There are very few reviews on the Mercedes benz glc. Perhaps because the car came out extremely ambiguous. Many wonder why such an interesting company as Mercedes suddenly released the GLK. There is an opinion that this is an under-gelik, or even more trenchant GL. But where is the truth, and where is fiction, we will understand in order.
Today we have a Mercedes Benz GLK 2.2 diesel 2013 for a test drive. The car has been in production since 2008. In 2012, there was a restyling. And only after driving on it, touching it, having tried at least a little bit in operation, one gets the general impression of it. This car is heaven and earth compared to those raw samples that came out before the restyling. New optics, a modified radiator grille, new taillights are installed here, but the most impressive restyling was carried out inside. But first, let's look at this car from the consumer's point of view.
In our subjective opinion, this foreign car is primarily of a girlish character. Why? This is a small SUV, which is convenient to park in the city, and a trouble-free 2.2-liter diesel engine is also installed here. Mercedes GLK is one of the most optimal cars for the fair sex, who wants to drive a jeep, but still doesn’t know how to park very well. At the same time, German reliability gives her the opportunity to feel a little more confident in a traffic jam, on a city road.
Exterior
Chopped forms can hardly surprise anyone, but compared with direct competitors in this segment, such as the BMW X1, Audi Q3, it is the interior that helps to win the GLC competition. A lot of people call it the "miscarriage" GL before they get in the car and drive around a bit. In vain! Just sitting down, driving, feeling how it goes through the bumps in the road, you get out of this Merc and you understand that it is good.
It is clear that the company makes different configurations of its copies, not only glc. But it can equip even such a small SUV with any advantages that are inherent in the company's large SUVs. For example, an electric trunk button, all-wheel drive, and so on - in general, all the equipment that, in principle, can be up to Gelendvagen.
Trunk
The company has provided a lot - you don’t hit anywhere, nothing sags. If you want to put bags in the trunk, you will not bang your head against the door, even if you are tall.
Due to the fact that the trunk lid is quite light, there is no sagging of the electric cables. The trunk volume is perfect for both a young girl who needs to put a bag from the gym or fold her shoes in which you can go to the club, and for a young mother who always has a lot of things with her.
Under the raised floor there is a stowaway with bolts. It will always come in handy, it will never be superfluous. Everything is Mercedes-style: clear, simple, concise.
What this German company likes is that from small and fairly budget to the most expensive, they can be equipped with the same features, however, for a fee.
In the back seat
The car has a fairly high threshold, so you have to move your legs, raising them a little. Since the GLK is in all-wheel drive, there is a tunnel in the middle, so it will be uncomfortable for a third person to sit. This is such a fee for all-wheel drive.
Places on the back sofa is objectively small. You must understand that this is not ML, not GL, but GLK - it is compact, so it is designed either for a short person or a child. So the complaints about the rear sofa have ended, so in the Mercedes glk review, let's move on to the salon and what we like there so much.
Interior
Restayl completely solved the problem of attitude to the car. The selection of materials on the front panel and their design, as for this class of car, is just top. Real wood veneer in a dark color that Mercedes does great. Exactly the same wood is used on the doors, and it looks just as expensive. Of course, not everyone will like glossy wood, but this is only a matter of taste.
The Mercedes steering wheel deserves special attention, as it is very concise, fits comfortably in the hand. Plus, the shifter on the steering wheel frees up space on the center console.
Aerobatics in the restyling of the Mercedes GLK was to put air intakes on the center panel, which look beautiful and look like aircraft turbines. It is they who add their own face to the car. The dual-zone climate control shift knobs are made to sound so sweet, kind of like a good Swiss watch.
When you approach the Mercedes GLK, it seems that it is so small, angular, but it is a real Mercedes, but you can only feel it when you sit behind the wheel. Just feeling how everything inside is conveniently located, how it rides, how its engine works. Motors in Mercedes are a separate pleasure, whatever one may say. Here, your every desire is calculated - everything that this German mark stands for and everything for which we all love it. Therefore, before taking a car, it is worth signing up for a test drive, or just taking someone for a ride, in order to fully appreciate the benefits of the GLC. And maybe your opinion will change too. A video review of the interior can be viewed in more detail at the end of the article.
