2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 SUV Overview:
--- Available in Spring 2009. GLK350 4MATIC available in January 2009.
--- 3.5L 268-horsepower 24-valve V-6
--- 19" aluminum wheels with all-season tires
--- MSRP: $33,900
--- 2010 GLK350 4MATIC: 7-speed automatic transmission with 4MATIC 4-wheel drive. MSRP: $35,900.
2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 SUV Road Test Details:
One of the few hot vehicles in a cold market is the premium compact crossover SUV. Known as crossovers because their SUV-look bodystyles sit atop passenger-car chassis, the segment is bursting with cool vehicles, led by the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2, Acura RDX, Infiniti EX and, soon, the Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK. These vehicles make more sense for most families than full-size SUVs. They boast just about every luxury, performance and safety component once offered only on the car side of the dealership, and several of them also have the scrappy toughness to brush aside most off-pavement challenges.
Mercedes joins the fray in January with the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350, which hits showrooms with a base price somewhere north of $35,000. Tick all the options boxes and a fully equipped Mercedes GLK will run into the mid-$40,000 range. However, price is less important in the premium game than fulfilling the grand promise, and the GLK delivers the Mercedes message in a way the original Mercedes M-Class did not, combining luxury and performance in an enticingly practical package.
The GLK350 enriches Mercedes-Benz's portfolio at a critical entry point into the premium segment, and it also gives car buyers even more reason to visit the crossover SUV section at the dealership.
The Engine
At launch, there will be nothing new under the hood of the Mercedes GLK, but that's good news because the familiar 3.5-liter V-6 is a peach. And it answers the performance question asked by diehard V-8 fans with enough torque to propel the GLK350 from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 143 mph. The claimed 17 city/23 highway mpg is no better than average, but there are few engines out there that combine strength, smoothness and fuel efficiency so seamlessly.
Power is sent to all four 19-inch wheels through an equally polished seven-speed automatic transmission. Crisp and efficient, the gearbox is a reminder that Mercedes-Benz has been doing this sort of thing for a long time. Comfort and sport shift modes alter both the shift strategies and accelerator angle depending on whether you're in a red or blue mood.
We can't leave this section behind without mentioning our drive of the GLK320 CDI diesel during the launch of the Mercedes GLK350. Imagine 295 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,400 rpm and over 40 mpg, and you'll understand why we'd like to see it come to America right away. A Mercedes spokesperson said the company was studying it, but we'd guess there will be a BlueTec diesel GLK on the lots within a year of the gasoline model's debut.
Ride & Handling
Because the 2010 Mercedes GLK shares much of its underpinnings with the C-Class, the most "engineered" car yet produced by Mercedes, its road manners are exemplary. The strut-type front and multilink rear suspension is miles away from standard SUV issue and delivers the comfortable ride and incisive corner carving of last generation's sports sedans. After spirited runs through the hills surrounding Dusseldorf, Germany, we think only its high center of gravity prevents the GLK from being a creditable weekend track car.
If it's not quite as sporty as the BMW X3, the Mercedes GLK is a better choice for cross-country jaunts, whether on the road or on the dirt. Unfortunately, an optional off-road package won't be available in North America. We sampled the enhanced equipment over some pretty rough terrain and came away wanting the whole kit even if we didn't hit the trails often enough to warrant the extra cost. Just knowing we could crawl up Everest or cross the Sahara in a luxury crossover SUV would be justification.
In line with its stablemates, the Mercedes GLK's mass in kept in check with an integrated system of sensors and controls, adjusting torque distribution, brake pressure and steering input to maintain optimum vehicle control. In other words, just point it and drive, because there's a vast tier of electronic safety nets always at the ready. A newly developed multi-disc clutch in the center differential is a big boost to traction under extreme conditions.
Finally, despite its daunting looks and sophisticated technologies, the 2010 Mercedes GLK is as friendly to drive as any passenger car and so should be a hit with both sexes.
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