2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC

A rival to Audi's Q5, BMW's X3 and Volvo's XC60, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC was introduced today during a special event in Stuttgart, Germany, and will go on sale in Europe later this year, with North America to get the SUV in mid-November, at as of yet, undisclosed prices. And unlike the outgoing GLK, the new GLC will be made available to right-hand drive markets, including, of course, Britain.

Linked to Mercedes-Benz C-Class series – hence the change in the name from GLK to GLC, the SUV rides on a longer wheelbase version of the sedan's Modular Rear Architecture and will be offered in Europe with a starting lineup of three engines.

These include the diesel-powered GLC 220d 4Matic with 168hp (0-62mph or 100km/h in 8.3 sec and 56mpg UK), and GLC 250d 4Matic with 201hp (0-62mph or 100km/h in 7.6 sec and 56mpg UK), and the petrol GLC 250 4Matic with 208hp (0-62mph or 100km/h in 7.3 sec and 43mpg UK).

In North America, the GLC will launch this fall as the rear-wheel drive GLC 300 and all-wheel drive GLC 300 4Matic, which should have the same 241hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four as the C300 sedan – we're still waiting for Mercedes-Benz to release US specs.