Test Drive
A hallmark of a Mercedes is, of course, an inversion that cannot be compared with any other car. You can hear the diesel engine running. At present, such motors do not cause any problems. It is clear that this is not a top foreign car, it is a modest SUV, but it turned out to be very interesting.
As for the suspension - no questions. The box works great. We will not tire of repeating, this is a Mercedes, albeit a small one. The parking sensors are set up in such a way that they react to everything in advance. There is a feeling that initially engineers and designers were counting on a female audience, as it is very, very well-groomed, downright puppet-like.
Video
You can watch the video test drive and review of the Mercedes glk below
In the windshield - the sky and nothing else. I try to relax and just lie down on the back of the Mercedes seat. Just lie down, because the angle of rise at which we entered is as if you were sitting in the room on the sofa, and then the room was simply knocked over onto the wall. And you know, the pose itself does not strain as much as the TV standing opposite on the nightstand. He should have fallen on you, but stuck to the wall, which turned into a ceiling.
Ok, I don’t see anything - this is a minus. But I don’t fall into the abyss either - this is a plus. However, you need to steer somewhere: the instructor says that there is a very sharp right turn at the top. So the view is like from the cockpit on takeoff "Where to steer when you can't see the top of the mountain or the turn on it? Yeah, pilots fly on instruments. And so do we: the instructor says - rudders on cameras. Oh, it's true: the screen has long been showing the way, milestones and flags. Of course , it's not the same as looking with your eyes, and it takes some getting used to, but in general it gives you the opportunity not to tear off the bumper while looking into any of the trash cans you park next to in a crowded yard.
And the transmission! Its mission on such slopes is impossible, but the 9G-Tronic gearbox is simply omnipotent. She can do anything and at any degree. She never twitches or gives blurry reactions to the gas. Some kind of fantasy even for the present times, when it seems that engineers can do everything, and it's all just a matter of compliance with the terms of reference to the laws of Newtonian mechanics and the size of the budget. The machine always correctly transmits torque from the engine to the all-wheel drive system. And that, in turn, destroys all ideas about the abilities of a car that looks like a girly crossover.
On regular road tyres, on two wheels, on any hill and any mountain - on hard off-road, the GLC simply does it all. And only two considerations slightly moderate my delight. I have nothing to say about liquid off-road, which is not uncommon here: we just didn’t go. And I would not want to incite future owners. No, the car is running. But they may have an idea to violate the traffic rules vertically - for example, bypassing the traffic jam along the overpass support, one level up or down ... But there are no markings on the pillars yet.
We love petrol engines. Generally speaking, for the cause: no matter how good a diesel engine is, a gasoline engine is still more fun. But not in the case of the GLC. Gasoline in Russia will be only 250th - 211 forces. And two more diesels: GLC 220d and GLC 250d (170 and 204 horses, respectively). Yes, gasoline is certainly more powerful. However, the perfectly tuned crossover, which does everything on asphalt with the same magic as off-road, turned out to be the Mercedes with the top diesel.
Already in the basic configuration, all GLCs come with Agility Control electronically controlled shock absorbers and steel springs. And for a surcharge of one and a half hundred thousand rubles, you can get pneumatics with adjustable clearance and stiffness. By the way, this is the only such offer on the market of mid-size crossovers.
The petrol car rides well, but not enough to give you the thrill of just turning the steering wheel. Little things are missing to 100% satisfaction. And the rolls are extinguished a little artificially, and the effort on the steering wheel is not quite lively, and the suspension does not filter small irregularities, and the stern shakes slightly. No, all this grumbling would not have taken place under the sun if there was no diesel version. She's licked like... well, you know what a cat has. You just don't know what else to wish for. It seems to be an electronic car through and through, but it is perceived as natural, like the Lotus Seven, and refined, like the E-class.
