Hyundai Accent vs Mercedes-AMG GLC63

What's the difference?

It might be getting harder and harder to hide its age, but there is still plenty to like about Hyundai's cheapest car. Those who really love to drive need not apply, and nor should long-distance travellers, but the Accent Sport's alloy wheels, true smartphone integration and plenty of power and USB points will thrill its younger owners, while its long-range warranty and cheap servicing costs don't hurt either.

Still, if you think you can stretch to an i30, you should definitely drive one first.

Obviously, I had nothing to worry about. The GLC 63 S is the same boisterous, silly car I drove 18 months ago, just with a few new bits to improve the package. As ever, the GLC 63 S is all about the experience - big noise, huge grip but all in comfort with plenty of gadgets.

The only real issues are price, service pricing and the length of the warranty. The first two probably won't bother most owners and one hopes the third won't be problem, but it would be nice if the length was reflected in the price.

If you care about badge, it has impeccable credentials, the AMG stripes and that plate on the engine with the builder's name. They're good credentials. The GLC 63 S has some very determined and capable competition, but none of them blend the speed, overall comfort and sheer sensory silliness of the AMG.

It looks good, the Accent, just not quite as good as its bigger Hyundai brothers. And that’s got to sting, if only a little bit. 

Words like "subtle", "restyled” and “enhanced design” pepper the Accent’s media information, and so we’re not talking massive changes. But the exterior of the Sport looks sharp, especially in the 'Pulse Red' of our test car. Other colours include 'Chalk White', 'Lake Silver', 'Phantom Black', 'Sunflower' (yellow), and 'Blue Lagoon', but there’s no green, orange or grey paint available.

First, though, don’t let the whole 'sport' thing fool you. You’ll find no Fast and Furious body kit, nor is there much in terms of a rear spoiler, side skirts or a rear diffuser. Instead, a silver-framed mesh grille (a smaller version of the one that adorns the i30) blends into the headlights that then sweep back into the body, while subtle power lines create a little dome in the bonnet, starting at the edges of the Hyundai badge and getting wider as they sweep back across the bonnet. 

Side on, the alloys are clean and simple, and a single style crease runs the length of the body, intersecting both door handles on each side. At the rear, though, the concave body styling doesn’t quite work so well, ending up looking busier than the rest of the car, and leaving it with too much body and not enough rear window.

Inside, as you can see from our interior photos, there is plenty of hard plastic, but there have been some design flourishes that give them a nicer texture and go some way to disguising the fact they’re hard enough to be used as a weapon in a roadside road rage dispute.

But it’s a simple and clean design, with patterned cloth (what, you were expecting leather seats at this price point?) seats, an uncluttered centre cluster and a sparing use of silver highlights that break up the black of the dash and doors.

You can also option everything from tailored floor mats to interior lighting, forming a kind of personalised premium package for the Accent Sport.

As before, the GLC 63 S comes in wagon and couple bodystyles. Little has changed, with just the usual tweaked front and rear bumpers and mildly redesigned headlights.

All the good bits have remained, like the 'Panamericana' grille from the AMG GT monsters, the jet wing-inspired front bumper and plenty of open space to feed the radiators and intercoolers.

Neither the wagon nor coupe is a pretty machine, but no mid-size SUV is much of an oil painting, with the exception of the Jaguar F-Pace.

The 'Night Package' is still a standard inclusion, blacking out various bits and pieces and looking good when allied with the dark alloys. They both look tough, though, which is classic AMG DNA.

Inside is pretty much the same as before, with just two obvious changes. The new Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, again from the AMG GT, and also on the C 63 S, joins the party with a more expensive look and feel.

And the new MBUX screen is wider and looks much more at home in a $165,000-plus car. It's still a bit old-feeling, but the digital dash adds a bit of techno-style while the garish speaker covers don't.

It’s every bit as practical as you might expect, the Accent Sport, given that you’re unlikely to be using something this size as a pseudo moving van anytime soon.

The 4155mm long, 1700mm wide and 1450mm high (the sedan is 4370mm long) Accent Sport's interior dimensions feel spacious up front, and while the front seats are a little too flat, the cabin feels airy and light. There are two cupholders up front, too, and there’s room in the front doors for extra bottles. 

Like all Hyundais, the little Accent boasts most of the technology options favoured by younger buyers, like a USB point, an aux connection and two 12-volt power outlets all housed in a tiny storage bin underneath the centre console. There’s a sunglass holder, too, integrated into the roof. 

The backseat is sparse but spacious enough, with enough room for adults to sit behind adults in comfort - at least in the two window seats. That’s about it back there, though, with no technology options, vents or air-con controls.

Boot space is a useable 370 litres in hatch guise, but luggage capacity grows to 465 litres should you opt for the sedan, with both of those figures measured in VDA. Optional roof racks and rails (and other offical accessories like a rubber cargo liner, mud flaps or dedicated bike, snowboard and surfboard carriers) help increase the pint-size Accent’s load-lugging ability.

