Mercedes Benz GLK-Class Review

The GLK Class was Mercedes Benz contender for the crossover market, and even though it didn’t exactly take the market by storm but you can’t list the finest cars of this segment without mentioning this fella. The car has the letter “G” in its name which means it is a member of Mercedes’ SUV family including the G Class and the GL Class, but it is based on the underpinnings of a sedan. That means it is not a full on offroader and is more suited for urban driving, but that is the point of crossovers. They give you the cool look and high driving position of a SUV but with the same sort of efficiency and usability as a normal sedan. And let’s be honest even those who buy Hummers rarely take it to rough grounds! he body is beautifully proportioned (length 4528 mm, width 1840 mm, height 1689 mm), while there is a special allure in the interplay between the classic angular shape and the typical design features found in all contemporary Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Here the unmistakable design idiom, consisting of taut lines and large, expansive surfaces, is combined with the typical body features of a practical off-road vehicle, such as short overhangs, an upright front end, slim roof pillars, a steeply raked windscreen and taut roof lines. Rather than being a stylistic end in itself, however, the body design allows the typical advantages of an off-road vehicle to be introduced to the more road-oriented compact-SUV category for the first time. The GLK comes with 17-inch, size 235/60 R 17 light-alloy wheels which are there more to give the car a distinctive look than increase its capabilities! But it comes with 4Matic system which means it can tolerate some offroad punishment without embarrassing itself. The 4MATIC powertrain at the heart of the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class is one of the most capable all-wheel-drive systems on the market. The driving dynamics systems ESP®, ASR and 4ETS are superbly harmonised with each other; when they go into action their quality of control is so good that top-notch longitudinal and lateral dynamism coupled with superb handling stability are ensured under all conditions. The GLK being a city crossover, it won’t get a V8 engine option, but i does come with some refined diesel and petrol four and six-cylinder powertrains featuring BlueEfficiency technology. Customers have a choice of four model variants: diesel aficionados can opt for the GLK 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY or GLK 320 CDI, while those with a preference for petrol can select the GLK 280 or GLK 350, both of which feature a V6 powerplant. In combination with the front and rear deformation zones, the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class’s highstrength passenger cell provides a highly efficient foundation for the occupant protection systems. These include:

• Adaptive, two-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger
• Kneebag for the driver
• Front sidebags and, as an option, sidebags for the rear seats
• Windowbags across both seat rows from the A-pillar to the C-pillar
• NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints for the driver and front passenger
• Crash-optimised pedal system
• 3-point seat belts for all five seats
• Belt tensioner and adaptive belt-force limiter for the driver and front passenger, belt tensioner and single-stage belt-force limiter for the outer rear seats
• ISOFIX child seat attachments
• Belt height adjuster for the driver and front passenger
• Belt status indicator for the rear passengers in the instrument cluster

The optionally available PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection system, made available in the compact-SUV market segment for the very first time, sees Mercedes-Benz taking safety to a new, high level in this segment. The highlight of the concept is the networking between the active and passive safety systems. PRE-SAFE uses the sensors of the dynamic handling control systems – for example, Brake Assist (BAS) and ESP – and optimises the protective functions of the passive safety components in potential accident situations. The standard-fit adaptive brake lights, which flash to warn the traffic behind when the brakes are applied abruptly, help to prevent accidents. In 2011 the GLK is going to face tougher competition as the new Range Rover Evoque arrives, in both three and five-door formats and with the same sort of efficient engines but with better 4×4 capability. Let’s wait and see how Mercedes will react.