The GLC is one of Mercedes’ most popular SUVs, with a range of engine and design options. Across the GLC range you can add a variety of extras, and high-spec models can look very different from entry-level GLCs. One of the selections when picking your GLC is the wheel size, so it’s not always easy to find the right tire.
With a wide range of tire sizes available, GLC cars come with everything from 18-inch to 21-inch tires. They also come in a few different profiles, so finding the correct tire for your car can be difficult.
That’s where we come in. We’ve put this article together to help you find the right tire size, and the best tire, for whatever you need. Whether have a GLC with 18-inch wheels that you use in the snow or maybe an AMG model with 21-inch tires, we have you covered.
Let’s get started!
What tires are available on the Mercedes GLC?
On Mercedes GLC models, there are tires ranging from 18-inch to 21-inch. The table below covers the range of tires available:
| Model | Front Tire | Rear Tire |
| GLC 300 | 235 / 60 / R18 | 235 / 60 / R18 |
| GLC 300 | 235 / 55 / R19 | 235 / 55 / R19 |
| GLC 300 | 255 / 45 / R20 | 255 / 45 / R20 |
| GLC 300 / 43 AMG (Coupe Only) | 255 / 45 / R20 | 285 / 40 / R20 |
| GLC 43 AMG | 255 / 40 / R21 | 285 / 35 / R21 |
How Do I Check My Tire Specs?
Along the edge of every tire, you will find the specs. They are usually shown like in the image below, with three numbers and a letter:
- Width (the larger number, usually between 200-400)
- Profile (often between 30-100)
- Tire Construction (a single letter)
- Rim Size (the size of your wheel, often between 15-25)
There may be extra details after the rim size, which can include:
- Load Rating (a number between 90-120)
- Speed Rating (a single letter)
What Do My Tire Specs Mean?
Tire specs provide information on your tire dimensions and performance:
- Width: measured in millimeters, this is the width of the tire from side to side
- Profile: this is the height of the tire’s sidewall, as a ratio against the width. In simple terms, the larger this value, the ‘thicker’ the tire
- Construction: The structure of the tire. Most modern tires are radial (shown with an R), but some run-flat tires will have a different designation.
- Rim Size: the diameter of your wheel, measured in inches
- Load Rating: How much weight the tire can support. This number is from a load index chart, and the higher the number, the more weight a tire can cope with
- Speed Rating: A letter designating the maximum safe speed a tire can handle. Common speed ratings are H (130mph), V (149 mph), W (168 mph), and Y (186 mph)
What tires are best for your Mercedes GLC?
In the following sections, we’ve listed our favorite tires for each GLC model. These are split into multiple categories to give you the best tire for every occasion. Don’t forget to check the tire specs on your GLC to see which tires you need!
18 Inch Tires
First up are our favorite 18-inch tires. There is one option for tire size on 18-inch GLC models:
- Front 235 / 60 / R18
- Rear 235 / 60 / R18
Performance Tire: Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06
Our first tire is one of our favorite performance tires, the Continental ExtremeContact. This is their DWS version, which is Continental’s badge for optimum performance in Dry, Wet, and Snow. We can’t comment on its performance in the snow, but this is a fantastic tire for handling in the dry and wet.
This isn’t the best tire for handling, but it’s a great balance between driving control and fuel efficiency. In our experience the ExtremeContact lasts longer than rival tires too, saving you money on replacements.
All-Season Tire: Michelin CrossClimate 2
For a tire you can use all year round, we can’t look past the Michelin CrossClimate 2. This is a fantastic tire and one of the best tires we’ve used. If you’ve seen our articles for the best BMW tires, you’ll know how much we like the CrossClimate 2.
It’s not without faults though. The main issue with the CrossClimate 2 is the cost, but this is easily one of the best all-season tires, so if you want the very best, this is the tire you need for your GLC.
Winter Tire: Pirelli Scorpion Winter
If you need to use your Mercedes GLC in the snow and on ice, you need a tire fit for that situation. There are plenty of winter tires available, but our pick is the Pirelli Scorpion Winter. The Italian company has always made excellent tires for winter, and the Scorpion is a great example of that.
Like most winter tires, the lifetime and the fuel efficiency aren’t great, and there’s a lot of road noise. Even so, if you plan on using your GLC in heavy snow, you need to consider a set of these. It’s best to keep a set of tires for summer though, so keep reading if you want to see our best budget tires to use in those warmer months
Budget Tire: Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus3
If you’re looking for an impressive tire with cost in mind, the Pirelli Scorpion AS is our top pick. It’s not the cheapest ‘budget’ tire, but this is a low-cost option from a premium brand. The Scorpion AS Plus3 is designed as an all-season tire, so you’ll get solid performance all year round.