Well, except that the brakes would like to add a margin for active driving. Since the brake system is constantly busy maintaining stability and distributing torque, on a track or a tricky track, the brakes can overheat. Note: we started with fantastic climbing abilities and imperceptibly reached the mountain serpentines! Because this crossover with the ability of an SUV rides on asphalt as well as a sedan.
Test drive Mercedes glk 220
Automobile- certainly one of the greatest inventions of mankind. A wheeled vehicle with an internal combustion engine has become a real revolution in technology and an indispensable assistant for humans. Recently, celebrations were held in Germany dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the granting of a patent for the world's first car. That patent was received in 1886 by an unknown inventor from the German city of Karlsruhe, Karl Friedrich Michael Benz. And we, in order to pay tribute to the person who gave the world a car, decided to take on our Test Drive the offspring of his followers Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI.
Why did you choose this particular car? The fact is that now compact SUVs are one of the most popular segments on the market. Their versatility makes it possible to use the machine in a variety of conditions, both for residents of megacities and those who live in small towns. I'm sure Karl Benz would have approved of such a decision.
Even from a distance, the Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI meets me with unusual shapes: trapezoidal, almost square headlights, a slightly elongated hood, massive 17-inch wheels, an angular shape of mirrors with integrated turn signal doublers and a large radiator grille with an unchanged three-beam star - this is what really allows to distinguish the car from the general mass of others. The design has the very angularity that will never allow you to confuse the country of the manufacturer of this car. In our age of smooth designs and streamlined shapes, this solution looks unusual and attracts attention. Slightly brutal design sets the Mercedes-Benz GLK apart from others, but at the same time, the appearance of the car turns out to be. for an amateur. Not every contemporary will agree to such experiments, especially when others, like ours, do not really like dissimilar people. However, even when Karl Benz created his invention, he could not avoid criticism. For example, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany said that "the car is a passing phenomenon", and he himself believed in horses to the last. But it was the inventor who was not afraid of trial and error, and, perhaps, that is why the design of the machine aroused more sympathy in me.
The car has an original design that makes it stand out from the crowd. Photo: Automorning©
Inside, there is no trace of experiments with appearance.. The driver's seat resembles a clerk's workplace in some bank: everything is clear and functional. Instruments with a large speedometer are perfectly readable and do not cause inconvenience. Dealing with the on-board computer and audio system is not difficult. At the same time, it is impossible to call the materials for finishing the front panel too expensive, but they do not cause any rejection or inconsistency with the class. In general, quite convenient, but without excessive pathos. Thanks to the electric adjustment of the driver's seat, covered with leather, you can achieve a very comfortable fit, allowing you to cover a long distance in a car without fatigue. However, the steering wheel could still be smaller. With constant turns at city intersections, it does not cause a desire to steer, but rather to return to the big street and stand in traffic for an extra 20 minutes.
Salon Mercedes-Benz GLK is functional, but too conservative. Photo: Automorning©
There is enough space in the back for three, but the two will still be more comfortable. Photo: Automorning©
What about visibility? Large windows and a high seating position provide good visibility both forward and backward. However, behind a massive counter, you can not notice a pedestrian, and the mirrors could still be bigger. However, let's test the car in action. Key to start!
Karl Benz's first car was a gas-powered wagon. Such a solution would certainly be liked by modern ecologists. Our GLK is far from using a gas engine - instead, a diesel four-cylinder 2.1 liter engine with 170 hp., made using BlueEfficiency technology. This motor is aimed at economical operation of cars and is a kind of compromise between lovers of drive and powerful cars and environmentalists. At the same time, the Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI is equipped with 4Matic all-wheel drive, with 4ETS electronic traction control and a 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic transmission. Sounds interesting, but how is it really?
