German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the refreshed GLC SUV. At first glance, the changes are hard to spot. But there a few cosmetic ones to report inside and out, in addition to the lengthier list of creature comforts. By mid-2019, it will go on sale in Europe, followed by markets like USA and India. The latter two will become the recipients of the GLC facelift by the end of the year.

Let’s quickly run through the cosmetic changes on the outside. Mercedes-Benz has ensured that the refreshed GLC looks like a shrunken version of the GLE. And it does! Like the new GLE, which was unveiled last year, the refreshed GLC gets a restyled front grille, reprofiled LED headlamps (including DRLs) and taillamps, tweaked front and rear bumpers and new alloy wheels which range from 17 to 19 inches.

It’s on the inside where the changes are really hard to spot. But they are there. The multifunction steering wheel is new in form and looks identical to the one we saw on the C-Class facelift. In fact, the whole dashboard design of the GLC facelift reminds us of its sedan sibling. Behind the steering wheel is a fully-digital instrument cluster which spans 12.3-inch diagonally. The other headline is the free-floating touchscreen infotainment display which, depending on the variant, will be 7- or 10.25-inch in size.

In terms of features, the refreshed GLC features the same Interior Assistant tech that features in the India-bound CLA. The system relies on a camera mounted in the overhead control panel which reads and does things based on the movements of the hand of the driver or the front passenger. Apart from that, Mercedes-Benz has also thrown in the Augmented Video tech which understands the surrounding of the car via a camera mounted behind the IRVM. Other features include Mercedes’ Dynamic Body Control, voice control, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic sunroof and multiple driving modes.

The list of safety features has also been enhanced. The Mercedes-Benz GLC facelift comes with several driver assistance systems such as active blind spot assist, active parking assist, active steering assist which works in tandem with active lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

Over to the powertrains department. Mercedes-Benz has lined up two 2.0-litre engines, one petrol and one diesel. Both are available in different states of tune and all come with Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system and a 9-speed automatic transmission. The petrol motors are also mated to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system which, in certain circumstances, delivers an additional boost of 14PS. Here’s how the powertrains differ variant-wise:

Mercedes-Benz GLC Facelift Engine Specs

The refreshed GLC will make its world premiere at 2019 Geneva International Motor Show. In India, the Mercedes-Benz GLC facelift is likely to come with the same engine options as the C-Class facelift. The company might be tempted to keep a stronger 2.0-litre petrol option for the SUV. Once launched on our shores, the GLC will take the game to the likes of the Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and the BMW X3. The Lexus NX 300h, although a size smaller, falls in the same price bracket.