Tune in to MTV and chances are, you’ll see a Mercedes-Benz somewhere there. And it’s not on MTV Classics, mind you. No sir! Save for the one or two you’ll see with wire wheels and eight-track decks, most are the modern variety used to dress (pimp) up rap videos. It’s one slick marketing move—transforming Mercedes’s image from your daddy’s car to Puff Daddy’s (excuse me, P. Diddy’s) car overnight. It’s not anymore the car for the rich and geriatric. It’s hip and it’s cool. It’s the new yuppie mobile!
The perfect statement of Mercedes-Benz’s new-found “yuppie-ness” is found in the GLK. Though the moniker sounds like it’s made by a person with difficulty swallowing, the model designation sounds better than MLK, which looks like “milk” when viewed from a far; this removes confusion when people pull up behind you and say, “that’s a great looking Benz you have there. Is that the MILK 280?” In any case, the chosen nomenclature does make more sense as the GLK does look like a baby GL. It resists the temptation of going sleek and is instead made up of all corners. It’s angular and macho. The long, low hood lends it a sedan-like shape, while creating the illusion of a pushed-back shape. This impressive stance is complimented a flat roofline and rising greenhouse. Even the alloys are bling-worthy: they’re full 20-inch rollers, literally filling the entirety of the wheel arches. If there’s one criticism you can level against the GLK, it’s how some of the detailing leans towards being too much of a traditional off-roader. Items such as the utterly useless chrome roof rails could have been deleted.
It certainly doesn’t look it, but the GLK is actually based off the C-Class 4MATIC. As such, don’t expect it to crawl over rocks and huge ruts. Even with its hardcore off-road package (complete with undercarriage protection, electronic locking differential and downhill speed regulator), it can only afford to tread through gravel and mud. On any other surface though, the GLK is king. On most occasions, the front-rear torque-split is at 45:55. This rear-biased distribution gives the GLK a very stable and responsive on-road feel with surprisingly minimal body roll. The electric power steering system (a first for a Mercedes-Benz) is a bit on the light side, but it isn’t discontenting. And despite the low-profile rubber (45 at the front and 40 at the back), the GLK is remarkably resistant to unwanted steering wheel feedback—a common problem that plagues the BMW X3 with large rims. This makes the GLK a much more comfortable long-distance travelling companion.
There are a total of three GLK variants in the country, but all of them share one engine. The GLK 280 may initially suggest a 2.8-liter engine, but in reality, you get a full three liters of displacement. The power outputs aren’t earth-shattering by anyone’s book: 231 horsepower and 300 Nm peak torque. However, the GLK squeezes the most out of it thanks to its 7-speed automatic gearbox. At traffic lights, it’s quick on its feet: a light tap of the long-travel throttle is enough to launch this car effectively. During everyday driving, the revs rarely climb beyond 3,000 rpm, so despite the displacement handicap, the GLK still manages around 11 km/L on the highway and around 6.62 km/L in the city.
At P 4.480-million, the GLK certainly isn’t cheap. It’s definitely the most expensive one compared to its rivals: BMW X3 (P 4.290-million), Land Rover Freelander 2 (P 4.20-million) and Lexus RX (P 4.28-million). In fact, compared to the rest of the Mercedes-Benz car range, it sits just a couple of hundred thousand pesos away from the much larger E-Class saloon. CATS Motors knows this fact all too well and remedied it by giving the GLK a formidable list of standard equipment. Whether you opt for the Off-Road or Sport package, the GLK has features way beyond its rivals: items such as adaptive HID headlamps, Bluetooth telephony system, premium audio system and electronic front seats with memory are all standard. However, the dreamiest variant (but certainly even more expensive) is the exclusive and limited Edition1 model—seen on these pages. With no AMG variant planned (as of now), the GLK 280 Edition1 (it stands for the GLK’s first year of production) is the closest thing you’ll get to a GLK AMG.
Using the Sport model as its basis, the Edition1 is easily recognized by its colossal alloy wheels. It grows up an inch from the Sport’s 19-inchers to 20’s. It even uses mixed-size tires with 235/45 at the front and 255/40 at the back. Add standard rear privacy glass, and the Edition1 is certainly a ride worthy of a media mogul. The slapped on exterior changes are just icing on the cake, since bulk of the Edition upgrades happen inside. The leather is upgraded to a two-tone white/black motif from the designo line. This scheme certainly won’t standard the test of everyday abuse, but it does look good. The standard steering wheel is replaced with a smaller-diameter AMG style one with a flattened bottom. Like the leather color scheme, it creates more drawbacks at the expense of style: some gauges are blocked from view and negotiating a u-turn can be more daunting. Perhaps the only Edition1 upgrade that actually adds to the GLK’s practicality is the motorized tailgate.
Even if you don’t opt for the Edition1, the GLK is still a well-rounded and mightily impressive SUV. First, the fit and finish are first-rate, actually beating its M-Class bigger brother. The high-cut and angular dash may look particularly unwelcoming at first, but the GLK’s ergonomics are square-on and the control layout is pretty easy to understand. Perhaps the only exception is when you want to enter a radio station manually which is entered through the dash-mounted telephone pad. Oddly, there’s no way you can enter it via the COMAND wheel. The driving position is more car-like than SUV-like, since the seats aren’t mounted too high. There’s still a towering feel though since the side glass is cut much higher than that of the C-Class, though this doesn’t hamper visibility one bit. The rear occupants are treated to equally excellent accommodations, but like the C-Class, the knee room can get a bit tight, especially if you have tall passengers. The theater seating arrangement though is very welcome.
The Mercedes-Benz GLK is certainly late to the premium compact SUV segment, but at least it has come with the right ingredients for success. Unlike its rivals, the GLK has bag of loads of style along with excellent dynamics and bulletproof build quality. Eagle-eyed car enthusiasts would have certainly seen it in the Sex and the City movie, where it stole a scene from Kim Cattrall. If it was enough to take your attention off her nymphomaniac character for a full minute or so, then Mercedes-Benz is certainly doing something right.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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