It is impossible to say that with the turn of the key from under the hood, the diesel engine begins to growl menacingly. “Probably good soundproofing. Now I’ll go out and listen to how you actually sing,” I think, getting out of the car. However, my critical attitude quickly faded. Diesel really works a little audibly and you can’t distinguish it in volume from a running gasoline engine. By the way, when operating a diesel car in winter, it is important not to forget to fill in proven winter fuel, and before the first frost, add an anti-gel additive. If your car is frozen, then only a warm box can save you. And here, alas, all diesel engines of any manufacturer are equal, if the indicated measures are not taken, of course.
Used cars. Mercedes-Benz GLK,2009
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However, enough of the lyrics, let's check the car on the road. Having started off with ease and picking up speed, I drove along the Moscow streets towards the snow and new impressions from the car. I must say, at first, the acceleration of the Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI was not impressive. Of course, the "Mercedes" dynamics is felt, but as if something is not right. What's the matter? The answer was simple. I just forgot about the main goal of BlueEfficiency engines - to reduce fuel consumption through technology. It is worth saying that the engineers succeeded - the declared figures of 8.6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers in the urban cycle look quite real both in terms of sensations and instrument readings. A real car for every day, which at the same time does not consume a lot of fuel. And as soon as I thought about it, I suddenly remembered that I had not changed the regime yet. So, I switch the car to the Sport function and the dynamics of the GLK are simply transformed. Now I'm already driving a car that not only knows how to save money, but also burns fuel, leaving a traffic light to break away, of course, as far as its 170 hp allow.
The engine, made using BlueEfficiency technology, has a rather modest consumption. Photo: Automorning©
I note that Mercedes-Benz GLK suspension settings are quite comfortable. The car easily passes small bumps like tram tracks or paving stones, swallows medium bumps well and only in deep pits gives off a suspension knock. True, there is also a downside to this comfort - it is cornering stability, which the GLK is slightly lacking. However, if you do not drive a car on the verge of possibilities, such settings should be enough, and given the condition of the roads in most of the territory of our vast Motherland, they generally seem to be quite a good solution.
Having turned off the road into an easy country road, the car does not lose agility. Four-wheel drive, combined with the mass of the car and large wheels, allows you not to give in to snow porridge, not to mention the fact that the car literally copes with such obstacles as curbs or snow slides near the house in the city. In general, in the days of Karl Benz, there was definitely no such technology!
Thus, the Mercedes-Benz GLK was ready for Russian conditions. This can also be attributed to the plus "passability" on the roads - in Russia, off-road vehicles are still respected and are willingly inferior to the premium brand.
What amount should you expect when buying a Mercedes-Benz GLK?
In Russia, cars are available in one configuration "special series", the content of which varies depending on the version of the engine. The list of standard equipment, common to all models, is nevertheless wide and includes, among other things, 4MATIC all-wheel drive, 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, traction control, BAS emergency braking system, anti-lock braking system, front airbags with multi-stage deployment logic and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, automatic headlights and other very useful options.
If we talk about the features of the equipment, depending on the motor, then paying 1,710,000 rubles for a Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI with a 2.1 liter diesel engine and 170 hp. the buyer receives metallic paint, parking sensors, a rain sensor, a smoker's package, leather steering wheel and gear lever trim, crankcase protection, a spare wheel, a curtain in the luggage compartment, a heated windshield washer system, heated front seats, an anti-theft package, and an exterior sports package . By ordering Mercedes-Benz GLK 300 with a 2.996 liter engine with a capacity of 231 hp. to this list are added bi-xenon headlights, wood and fabric trim elements, as well as artificial leather. This version will cost 1,950,000 rubles. The ones who pay 2,330,000 rubles for the most powerful petrol version GLK 350 with an engine capacity of 3.498 liters. and with a capacity of 272 hp, they will also receive leather trim according to the samples, a navigation system on a hard disk, an improved Thermotronic climate control system and an integrated parameter storage system. Finally, the same equipment awaits those who prefer the most powerful diesel engine in the version GLK 350 CDI for 2,390,000 rubles. Such an engine is capable of delivering 224 hp. with a volume of 2.987 liters.
