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2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class Review

Reviews

June 15th, 2012

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Advantages

Ample safety features; solid feel; impeccably designed interior; sophisticated handling and ride balance.

Disadvantages

Middling fuel economy; less cargo and interior space unlike rivals; small rear doors.

Introduction

2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class is a recent entry into the premium sport utility vehicle segment, and features a stylish cabin and defined exterior focusing on passenger comfort and safety. It might not be the cheapest or roomiest, but the GLK350 is an impressively built compact sport utility vehicle, which should meet the desires and needs of many luxury shoppers. Boldness and courage are the definition of mettle, and of 2012 GLK. Go-anywhere capability meets race-bred performance in a small sport utility vehicle with the deep character and full strength of Mercedes Benz. Taut, purposeful and crisp, the GLK-Class is designed and engineered to be flexible in accommodations, while rigidly adhering to Mercedes Benz standard for driving satisfaction. Its powerful wheel arches, short overhangs and angular silhouette convey its rugged strength, while dual exhaust, rear spoiler and standard 19-inch wheels reveal its penchant for performance.

Just because 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class is ready to climb peaks doesn’t mean it cannot hug the road along the way. The AMG Styling Package elevates “sport” in sport utility vehicle with 20-inch AMG wheels surrounded by sculpted lower body styling. Brushed aluminum roof rails and LED Daytime Running Lamps emphasize its functional form. Beyond grand vistas you will enjoy through its generous windows and upright large windshield; the GLK-Class also provides a sweeping view of stars and sun through optional Panorama sunroof. The vast expanse of heat-rejecting tinted glass allows all five occupants keep their outlook up. When it comes to sophisticated technology, Mercedes Benz is known for brightening the path ahead. The Lighting Package does so quite literally, with piercing Bi-Xenon headlamps with corner illuminating front lamps and Active Curve Illumination. Bright white LED Daytime Running Lamps help garner admiration and attention of other drivers.

Brimming with genuine character, the new 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class is set to take the world of compact sport utility vehicles by storm. Yet it isn’t just the unique all-rounder’s appealingly and practical compact body form which sets it apart from the competition. The GLK-Class also brings together what were previously seen as entirely contradictory characteristics. The Agility Control suspension serves up a distinctive combination of exceptional driving safety, superlative ride comfort and outstanding handling dynamics. In the mean time, the highly developed, variable 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system joins forces with latest electronic control systems for delivering superb off-road suitability and consummate on-road performance. It is precisely this kind of blend, which lends the GLK-Class such immense appeal. It might be one of the more road oriented Mercedes Benz sport utility vehicles, but the “G” alluding to archetypal Mercedes off-roader still has a rightful place in model name.

With its confident poised presence, the mere look of 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class leaves one in no doubt about its intent for conquering compact premium sport utility vehicle class. It is questionably the most stylish of all takes on this particular theme. It displays echoes of G-Class, the founding father of Mercedes Benz sport utility vehicle family. Peter Pfeiffer, Design Chief Professor stated that with G-Class they created a style icon which has been the benchmark in sport utility vehicle design for past three decades. Fusing this bold concept with latest Mercedes Benz design idiom makes the GLK a vehicle of genuine character.

No other model in small sport utility vehicle class, past or present, comes close to matching distinctively expressive appearance of 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class. The body is wonderfully proportioned (width 1840 mm, length 4528 mm and height 1689 mm), while there is a special allure in interplay between typical design features and classic angular shape found in all modern Mercedes Benz passenger vehicles. Here the instantly recognizable design idiom, comprising of large, expansive surfaces and taut lines is fused with typical body features of practical off-road vehicle, including an upright front end, short overhangs, a steeply raked windscreen, taut roof lines and slim roof pillars. Instead of being a stylistic end in itself, the body design enables usual benefits of off-road vehicle to be launched to more road-oriented compact sport utility vehicle segment for the first time. Large angles of departure and approach plus good ground clearance make off-road ventures a sheer joy. The exceptionally clear layout of body and good all-round visibility, fused with raised seating position, ensure relaxed driving and improve everyday practicality, even in dense city traffic.

The Mercedes Benz GLK Class is a compact luxury crossover revealed in the year 2010 model in North America after its public launch at 2008 Beijing Motor Show, alongside competing Audi Q5. The GLK-Class was formerly introduced in 2008 and is designed and developed in Bremen Germany; it is the original Mercedes sport utility vehicle to be built there. Its design is heavily influenced by C-Class and was presented for the first time in 2008 in Detroit under the form of MB Vision GLK Freeside concept. Mercedes Benz USA partnered with 4 tuning companies for developing custom designs for newly released GLK for 2008 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Brabus, Boulevard Customs, Legendary Motorcar Company and RENNtech were the 4 tuners which hat had this distinctive opportunity to design their vision. It shares C-Class platform, and production plans continued after the demise of similar Smart Formore.