As does a handy (and optional) cargo liner that helps separate your groceries, sitting neatly under the cargo cover that shields you luggage from prying eyes outside. Perhaps unsurprisingly, you can’t get a factory-offered bull bar.

There are two ISOFIX attachment points, one in each window seat, as well as three top-tether points across the back row.

A family of four will love any GLC. The wagon's extra headroom over the coupe is useful if not life-changing, while the knee, leg and foot room are generous. Front seat passengers enjoy comfortable seating as long as you're not too keen on pudding.

Underneath, the upward sweep of the centre console is a pair of cupholders and a wireless charging Qi pad that will fit larger phones. Under the split armrest is a small but handy console bin, inside which you'll find USB-C ports.

Two more USB-C ports in the rear join a 12-volt socket and there are also climate controls for the rear seat passengers. The centre armrest pops open with a shallow, carpet-lined tray and two cupholders pop out the front. Each of the four doors has a bottle holder, too.

The boot space is unchanged for each bodystyle - 550/1600 litres for the wagon and 500/1400 litres for the coupe. Both have high loading lips, which is something to consider if you're hauling heavy things about or have trouble lifting items to a reasonable height.

As before, we get two bodystyles and the high(er) performance version, the GLC 63 S (a 'base' GLC 63 is available in other markets). Mercedes followed everyone else's lead and realised nobody would buy the skim milk version.

Unfortunately, that translates to the highest sticker price of the three, with the wagon coming in at $164,900, and the coupe at $171,900, before on-road costs.

That doesn't seem to hurt Mercedes too much with other cars in the range, but it's a significant difference. Incidentally, both prices are up by about $3000.

It's loaded, though - 21-inch wheels, multi-zone climate control, air suspension with dynamic dampers, electric and heated front seats, active cruise control, head-up display, reversing camera, around-view cameras, sat nav, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, electric tailgate, Nappa leather and wood trim, active LED headlights, auto wipers, auto parking, roof rails, sunroof, DVD player, and TV tuner, but no spare tyre, just a repair kit.

A Burmester-branded 13-speaker sound system is powered by Mercedes' spangly MBUX system on a new 10-inch touchscreen, which is much nicer than the old software and hardware combo.

MBUX offers deeper integration with the car's systems. The 'Themes' function is like a series of shortcuts to set the car up for a particular mood, but let's face it, most GLC 63 S drivers are just going to find the 'Race' function and go for it.

MBUX also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but via USB only.

The one Accent on offer is powered by a single engine; a petrol-sipping (there’s no diesel, LPG or turbo), 1.6-litre motor that will produce a solid-sounding 103kW (138 horsepower) at 6300rpm and 167Nm of torque at 4850rpm. They are good specs, and it stands up to most competitors in an engine vs engine models comparison. It pairs with a choice of six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic transmission.

There used to be a fairly underwhelming 1.4-litre engine size paired with a CVT auto in the now-axed Accent variant, but this bigger engine is much, much better, and makes for much happier reading on the specifications sheet.

The Accent is front-wheel drive only, with no 4x4, AWD or rear-wheel drive options available. It will serve up a 900kg braked and 450kg unbraked towing capacity, with an optional tow bar/ball fitted. Kerb weight is listed as between 1070kg and 1170kg.

The Accent Sport uses MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension (no sophisticated air systems on offer), and Hyundai doesn’t quote any 0-100km/h, acceleration or speed figures.

An AMG 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 brings the thunder, with a massive 375kW and 700Nm of torque. That's plugged into a nine-speed MCT (multi-clutch as opposed to twin-clutch) transmission and Merc's '4Matic+' all-wheel drive system.

With all that power and grip, you'll crack the ton in a supercar-baiting 3.8 seconds. One little point to note is the engine has active mounts.

Should you fancy turning your tinny into a landspeedboat, you can tow up to 2000kg for a braked trailer, and 750kg unbraked.

For fuel consumption, Hyundai claims 6.3 litres (6.6 litres for the sedan) per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle. But as with all of these manufacturer-supplied figures, there’s always a some sort of variation in the real world km/l fuel economy.

Just how much variation is dependent on how heavy your right foot is, but after my (admittedly city-based) week with the car, the trip computer had my mileage at 11.0L/100km. If you were to adopt an eco mode driving style, that would surely improve, though.

The Accent’s fuel tank size is fairly small, with a fuel capacity of just 43 litres - perfect for the city, less so for long-distance cruising. Emissions are a claimed 146g (154g in the hatch) per kilometre of C02. 

Mercedes reckons you'll get 12.2L/100km on the combined cycle which seems laughable at first and then you see what it actually does. To be fair, the car I drove on the launch copped a hammering and was hovering around the 17.0L/100km, with the start-stop and coasting functions playing only cameo roles.

With its sharp design and gleaming alloys, the Accent Sport doesn’t look like an entry-level model, and nor is it immediately obvious that it’s the cheapest way into the Hyundai family. The downside, though, is it does feel that way from behind the wheel.