On the one hand, such prices for a premium brand do not seem too high. In addition, when purchasing a car even with a minimum of equipment, you get a high-quality product, which, among other things, does not lose much in price in the secondary market over time. On the other hand, competitors also have something to offer. For example, the Infiniti EX engine develops 330 hp. with a cheaper price for a top-end car, the Audi Q5 is a more youthful option at similar prices and slightly more powerful engines, and the updated BMW X3, which appeared in mid-November last year, is perceived more freshly than the almost three-year-old Mercedes-Benz GLK.
And yet, it is worth recognizing that the hero of our test does not look like a weakling against the background of competitors. Rather, the choice of car depends on the life philosophy and personal preferences of the buyer. In my subjective opinion, the Mercedes-Benz GLK is perfectly adapted to Russian conditions, but at the same time it does not lose the dignity inherent in all cars with a three-pointed star on the hood.
Car prices start at 1,710,000 rubles. Photo: Automorning©
I peer into the portrait of Karl Benz, his slightly shabby appearance with a gaze fixed on the future of the automotive industry. Did this man know that someday his invention would not only change the course of history, but even give rise to a new genre of journalism - a test drive? Probably not. But I am sure that he would have liked the consequences of his activities, as well as the Mercedes-Benz GLK SUV. So let the business begun by Benz live and live, a business that once faced the same initial misunderstanding as those who invented the steam engine, the balloon, and, possibly, the first wheel. However, this is a completely different story.
pros: original exterior design, high functionality, economy
Minuses: age of the model, conservatism in the interior
Whole photo session As we approached La Clusaz, the high-speed straights gave way to picturesque winding roads. And here again a surprise. As it turned out, after the revision of the chassis (the parameters of the springs and shock absorbers were changed), the car became more obedient and tenacious, and not at the expense of comfort - the GLK is very pleasant to “refuel” into turns. Precise steering, slightly relaxed in the near-zero zone, allows you to establish a subtle connection with the car. Only the thrust of the 2.1-liter engine on steep alpine turns was not enough for me, on the serpentine the car had to be kept in good shape, wielding the paddles on the steering wheel “petals” of the 7G-TRONIC PLUS 7-band “automatic”. In a word, the modification of the GLK 250 BlueTec 4Matic is more suitable for the city, where the engine will provide juicy “bottoms” for active rebuilding, as well as for the highway. For many, enviable profitability will also be a plus. Such a Mercedes-Benz consumes only 6.5 l / 100 km of diesel fuel in the combined cycle.
Another thing is the top diesel version of the GLK 350 CDI 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY. I change into this car already in La Clusaz and understand that I am simply fascinated by the 3-liter diesel “six”. Such a GLK does not need to be encouraged, the sport and manual transmission modes are only needed here for avid racers. Powerful acceleration with the notorious pushing of the body into the chair can also be achieved in the “drive” mode. Surprise, however, is not necessary. In fact, this is the fastest and most powerful GLK, not counting the upcoming versions from AMG. Diesel produces 265 hp. and 620 Nm, accelerating the crossover to 100 km/h in just 6.4 s. Only at “maximum speed” the GLK 350 CDI 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY loses to the top petrol modification GLK 350 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY 6 km/h. In addition, after the revision, the most powerful diesel engine of the model has also become 17% more economical. A modest appetite is also facilitated by the 7-band “automatic” 7G-TRONIC PLUS and the “start / stop” system that turns off the engine when the car stops.
Finally, we managed to test the top-end gasoline modification. I got behind the wheel of the GLK 350 4Matic Blue-EFFICIENCY on the second day of the driving presentation, and information from the representatives of the brand fueled interest in it - Russian sales will begin with gasoline versions, while diesel GLKs will reach our country no earlier than six months later. The car, equipped with a 3.5-liter atmospheric “six”, is good, but, in my opinion, is focused more on autobahns. The motor, which added 34 hp after restyling, develops 306 hp, but still gives out its maximum at high speeds. However, there is no need to complain about a sluggish pickup under any circumstances, whether it's off-road, riding a mountain serpentine or pushing in traffic jams. On the mountain road, I liked to operate the automatic transmission paddles, keeping the engine at the peak of traction. The 7G-TRONIC PLUS 7-band “automatic” installed here (the only transmission reserved for the Russian market) goes through gears at lightning speed, but a slight pause after the “kickdown” is still noticeable, and to a greater extent in gasoline cars. The GLK's brakes bring the crossover to a halt with ease, and an emergency braking system will help in emergency situations.
