First Drive Review
Standing out from the malaise that’s afflicted the new-car market, compact crossover SUVs are hot sellers. So for Mercedes-Benz and its dealers, waiting until January for the upcoming GLK to go on sale must be agonizing. Going directly into battle with the BMW X3, the Acura RDX, the Land Rover LR2, and the pending Audi Q5, the GLK will be priced similarly, starting in the mid-$30,000 bracket. Expect a fully equipped version to sell for well above $40,000.
There will be one model to start with, powered by the company’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The engine drives through a seven-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. A slightly cheaper rear-drive version will appear later. In the future, Mercedes may sell a diesel model in the U.S., too.
The GLK shares much of its running gear with the C-class sedan, which means it has a strut-type front suspension with lower control arms and a multilink arrangement out back. Uniquely, the GLK has a new type of shock, co-developed with Sachs, which uses a bypass piston to absorb large amplitude motions. The torque split in the all-wheel-drive system is fixed at 55/45 percent front to rear, although the ABS can individually brake any wheel that’s spinning to aid traction. Towing capacity is rated at 3500 pounds.
The GLK certainly looks the part, with butch exterior styling that’s enhanced by standard-issue 19-inch wheels and tires. Twenty-inch rims are part of an appearance package that also includes aluminum roof rails. Inside, the blocky design looks very Eighties—and a lot like a G-class but with much higher-quality materials.
The baby Benz truck has plenty of leg- and headroom, plus 23 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seats up and 55 cubic feet with them folded. Standard equipment is fairly lavish, with dual-zone climate control, eight-way power front seats, an eight-speaker sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, a vast panoramic sunroof, and a multifunction, leather-wrapped steering wheel. There are plenty of options, too, including a hard-drive-based nav system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, leather seating, a power liftgate, and heated front seats.
Although Mercedes was proud to demonstrate the GLK’s off-road prowess, most owners likely won’t go mud plugging in them. The vehicle’s on-road demeanor is actually more significant. It drives like, well, a taller and heavier C-class. It’s quite fast for a 4050-pound cute ute, with Mercedes claiming a 0-to-60-mph time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph.
Body control is pretty good, and the GLK can be hustled in a spirited fashion through the twisties, even if both the steering and brakes are a tad light. The ride is generally well controlled, but we experienced noticeable head toss over some patches of bumpy pavement.
The main point in the GLK’s favor is that it provides plenty of space and utility, although it gets just average fuel economy for its class, estimated by Mercedes at 16 mpg on the EPA city cycle, 22 on the highway. All around, this is a very solid package. Mercedes won’t talk sales volumes, but we suspect the GLK350 won’t disappoint the beancounters in Stuttgart.
