SUVs in its class for caravan and trailer duty.
Screens, software and assistance systems
Inside, the optional MBUX Hyperscreen measures 99.3 cm (39.1 in) across and is, by the company’s own account, the largest display it has fitted to a production car. It runs on the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), which ties together infotainment, comfort functions, charging and driver assistance, and supports over-the-air updates via the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud.
Driver assistance is grouped under the MB.DRIVE label. DISTRONIC adaptive cruise control and a parking assistant are standard, while optional packages add assisted automated driving to SAE Level 2 and a 360-degree camera view for parking.
How the GCOTY award is decided
The German Car of the Year jury is made up of German motoring journalists, specialist content creators and international jurors; since 2026 a selected group of guest jurors has also taken part. The panel tests new cars launched on the European market, judging them within their respective vehicle categories and then against each other to identify the year’s strongest models.
The win lands in the middle of the brand’s “140 Years of Innovation” anniversary year, marking the period since Carl Benz filed the patent for the first automobile in 1886.
Facts: Mercedes-Benz GLC (electric)
- Award: German Premium Car of the Year 2027 (GCOTY)
- Front boot: 128 litres (4.5 cu ft)
- Towing capacity: up to 2.4 tonnes (5,291 lb)
- Rear-axle steering: up to 4.5 degrees (optional)
- Suspension: AIRMATIC air suspension (optional)
- Display: MBUX Hyperscreen, 99.3 cm (39.1 in), optional
- Software: MB.OS with over-the-air updates
- Assistance: DISTRONIC and parking assistant standard; SAE Level 2 assisted driving optional
Mercedes-Benz did not state range, charging, performance or pricing figures in connection with the award.
Source: media.mercedes-benz.com