The automotive world in which we live is in continuous competition between the largest automakers. It all comes down to who will squeeze the most out of a niche model, and which company will make the best offer in a particular market segment.
Hard choice
The luxury compact SUV segment is located in the border area, where the competitive advantage outweighs all other considerations. Automakers also include the ability of a vehicle to arouse a future owner's sense of pride in a perfect purchase.
If for a moment you put yourself in the place of a person choosing between the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, Porsche Macan and Mercedes GLK 220, then it becomes clear that he is faced with an amazingly difficult task. There is one reason for this - the overall package.
10 years ago, manufacturers differentiated cars, focusing on one aspect that offered a competitive advantage: comfort, price, economy, productivity, etc.
Today, the main representatives of compact luxury crossovers can not be as easily distinguished from each other as they were ten years ago. If we compare the characteristics of the Mercedes GLK 220 and the specifications of the aforementioned SUVs on paper, the manufacturers offer almost identical solutions, which forces potential buyers to focus on personal preferences, and not on differences in vehicle parameters.
Therefore, the question arises: did it make sense to buy a Gelendvagen-luxury-compact? In short, yes, the car is at the top of the segment, next to the Range Rover Evoque. The reasons for this are described in more detail in the Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY review below.
Cosmetic changes
In the 2015 model, the black plastic front bumper, round fog lights with an off-road body kit, disgusting square ventilation holes, too thin steering wheel and not very exciting rectangular exhaust pipes disappeared.
Mercedes GLK 220 acquired strips of LED daytime running lights , two aluminum horizontal chrome rails that support a three-pointed star and a more dynamically styled front bumper.
Visual differences on the sides are not significant, the rear bumper has become more distinct, and the rectangular exhaust pipes are now combined with a mudguard. Needless to say, the front and rear exterior lighting system has been updated.
The rear position lamps use fiber optics and LEDs. In front, the manufacturer has equipped the Mercedes-Benz GLK with standard terrible looking reflective headlights. The ILS optional smart lighting system looks much better, combining bi-xenon high beams and low beams, LED fiber optic cables for parking lights and LED turn indicators. All this costs 1395 euros, so why not buy an auxiliary adaptive high beam system for 100 €, which eliminates the need to switch between the two headlight modes, providing full illumination of the road and without dazzling oncoming drivers?
Aesthetics or quality
In any case, you should refrain from purchasing a set of smallest alloy wheels (17 inches), because square arches do not fit very well with a small rim. A set of 20-inch wheels with five double spokes and 235/45 tires in front and 255/40 in the rear looks good.
But although this kit improves the appearance of the car, it requires sacrificing ride quality due to the shorter tire sidewall compared to 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Inside the cabin
Fans of a more eagle-like Mercedes are well aware that the 2015 air vents are a tribute to the classics - the full-size luxury sedan of 1965 W111, the honorable predecessor W116 - the original S-class car.
It goes without saying that the chrome-plated framing of the vents, along with the aluminum trim that runs from one edge of the dashboard to the other, is in harmony with the overall interior design.
The steering wheel has become thicker and better profiled than before, and the automatic transmission lever “Mercedes GLK 220” found its place on the steering column. Despite the fact that at first glance everything seems perfect, there were some details that the manufacturer forgot to take care of.
Push-button vintage
In a typical German way, someone at Mercedes really likes the buttons on the center panel and doesn't like the touch screen technology. For those who don’t see this as a problem, there is a standard 5.8-inch display of the Audio 20 CD infotainment system.
For 800 € spent on this device, which also provides satellite navigation, the user will receive graphics that resemble classic games for MS-DOS. There is also the possibility of a three-dimensional display of buildings, which makes it difficult to read the names of streets and everything else while driving around the city.
Mercedes GLK, the price of the basic configuration of which is 37,400 euros, in the modification 220 CDI 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY with all optional additions will cost 56,940 €. With all this, someone in the company for some reason thought that manually adjusting the seat for that kind of money was normal.
Expensive extras
Another perplexing thing is the rear air vents. If Mercedes took the time and effort to replace them in the front, why did it leave the angular plastic design elements behind?
By the way, a luggage cover is not included in the base price of the car, and you need to buy it separately for 50 €. The interior can be improved with a double transparent sunroof with a drive (1420 €) and black seats made of artificial leather Artico (450 €). A rear view camera and parking sensors for the Mercedes GLK class, priced at 496 and 730 euros, respectively, are also among the additional options.
Visually reinforcing the impression, steps with aluminum trim and rubber spikes for 470 € should be ordered in any case. It must be remembered that people of small stature, getting into the car and getting out of it, risk getting their trousers dirty.
