With all the SUV choices out there today, it’s hard for manufacturers to
create something that stands out.
Mercedes has done just that with its all new GLK350.
It’s a luxury SUV that lives up to the reputation of being from a family of
upper-crust automobiles, but keeps the price-tag reasonable and competitive
with some of the biggest sellers in this segment.
Mercedes is no stranger to the SUV market, but, until now, hasn’t offered up a
compact model.
Though it’s the second cheapest Mercedes you can buy, you’d never associate
“cheap” with anything that has to do with this vehicle. Despite it’s
unusually low price-tag, this vehicle oozes refinement, elegance and quality
like you find in the more expensive Mercedes models.
The base price of the new GLK350 is $35,900 and you get a lot for it.
Let’s start with the unbelievable solid build of the GLK350. When you close
the doors of the GLK350, you feel like you’ve closed a steel door to an
underground bunker. The ride is eerily quiet and bumps on the road are
completely erased from the riders’ perspective. Of all the things that
standout for the GLK 350 when compared to competitors like the Volvo XC60 or
the Lexus RX350, the stellar ride quality is the most noticeable. It’s
simply the best in this segment.
The GLK350 comes with a capable V6 engine turning out 268 horsepower. This
isn’t as much as the turbocharged XC60’s 281 hp or the RX350’s 275 hp, but
the GLK is powered adequately.
The V6 is mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission.
Inside the GLK350 is typical Mercedes: Very little flair or style, but done
with top-of-the-line materials.
The dash is very similar to a recent C Class I drove. The controls are
virtually identical, but they’re placed on an upright dash, with very little
fanfare.
The 2010 Mercedes GLK-Class luxury crossover SUV is available in the one trim
level. When equipped with all-wheel drive, it is the GLK350 4Matic, the kind
of model I had.
Standard equipment includes 19-inch wheels, cruise control, automatic
headlamps, eight-way power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control,
a power tilt and telescoping steering column, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker
stereo with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
The Premium 1 package adds a panoramic sunroof and a power tailgate among
other things. My model had this added on, for $3,150.
The Multimedia package adds a hard-drive navigation system, the COMAND
interface, a rearview camera, and some audio upgrades for another $3,000.
These two packages, and a few other options added on like running boards and
heated seats, pump the price up to about $46,345.
When I compared prices for a comparable RX350, Audi Q5 and a Volvo XC60, the
GLK350 comes out about even with these competitors.
I will mention some of the others, (especially the XC60) have more room to
haul people and things inside.
But no one comes close to offering the quiet and settled ride you get in the
GLK350.