The 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class is the 2nd least expensive Mercedes you can purchase in the country. This sport of impenetrable feeling is a hallmark of the current lineup of the company and unquestionably makes any sport of anticipated GLK price premium seem worth it. Its interior cabin is a chip off old Mercedes block, with unique emphasis placed on word “block.” It is unmistakably German and quite austere in its aesthetic. Whether you like the look or not will be a matter of preference, but its construction and materials are undeniably top-notch. An abundance of technology, especially safety features and convenience are offered for further embellishing. Its cargo area and rearseat are smaller as compared to other rivals in the market such as BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and Audi Q5 that are superior choices for families. For just little more money, you could also step up to much larger Lexus RX 350 or Acura MDX.

Variants, Body Types and Features

The 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class is available in one single trim level, the GLK350. When equipped with four-wheel drive system, it gains a 4Matic moniker.

The GLK350 comes standard with automatic headlights and wipers, 19-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, front and rear foglamps, dual-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, MB-Tex premium vinyl upholstery, eight-way power front seats, a cargo cover, a leather wrapped tilt and telescoping steering wheel, the COMAND electronics interface, a six-speaker sound system with an auxiliary audio jack and a single-CD player and Bluetooth.

The Premium 1 package includes a panoramic sunroof (optional separately), a power liftgate, auto-dimming mirrors, rear parking sensors, driver memory functions, a power adjustable steering wheel, a compass, satellite radio (optional separately) and front-seat four-way power lumbar adjustment. The COMAND package gets a larger infotainment display, a navigation system, digital music storage, voice controls and real-time traffic. The Multimedia package is identical, but gains an iPod interface (optional separately) and a rearview camera. The six-CD changer can be added to both of these packages.

The Lighting package comes with headlamp washers, LED running lamps and bi-xenon headlamps, while the Full Leather Seating package adds extended leather trim further and interior accent lighting available in special request colors. The AMG Styling package adds special styling flourishes and 20-inch wheels inspired by Mercedes’ performance oriented AMG lineup.

Standalone options include front and rear parking sensors, Mercedes-Benz “mbrace” emergency telematics, running boards, a trailer hitch, heated front seats, keyless ignition/entry, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon premium surround sound stereo system and a rear-seat entertainment system. Also offered is the less advanced navigation system which integrates iPod integration.

What’s Beneath the Hood of 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class?

Motivation for the 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class comes from a 3.5 liter V6 engine, which is good for pulsating 268 horsepower with 258 pound feet of torque. The engine is mated to seven-speed automatic transmission with rear wheel drive system designed to send power to the rear wheels. In performance testing, it accelerated from 0 to 60 miles per hour in the time range of 7.2 seconds, which is on an average as compared to other models in its segment. The estimated fuel economy for rear wheel drive model is 22 mpg highway, 16 mpg city and 18 mpg in combined driving.

Safety & Reliability

Standard safety features on 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class include antilock disc brakes with brake assist and brake drying, stability control, front seat side airbags, active front head restraints, a driver knee airbag, driver and passenger pelvic airbags and side curtain airbags. Mercedes’ mbrace emergency telematics and Parking sensors are optional. In brake testing, the GLK-Class came to a stop in 119 feet from 60 mph, a good number for small luxury crossover. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave GLK the top rating of “Good” in side impact, roof strength and frontal-offset tests.

Special Features and Cockpit Design

The interior of 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class looks as if its designers stuck exclusively to rulers while penning the many surfaces; there is barely a rounded edge to be found. It is crafted, equipped and designed to put innovative technology and driving enjoyment close at hand, no matter how far you roam. The legible instruments, a convenient central controller and commanding view of the road fuse elegant design with user-friendly and useful features. Inside, the GLK Class is a Mercedes Benz through and through and reuses many elements from C-Class interior, but with much more angular dashboard layout and instrument panel. Dashtop panels in GLK-Class are made of anti-glare black materials.

In combination with rear and front deformation zones, the high-strength passenger cell of 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class offers an extremely efficient foundation for passenger protection systems. These include two-stage airbags for driver and front passenger, adaptive, front side bags and side bags for rear seats, knee bag for driver, neck PRO crash responsive head restraints for driver and front passenger, window bags across both seat rows from A-pillar to C-pillar, 3-point seat belts for all five seats, Crash optimized pedal system, belt tensioner and single-stage belt-force limiter for outer rear seats, Belt tensioner and adaptive belt-force limiter for driver and front passenger, Belt height adjuster for driver and front passenger, ISOFIX child seat attachments and Belt status indicator for the rear passengers in instrument cluster.

Driving Impressions

The most notable characteristic of 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK-Class is the rock solid feel its unibody construction and chassis display over every bump and road imperfection. It is one small sport utility vehicle, which makes a super sized impression on the road. The 3.5-liter 268-hp V6 offers rich torque any time you need it, whether climbing a long hill or rushing to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. Its smooth-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission provides the right response, right now, with driver adaptive logic, a Sport mode and manual-style Touch Shift control. Standard 19-inch wheels team up with four-wheel independent multilink suspension. The ground-breaking AGILITY CONTROL system instantly recalibrates shock absorbers with every change in road surface, for an ideal combination of crisp handling and calm composure response which unveil its sport-sedan soul.