With your own money
Russian sales of the updated GLK are already starting, and the first modifications to enter the market are the GLK300 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY and GLK 350 4Matic BlueEFFICIENCY, which are priced at 1,890,000 and 2,390,000 rubles, respectively. Whether the price is high or not is a rhetorical question. In my opinion, for those who consciously choose a universal Mercedes-Benz car, the numbers are quite adequate. Yes, non-premium classmates are cheaper, but do not forget that when purchasing a car like the GLK, the consumer also receives a whole range of proprietary technologies and nice options - such as a multimedia unit with Internet access, driver fatigue monitoring systems, lane keeping, control behind dead zones, circular video review, adaptive cruise control, smart and nimble navigation. The list, as you know, is far from complete. In addition, after restyling, the GLK remained one of the most beautiful and thoroughbred cars in the Mercedes-Benz model line, and this fact cannot be discounted either.
offroad arsenal
GLK, despite being technically close to the C-class, was created with an eye on the G- and GL-class SUVs. Hence the "G" in the title. The off-road capabilities of the car were tested at a special training ground, replete with steep descents, climbs and water obstacles, and the test crossovers were equipped with an optional off-road package in this area. This implies improved geometric cross-country ability (clearance 231 mm), off-road settings of the all-wheel drive system (the center differential clutch locks earlier than standard GLKs without regular off-road assistants). ABS and ESP automatically adapts to off-road conditions (the moment of braking of the wheels is corrected). In addition, shift points in the 7G-TRONIC PLUS gearbox are transferred higher. Finally, there is a Descent Assist System (DSR) - a kind of autopilot that helps to move down the hills, the driver only needs to control the speed. As a result, the GLK easily coped with all obstacles - it did not get stuck, did not skid, and did not sit on its belly. So the off-road package can definitely be recommended to summer residents, tourists, fishermen and hunters.
The history of crossovers until the mid-nineties cannot boast of much diversity. Models with the features of a modern Crossover Utility Vehicle began to appear on the global automotive market back in the late forties and early fifties, and then no one could have imagined that this strange “mixture” of a passenger car and an SUV would not only not sink into oblivion, but would become one of the most popular types of cars. And certainly no one thought that such a class of cars would be of interest not only to budget manufacturers like AMC, but also to auto giants specializing, moreover, in the production of the luxury segment.
However, as you know, everything flows, everything changes. Many consumers liked the comfort of a passenger car, combined with off-road performance, only slightly inferior to the "real" SUVs. Car companies quickly realized that a new promising market segment must be conquered, and began to produce various models related to the CUV segment, combining “off-road” and “passenger” features with varying degrees of success. Later, for the sake of efficiency in countries that boast a developed network of high-quality roads, crossovers without all-wheel drive appeared on sale - for practical Europeans who have never seen a really bad road surface in their lives, a couple of liters of fuel saved are more important than the ability to connect the rear axle. Today, almost every successful automaker has its own crossovers, with the exception, perhaps, of highly specialized ones. Mercedes-Benz, which is considered synonymous with luxury, is no exception, having introduced its first crossover in 2008, the Mercedes-Benz GLK, which has become a very commercially successful project of the company and has recently undergone an update.
The Mercedes glk that I got for a test drive is a variation on the theme of the militaristic G-class. Moreover, this car was built on the basis of a comfortable and absolutely non-off-road C-class. What came of it? A very convenient, comfortable and roomy car came out, offered in versions with front and all-wheel drive, with a high, off-road landing, good cross-country ability, and considerable ground clearance. Consumers liked it, and Mercedes-Benz marketers, after conducting cunning research, said - "The buyer wants MORE comfort."