This tire isn’t perfect though, and the main sacrifice is handling at high speeds. For almost every driver this won’t be an issue though, so overall the Scorpion AS Plus3 is an excellent choice.
19 Inch Tires
Next up we have the tire choices for GLC models with 19-inch tires. There is a single set of tire specs for GLC models here, with the below profile and width:
- Front 235 / 55 / R19
- Rear 235 / 55 / R19
Performance Tire: Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 Plus
For our favorite performance tire, we’ve gone with the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus. This is one of our top-performance tires, and just like the 18-inch tires, it’s our choice here. Look past the complicated name, and this tire offers great handling in almost every condition and a strong speed rating.
As a high-performance tire, the fuel economy isn’t a focus here, and road noise can be noticeable. Still, this is a tire designed for all-out performance, and if you need that in your GLC, go for the ExtremeContact.
All-Season Tire: Michelin CrossClimate 2
Next up is our all-season tire, and it’s another returning favorite. Like the 18-inch all-season tires, the CrossClimate2 is an easy choice for us. It’s a tire I’ve had plenty of experience with on my BMW’s in the past and my go-to option for year-round driving.
With impressive performance and strong fuel economy, the CrossClimate2 is a tire for almost every occasion. Tire lifetime is strong here too, although not the very best, but you won’t need to worry unless you are driving your GLC aggressively all the time.
Winter Tire: Pirelli Scorpion Winter
If you need to take your GLC onto the snow for whatever purpose, you’ll need a winter tire. Normal all-season options can handle some snow, but they aren’t designed for those conditions. And if you need a tire for that situation, you’ll need one of the best – the Pirelli Scorpion Winter.
Overall, this is a surprisingly affordable winter tire. You won’t get great fuel economy, and handling in the dry is nothing special, but when you need it, the Scorpion Winter is excellent. It’s always best to get separate tires for winter and summer if you have changing climates too.
Budget Tire: Vredestein Hitrac All Season
If you’re working on a budget, there aren’t many tires available for your GLC in the 19-inch spec. Luckily, Vredestein has created a 19-inch version of their popular Hitrac tire, a great all-season option, at a good price.
The Hitrac is similar to the CrossClimate2 in many ways. You have a good balance of fuel efficiency and handling, and a set of Hitrac tires will last you a long time if cared for. This won’t match the performance of premium brands in the handling department, so consider what type of driving you’ll do in your GLC.
20 Inch Tires
On premium GLC models, most cars will come with 20-inch tires. At these tire sizes, you’ll find different brands available, and prices take a step up from the 19-inch options we’ve covered. The tire specs for your GLC should match the below:
- Front Tire 255 / 45 / R20
- Rear Tire 255 / 45 / R20
Performance Tire: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
For our performance tire of choice, we no longer have the Continental as a favorite. The reason for this is that Michelin sells a version of their Pilot Sport 4S in this spec. If you’ve researched high-performance tires, you’ll know about the Pilot Sport 4S, but if not, let’s explain our choice here.
The Pilot Sport 4S is, put simply, my favorite tire. It’s the tire brand I currently use, and compared to every tire I’ve tried in the past, these offer the best handling you can get. In wet and dry conditions it’s almost impossible to beat a Pilot Sport 4S.
With that performance comes a pricetag and a few other downsides. The fuel economy takes a hit, and these tires aren’t designed for maximum comfort. Still, if you want a tire to focus on performance, you can’t beat the Pilot Sport 4S
All-Season Tire: Michelin CrossClimate 2
For our all-season favorite, we return again to the CrossClimate2. There isn’t much to say about this tire that I haven’t covered in previous articles or earlier in this one. In summary though, for a combination of handling, lifetime and comfort, this is almost as good as it gets.
The only criticism here is the cost – the CrossClimate2 is a premium tire and comes with a premium cost. Even with that price, this tire delivers value for money, and I’ve never been disappointed with this tire.
Winter Tire: Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Another tire we’ve seen on this list already, the Pirelli Scorpion Winter is one of the best winter tires out there. In the 20-inch spec, this is an expensive tire, but winter tires at this size are hard to come by. For this cost though, you get a tire that performs incredibly well in snow and ice and is still useable as a daily driver.
Budget Tire: Vredestein Hypertrac All-Season
Our final tire for 20-inch GLC models, we have another Vredestein for our favorite budget tire. This time it’s the Hypertrac tire, another all-season option for anyone on a budget. This is a better-performing tire than the Hitrac we covered earlier, although it doesn’t quite match the premium brands.
