I had two exciting events in store for me on a recent sunny Saturday morning. First, there’s a brand-new Mercedes Benz dealership in town. Second, I would get to test drive the 2010 Mercedes GLK350 Class.
The new dealership? It’s Mercedes-Benz of Henderson located at 925 Auto Show Drive, and has now been open a couple of months. It’s the site of the former Findlay Toyota dealership and has undergone an extensive remodel. It proves to be a very nice showcase to feature the Mercedes-Benz lineup.
The car? It’s the new Mercedes-Benz GLK class compact SUV which debuted in North America earlier this year. The GLK enters the market competing against the likes of the BMW X3, the Audi Q5, and the Infinity EX35. You may remember the first commercials for the GLK, the car negotiating and driving briskly through the narrow streets of Germany while the voiceover touted the handling and responsiveness of the car. Or for my female readers, you all may remember Samantha driving the GLK in the “Sex and the City” movie last summer.
Steve Beecher, general manager, greeted me and gave me a quick overview of the GLK. “Mercedes wanted a smaller SUV to attract new customers to the brand,” Steve explained. There are two models of the GLK available, the rear-wheel-drive GLK350 and the all-wheel drive GLK350 4MATIC. I surmised introducing the SUV was much like Mercedes introducing the lower price C-class sedans and their success in marketing an entry-level luxury car. It wasn’t long after chatting with Steve that the Arctic White GLK was ready to roll.
I like the look of the car. You can definitely tell it’s a Benz; the large three-pointed star predominantly centers the grill. It has an aggressive look, has a nice rake to it, and has a nice tire/wheel set-up. On the downside, from certain angles it appears too tall and a little top heavy.
The interior is functional and very intuitive to the new user. My test drive vehicle had the optional voice activation system, which was very useful while adapting to the car. The seating positions were high and the outward views around the car were clear. The base model GLK does not come with leather seating (it’s an option), but the standard MB-Tex vinyl seating mimics leather very well. Other nice options include Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, leather steering wheel, anti-theft alarm system, six airbags, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
I cruised out to the Lake Mead Recreation Area. The car was stable, secure, comfortable, and fun to drive. Solid as a rock. I kept hearing what I thought was a faint road noise, but soon discovered it was feedback from the exhaust system, and only added to the ambiance of the driving experience. At highway speeds the GLK is extremely quiet, a long distance road trip would be a pleasure in this automobile.
The center stack features a 7-inch color display, which handles the radio, DVD/CD changer, and a hard-drive navigation system; all part of the Multimedia package option. A Harman Kardon LOGIC7 surround-sound system with Dolby digital 5.1 and a rear view camera completes the package. There are two options for the interior finish: a brushed aluminum finish or, my preference, a burl wood trim. All are immaculately finished.
Under the hood, both models share the same power train. The 3.5L 24-valve V6 delivers 268 hp and is hooked up to a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 7-speed can be adjusted to a manual, comfort, or sport mode. On the road, the power is apparent. Acceleration is brisk and responsive. Mercedes’ ESP, ABS, and BAS systems enhance braking and handling. ESP is the Electronic Stability Program, which assists the driver in reducing plowing and fishtailing by adjusting the individual brakes and engine response to correct a dangerous situation.
ABS, or Anti-lock Braking System, senses impending wheel lockup during sudden braking and pumps the front and rear brakes up to 30 times a second to prevent brake lockup and maintain steering stability. BAS, Brake Assist, senses emergency braking and immediately applies maximum available power boost potentially reducing the stopping distance time, eliminating the human response time. In total, the GLK is a very safe automobile.
Mercedes offers a lineup of four SUVs, starting with the new compact GLK at a beginning price point of $33,900. The next model is the slightly larger M-Class but with the same power train, and starts at $47,100. The GL-Class features seven-passenger seating and a 3.0L diesel engine that commands $58,200. Finally the safari looking Serengeti SUV G-Class starts at over $100,000.
But the real star of the lineup is the GLK, an affordable luxury Mercedes SUV that is just on the smaller side and easy on the wallet.
QUICKFACTS
Engine: 3.5L 24-valve V6
Horsepower: 268 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 2,400-5,000 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Brakes: Anti-lock braking system
Front: 13.0 diameter x 1.3 thick
Rear: 11.8 x .0.9
Wheels/Tires: 19” 10-spoke light alloy 235/ 50 R 19 all season H
Performance: 0 – 6 6.5 seconds
Curb Weight: 3926 lbs
Fuel Consumption: 16 mpg/22mpg
Where to get one:
Mercedes of Henderson
925 Auto Show Drive in Henderson
702.485.3000