No sooner said than done! The updated Mercedes-Benz GLK is focused primarily on the comfort of movement. To do this, the car was made more squat - the ground clearance is now one hundred and seventy-seven millimeters. Suspension settings have been changed. Springs and shock absorbers are softer, stability is higher, and fuel consumption is lower. True, is the clearance not too small, given the rather serious overhangs of the new Mercedes?
In addition to the updated suspension settings, the restyled Mercedes-Benz GLK also received an updated power steering, which can be described in one word - good!
The optimal settings of the electric booster are especially noticeable at an increased speed of movement - there is no nivating or excessive feedback, the feedback also becomes great. True, when driving at low speed, the steering wheel behaves somewhat worse. What is expressed, first of all, in less informative management. However, it still does not reach the boundaries after which the steering can be called wadded. The suspension copes well with bumps, allowing you not to notice even very significant flaws in the roadway. The control electronics are also tuned for fast road driving rather than light off-road assault. True, for fans of light extreme sports, the Offroad Engneering package has been developed, when ordering which the consumer receives an increased ground clearance of up to two hundred and seven millimeters, a slightly more “off-road” front bumper, tires adapted to the ground and an electronic downhill assistance system. The suspension settings have also been changed in the off-road package, which becomes a little stiffer for the sake of greater vehicle stability.
In motion, the crossover is quite quiet. This statement is true even for variants with diesel engines and even at serious speeds. The “automatic” installed on all versions of the crossover also does an excellent job, especially when paired with any of the diesel units. By the way, about motors.
The most popular in our country, according to experts from Mercedes-Benz, will be four engines - two versions of diesel engines and two gasoline engines. It is they who will be put on the versions supplied to Russia.
The top engine of the line - a six-cylinder V-shaped gasoline engine with a volume of 3.5 liters, boasts a very decent acceleration dynamics. In the boost version, which produces 306 horsepower and 370 Nm of torque, heavy and still quite angular, in honor of the founder of the dynasty, the car can accelerate to the first hundred kilometers per hour in just six and a half seconds. Pretty good for a car weighing almost eighteen hundred kilograms, I must admit. True, further acceleration becomes less active, well, yes, the crossover is not a sports car, and setting speed records on it is somehow not easy. In addition, at high speeds, the sound of the engine slightly strains, in which notes of howling appear.
The base gasoline engine 220 CDI, which has a capacity of one hundred and seventy horsepower, is expected to not boast of the dynamics that its “big brother” is capable of.
Some “relaxation” of the motor, coupled with a rather peculiar “voice”, moderates the desire to spin the engine up to maximum speed. However, the obvious plus of this engine is its economical fuel consumption. According to the manufacturer, even all-wheel drive versions “and “cut down” rear-wheel drive vehicles are also supplied to Europe, which are unlikely to be distributed here” should not burn more than nine liters of gasoline per hundred kilometers in mixed driving mode.
Diesel engines fit the new Mercedes-Benz GLK much better. Acceleration dynamics are a little lost, but a high traction reserve makes driving more comfortable both in a big city and on mountain serpentines. Yes, and the "automatic" feels better paired with a diesel engine.
Among the new line of diesel engines called BlueTec, a small but very interesting four-cylinder turbodiesel with a volume of 2143 cubic centimeters stands out. A small volume and one hundred and seventy horsepower seem insufficient, but a torque of 400 Nm at 1400 rpm makes you change your mind from the first minutes after the start of the movement. Diesel, unlike gasoline options, does not need to constantly spin up to crazy speeds, its excellent traction is enough both in the city and on the highway. Moreover, if in a straight line a diesel engine is expected to lose a 3.5-liter gasoline engine, then on a variety of mountain "serpentines" it has no equal at all. And the sound of the engine is absolutely not annoying in any operating mode, and as for vibration, it is felt only at the moment of start. After the car is started, you don’t feel any characteristic “diesel” vibration - even at idle, even in dense city traffic, even on a suburban highway.