The Hypertrac offers you all-year performance (as long as the weather isn’t too extreme) and feedback from long-term users points towards great life too. The most important factor here is the cost though, and the Hypertrac represents a significant saving against brands like Michelin, Pirelli, and Continental.
AMG ( GLC Coupe Only ) 20 Inch Tires
The Mercedes GLC comes in both ‘standard’ SUV trim and a Sports-Activity Coupe style. Most tire specs are the same between these models, but on 20-inch wheels, the Coupe version has an extra set of tires available:
- Front Tire 255 / 45 / R20
- Rear Tire 285 / 40 / T20
with these tire specs, none of our favorite budget tires are available
Performance Tire: Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Our top performance tire here is the Pirelli P Zero. Between this and the Pilot Sport 4S, you have the two best performance tire brands out there, and it’s difficult to split them. For the GLC Coupe, only P Zero tires are available, so this made our decision a lot easier.
The P Zero is a tire that’s designed for speed and handling. Like all performance tires, you’re going to get road noise, and the fuel economy won’t be outstanding, but the P Zero isn’t designed for that. If you have a GLC Coupe, and want the best handling for your money, this is the tire to choose.
All-Season: Michelin CrossClimate 2
It’s a tire that we’ve chosen for every size in this article so far, and there’s no reason to choose anything else here. For an all-season tire, you really can’t beat the Michelin CrossClimate2. These are exceptional tires for year-round driving, and they fully justify the price tag.
We won’t go over the same points in detail, but if you want to know, the CrossClimate2 offers you great gas mileage, a comfortable ride, and impressive handling. It’s not perfect, but it’s as close as it gets with an all-season tire.
Winter Tire: Pirelli Scorpion Winter
I don’t expect anyone will take their GLC Coupe onto the snow and ice, but in case you need to, get a suitable tire. They don’t come more suitable than the Pirelli Scorpion Winter, one of our favorite winter tires.
With any winter tire you’re looking for grip and handling more than anything else, and the Scorpion Winter has you covered. That’s all you need to know about a winter tire’s capability; it doesn’t focus on fuel economy or comfort, it has one role, and it does it well.
21 Inch Tires
The final tire option for any GLC owner is the 21-inch tire. Reserved for AMG models, there won’t be many of you with these tires on your GLC. However, those of you with the top-spec model will want a tire to match, so we’ve got you covered.
- Front 255 / 40 / R21
- Rear 285 / 35 / R21
Due to these tire specs, only performance tires are available
Performance Tire: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
There aren’t many tires available for the 21-inch specs we listed above, and every tire is focused on performance. The pick of the list is easily the Pilot Sport 4S, and it was an easy decision for us. There are some impressive tires in the runner-up spots, but nothing matches this tire for performance.
Handling on wet and dry roads is exceptional, and although comfort isn’t the focus, it’s not terrible on a set of these tires. The only drawback for the Pilot Sport 4S is the cost, but any 21-inch tire is expensive.
The Best Tire Accessories
If you’re looking for a new set of tires for your GLC, you’ll want to make sure you look after them too. Keeping your tires clean, inflated, and stored safely is vital, so I wanted to share a few of the items I keep to make sure my tires are in the best condition.
These accessories include places to store and protect your tires when they are not in use, which is ideal if you have a set of winter and summer tires. You’ll also need a tire inflator kit, and it’s important to keep tire sealant in case you end up with a puncture.
Finally, keeping your tires clean is overlooked by so many drivers. I’ll see people spend hundreds on keeping their car paint and interior surfaces in top condition, but you need to make sure your wheels and tires are in the best shape too!
- Holds up to 35kg per bag
- Machine Washable
- Holds up to 400 lbs
- Adjustable for different tire widths
- Includes different nozzles for various tires
- Available in four colors
- Includes a 20V battery for portable use
- Automatic shutoff valve
- 24 fl.oz spray
- Suitable for up to 100 miles on damaged tires
- Eco-friendly
Summary
Overall, it’s important to consider the type of tire you need. Most drivers will go for the all-season option, and that’s understandable; it’s a tire for almost every occasion. I use a set of CrossClimate tires on one of my cars, and in a mild climate, they are great all year round.
For some of you though, another option might be better. If you’re in a colder climate, there might be days when the all-season tire isn’t enough. That’s why we’ve added the winter and budget sections to this list, to give you a dual-use plan if you want to swap tires between seasons.
Of course, for anyone wanting to push their GLC, performance tires are the way to go. Usually, the most expensive option, most drivers will be put off, but take it from me. Once I fit a set of Pilot Sport 4S tires onto my car, you notice the difference immediately.
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