First Drive Review
If the diesel market doesn’t take off in the United States, it won’t be for lack of effort on the part of German automakers. Added to the list of new or coming diesels from Deutschland is the face-lifted 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK, which will be available here as the GLK250 BlueTec 4MATIC with a 2.1-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder, as well as the GLK350 with its 3.5-liter V-6.
After three years on the market, it’s update time for Benz’s entry-level, C-class–based crossover, cute-ute, and Sex and the City cameo car. The company has been doing a decent if not spectacular business with the GLK, moving 20,000 to 25,000 per year in the U.S. (Lexus sold more than three times as many RXs in 2011.) But customers have complained about an interior that feels cheap, so that’s where Mercedes has concentrated its makeover resources.
Focused Newness
About 1000 part numbers are new in the cockpit, according to the company, including softer trim panels and large, SLS-like air vents. Wide swaths of aluminum or optional wood trim grace the dash and door panels, and the latest high-res TFT screens go into the console and instrument cluster. The base stereo has been upgraded, and there’s an option for an iPad docking station.
The expensive-to-change sheetmetal remains the same, but new headlight clusters are now accented by blades of LED daytime running lights, and between them is the new corporate “twin blade” grille that is finding its way onto all non-AMG Benzes. Below that, a new, rather prominent trapezoidal mouth makes the GLK look like the Small Paul monkey wearing chrome lipstick.
On the roof, the black-plastic cargo rails are replaced by classier ones made of polished brightwork set on black posts; according to the press material, the new pieces weigh less than their predecessors, which presumably means they can hold less, which reinforces the notion that these rails are less important for cargo than for visually heightening what is basically a smallish station wagon into something that looks more like an SUV. However, this is still the place to clip on bicycles and those aerodynamic luggage torpedoes.
More details: A new rear bumper sits below LED taillights and incorporates a sporty faux undertray/diaper reminiscent of the Porsche Cayenne’s; 19-inch wheels are standard. The GLK now has electromechanical power steering that makes possible safety features such as “steer control,” which assists the driver in countersteering through a slide, and “attention assist,” which monitors for drowsy behavior and jiggles the wheel to snap the driver out of it. The new steering setup also enables the optional active parking system.
More Power, Diesel Torquefest
The familiar 3.5-liter gasoline V-6 gets direct fuel injection and a robust output increase, from 268 hp to 302, and 258 lb-ft of torque to 273. However, the bigger news is the GLK250 BlueTec diesel, available in the U.S. only with 4MATIC four-wheel drive. With a debut set for early 2013, the diesel’s pricing hasn’t been announced, but Mercedes execs hinted that it should slot in above the base rear-drive GLK350 ($37,995) and below the GLK350 4MATIC ($39,995). The gas-powered models will be available later this summer.