The appearance of the car is less and less reminiscent of its off-road component, and is increasingly approaching the design of classic Mercedes sedans. The corners are even more rounded, the bumper has changed, in general, the car looks lower and faster, more and more getting rid of the appearance of a “pseudo SUV”.
Interior decoration has become noticeably richer. Analog instrument panel with three large dials, elegant button petals on the steering wheel spokes, round air ducts, framed in nickel, look very solid. Adds that hard-to-translate feeling that Americans describe with the apt word "luxury", and framing the front panel with inserts made of natural wood of valuable varieties. The “automatic” gearshift is controlled by a small lever located in the area of the steering column, and the vacant seat to the left of the driver is occupied by two cup holders, which are closed with a lid made of lacquered wood.
The large color screen of the car multimedia is very organically fit into the frame of chrome and wood in the middle of the center console. The electronics control buttons are also located there, which the new GLK has plenty of - now any options are available to the buyer, even those that were previously the prerogative of exclusively older models. There are no complaints about the ergonomics of the seats, and there is no need to talk about free space, because this is one of the traditional advantages of the crossover platform. There is plenty of room both in front and behind. Nothing constrains the sides, the high roof does not put pressure on the head even for people with a basketball height, and if you wish, you can put an accordion player with an instrument on the back sofa. However, it is doubtful that anyone will not be so satisfied with the regular audio preparation of the updated Mercedes, which cannot be called budget or insufficient with all desire.
In general, the video test drive gives a very correct idea about the new Mercedes glk - this is a typical luxury segment crossover, in which with each restyling there is less SUV and more passenger car, and somehow you don’t want to regret some loss of off-road qualities. It is painfully great that German engineers manage to achieve maximum comfort for the sake of the European consumer spoiled by good cars and excellent roads!
Eternal classic.
So what, - the grouchy retrograde will say. Is the age of cars for real men over? And it will be absolutely wrong. There are also real men and real cars for them. This is proved by the brutal G-class update that took place simultaneously with the redesign of the Mercedes-Benz GLK.
Created largely thanks to the petrodollar whim of the Middle Eastern monarch, the angular, militarized, almost army G-car lingered on the Mercedes conveyor for a long time. He survived the tightening of environmental standards, and the introduction of new requirements for pedestrian safety, and even a multiple rise in fuel prices did not force brand fans to abandon the G-class in favor of more economical and modern cars. Moreover, its popularity is growing - in just two years, the volume of cars sold has grown by more than a third.
Of course, such popularity not only kept Gelik on the assembly line, but also forced Mercedes specialists to work on updating the model. The changes, of course, did not primarily affect the appearance - well, who would ever think of rewriting Wagner's odes or adding touches to Albrecht Dürer's canvases, adding hairstyles and accessories that are fashionable in the twenty-first century to priceless portraits! So it is with automotive classics - very slight differences in details are almost imperceptible and in no way change the appearance and spirit of the Geländewagen.
The main design changes affected the interior of the car. Hand-assembled by Mercedes-Benz specialists, the salon will undoubtedly appeal to lovers of hand-made.
Perhaps the fit of the joints is inferior to the production models of the same manufacturer, but it reinforces the impression of exclusivity that has always distinguished the G-Class.
The new salon turned out to be somewhat rounded, but still quite “chopped”, reminiscent of army formations. The front panel is not overloaded with sensors and buttons, not to mention decorative elements or multimedia screens, and even the chrome plating widely used in the new GLK has almost no place here. Finished with chrome only - large and rough, but well-read instrument scales. Classic rectangular deflectors, a retro design of the visor above the dashboard, a handle that the front passenger can hold on to on a bad road and during sharp turns - everything is done with a fair amount of practicality and minimalism, so even a very utilitarian, without unnecessary frills, LCD the display looks on the front panel more like a tuning element than factory equipment. The place of honor on the center console is occupied by the differential control buttons, and the selector of the new seven-speed “automatic”, which would look rustic in a different interior, looks very stylish and organic here.