Design magic
Despite all the strengths and not very strengths of the crossover, getting behind the wheel is a real pleasure. This is the magic of Gelendvagen - staying in this type of SUV makes the driver feel successful and free.
The driver’s seat or passenger seat in the BMW X3, Audi X5 and Volvo XC60 do not give the same comfort sensations as the GLK or Evoque. As for the Macan, the extra 28 thousand euros for the Porsche make the comparison simply dishonest.
But do you know what allows the Mercedes-Benz GLK to outshine its competitors? Its angular body, stylized as a G-Wagen, is lacking in the M-class and the German equivalent of the Cadillac Escalade, the GL-class. Compared with the fashionable Evoque, the soft silhouette of the Q5 and the cunning X3, the designers of this model have achieved a perfect interweaving of elegance and the classic Gelendvagen design.
Priced at € 37,425, the 2015 Mercedes GLK 220 CDI with rear-wheel drive, six-speed manual gearbox, 143 HP 2.1-liter turbo-diesel engine is no different from what Audi and BMW are asking for their Q5 and X3, respectively .
Power point
You should not make a mistake and refuse to purchase the GLK 200, 200 CDI or 220 CDI because who can imagine a compact luxury crossover with rear-wheel drive and gear lever? In Europe, the most popular model is the Mercedes GLK 220 CDI 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY, worth 44,149 euros.
Of course, you can choose a gasoline-powered V6 turbocharged or a V6-turbo diesel, but again, this model is not slow.
So why is the Mercedes GLK 220, the diesel of which has a volume of 2.1 liters, 4 cylinders and a capacity of 170 liters. from. (400 Nm), became the most popular on the old continent? It's simple: it is powerful and economical.
Whether it is acceleration after a green light or overtaking at high speeds, the characteristics of the Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 allow the car to move 1880 kg with ease, even if the 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox is set to the smoothest rather than the fastest.
Suspension
The improved 4Matic platform, associated with the now defunct W204 (C-Class), according to owners, is inferior to the all-wheel drive BMW X3 or Porsche Macan.
In general, Mercedes’s permanent all-wheel drive system has a transfer case integrated with the main transmission through a double clutch disc of the center differential and two main axles of torque lock. Under normal conditions, the 4Matic is configured to transmit 45% of the engine's torque to the front and 55% to the rear axle. This ensures a well-balanced driving stability.
Although the GLK 4Matic, according to users, does not shine on the road, the car has other qualities.
While other automakers interpret their own compact crossovers as the meaning of their existence, the compact is less rigidly sprung and mature enough so that the driver does not feel like an old man.
The Mercedes GLK 220 became a breath of fresh air at a time when most crossover manufacturers were crazy about the Nurburgring lap and a few other useless features that weren’t applicable in the real world.
Thanks to the standard suspension with amplitude-independent dampers and torsion stabilizers in the front and rear, connected by lower arms and two-pipe gas-filled springs, the GLK irones road bumps exceptionally well, without isolating the driver from what happens to the front wheels when they hit a bump. This is a good mixture of comfort and road feeling.
Unsportsmanlike ideal
For dynamic drivers who prefer a softer ride and don't push the gas pedal all the way, users are advised to curb GLK's skill so that the car encompasses a wider range of driving styles. That's why a 4Matic all-wheel-drive diesel can be classified as an almost perfect station wagon for most motorists who have no intention of engaging in motor sports.
Drivers note that when driving on rough terrain, the Mercedes GLK 220 will not hit its face in the mud. Soft and light off-road driving scenarios are not enough to make the car sweat. The premium crossover, without all-terrain tires, overcomes marshy potholes and sticky slush, as if it were a children's game.
The car body exudes the thoroughbred strength of the Gelendvagen, and the details personify its sophisticated persona, not so rude and frightening as the G-class - GLK speaks of individuality, desirability and status elegance.
Since most of its competitors are much younger in design and technology, the ignorant buyer of GLK may seem outdated. A skeptic can call your local dealer and sign up for a test drive. The driver will be pleasantly impressed by the experience, regardless of how demanding it is for cars in this segment.
Last K-Class
The GLK is built on the platform of the previous generation, C-class, and all-wheel drive technology, although the chassis, road and off-road capabilities and a common driving experience are exactly what can refresh the feel of this crossover.
After 7 years of production, the Mercedes-Benz GLK (X204) was replaced in June 2015 by the second generation - the X253 model. In accordance with the new manufacturer's nomenclature strategy, the GLK class was replaced by the GLC.