A little harsher, a little more road noise and a little more gruff than Hyundai’s more expensive models (including the very good i30), it’s the unfair victim of the brand’s staggering success, which has left the Accent feeling a bit old-school by comparison.

That said, it's perfectly suited to inner-city life, and if you’re cruising around using minimal inputs, it does it all smoothly and quietly. The steering feels a little slack at slow speeds, with plenty of dead air when you first start turning the wheel, but none of that bothers you much in the city.

With its sharp design and gleaming alloys, the Accent Sport doesn’t look like an entry-level model.

The grunt from that engine is refreshingly ample for a small car, and provides plenty of punch to get you moving from traffic lights, while the seating position is high enough that vision is great out of every window (except the rear - you’ll be using the reversing camera for that one).

Take it out of town, though, and the refinement begins to vanish. The engine sounds harsh under heavy acceleration, the transmission can be confused - especially around 80km/h, where moving your foot a fraction can force continual changes up or down, like it's wrestling with a big life decision. 

The only other question mark is over the suspension set-up, which for some reason favours sporty firmness in a car unlikely to be asked to achieve anything more dynamic than sitting at 50km/h. The result is a ride that can feel noticeably firm over bad road surfaces.

The Accent’s 140mm ground clearance (not to mention the fact it’s a front-wheel drive city car) should be enough to persuade you not to test its off-road performance. And its turning radius is 10.4m.

Like any V8-powered AMG, the twin-turbo engine absolutely dominates the GLC 63 S. Even at walking speeds you can feel the serious firepower on offer, just a flex of your ankle away.

The figures are colossal - 375kW (over 500 horsepower) and 700Nm pushing around two tonnes of mid-sized SUV. Its famed bark is bettered only by Jaguar's completely unhinged, and surely borderline illegal, 5.0-litre supercharged V8.

You need to know you've got plenty of tech underneath you to make this stick to the road. The 21-inch alloys are wrapped in 265/40s at the front and 295/30s at the back, Continental Cross Contacts if you're interested.

They should - and would - ruin the ride, but the standard fitment of air suspension means that in normal driving, the GLC 63 S is firm but comfortable. A BMW X3 M is much harder, especially at the rear, going without the complex and heavier air set-up.

The air suspension is probably the pivotal piece of chassis tech that makes this car so versatile. While it's got driving modes up the wazoo - including the new 'Slippery' mode - it's a perfectly agreeable daily driver.

Leave it in comfort, accept that it has a firm ride and you're in good shape for the school run or the commute. You just sail along on a light throttle because there is virtually no turbo lag.

Whack it in Race and you can attack your favourite empty, bendy road with all the grip you could ever need.

The steering is remarkably light and direct for such a chunker and the optional carbon ceramic brakes were never bothered by what I could throw at them.

The V8 roars and spits and crackles, the gearbox shifting seamlessly up and down through the ratios. It's blissfully silly.

In a way, it's a velvet fist in an iron glove - comfortable inside but happy to headbutt the horizon with little provocation.

I'd prefer it if the transmission was a bit more decisive on slow speed shifts and you'll have to prepare yourself for a lot of wearying road noise on long trips. The latter is the price you pay for a ton of grip.

All GLCs have nine airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, traffic sign recognition, around-view cameras, reversing camera, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitor, forward AEB, forward collision warning and tyre pressure monitoring.

There are also three top-tether mounts and two ISOFIX points.

The GLC scored a maximum five ANCAP stars in January 2016.

It’s a very strong ownership picture, with the Accent Sport covered by Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, and requiring a trip to the service centre every 12 months or 15,000km.

A capped-price servicing plan helps take the guesswork out of your service cost, too, with guide prices at between $245 and $345 per year for the first five years.

For known Hyundai Accent issues and common problems, complaints and faults - including any known clutch, suspension, gearbox, engine, battery or automatic transmission problems - head to CarsGuide's dedicated Hyundai Problems page. 

One of the most common mechanical questions asked is whether the Accent uses a timing belt or chain, and the Sport uses a timing belt. Check your owners manual for recommended durations between changing  it.

Hyundais traditionally score very well in international reliability rating surveys, which helps protect its second-hand ratings.

Mercedes Benz offers a three year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist which is not really up to scratch for a premium brand. Yes, the cars are complex but they're also expensive, so the investment should come with a commensurate warranty.

Service intervals are generous at 12 months/20,000km (as opposed to the 25,000km of other GLCs) and the capped price servicing means you'll know what you're paying.

Mercedes offers you the choice of an up-front payment or pay-as-you-go. Upfront ranges from $4050 for three services, $6100 for four, and $6850 for five.

If you go with PAYG, three services is a hefty $5000. Basically, each service is at least a grand when averaged out over time and that's pricey.

Service inclusions differ between your chosen method, but only slightly. The pricing includes filters, oil and, unusually, spark plugs and brake fluid, but that's small comfort.