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2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK Class Review

September 30, 2009

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Butch SUV styling
Car and Driver

Still as clumsy as the concept
Automobile Magazine

Dominated by a tiered dashboard that wraps around into the door panels
MyRide.com

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK is hard to classify—on the one hand, the three-pointed star up front and sharp lines are unmistakably Mercedes, but the overall upright look puts off more than a few reviewers. The various reviews read by TheCarConnection.com fail to reach a consensus on whether or not this is a good design for Mercedes, and only time will tell if consumers approve of the 2010 Mercedes GLK's appearance.

The exterior of the Mercedes-Benz GLK-350 is small, in accordance with its compact SUV classification, but that doesn't mean it lacks presence. Quite the contrary, in fact, as Car and Driver notes that the "butch SUV styling" of this mini-Mercedes is hard to ignore. Car and Driver reviewers are firmly in favor of the styling, cooing that "the only thing truly surprising about the [Mercedes-Benz GLK-350]: that it has buckets of charm...everything works as a cohesive and likable package." Other reviewers aren't as enthusiastic, and Automobile Magazine reports that "some think the car looks like a Subaru Forester (not a compliment)." Cars.com contends that the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK "looks a little bit like a shrunken version of the automaker's larger GL-Class" and that the GLK "wears this look rather well, with enough design cues in the sheet metal to keep things interesting." MyRide.com generally concurs with that sentiment, although they say "it's hard to agree with the Mercedes executive who called the GLK 'sexy.'"

With such mixed reviews of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK, the best solution is probably to visit your local Mercedes dealer, especially since Car and Driver says that, even though it will "never be an object of lust," the 2010 Mercedes GLK looks "much better in person and on the road than you'd expect (certainly better than any Forester)."

Inside the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class is a retro-themed interior that also elicits mixed reactions from reviewers. Automobile Magazine once again comments that "some like the retro squared-shapes interior quite well; others just think it looks old." Car and Driver says the 2010 Mercedes GLK's "interior basically repackages the features found on the C350 in a blocky, chunky package" that echoes the Mercedes look from the 1980s but might not strike the right chord with today's luxury buyers. On the positive side, Cars.com feels that "most controls are logically arranged, and numerous features are accessible in multiple ways," while Consumer Guide reports that "the gauges are easy to read."

Conclusion

Fans of squared-off, retro styling will find a certain appeal to the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK profile, which stands in stark contrast to most competing models.

STYLING | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:Butch SUV stylingCar and DriverStill as clumsy as the conceptAutomobile MagazineDominated by a tiered dashboard that wraps around into the door panelsMyRide.com The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK is hard to classify—on the one hand, the three-pointed star up front and sharp lines are unmistakably Mercedes, but the overall upright look puts off more than a few reviewers. The various reviews read by TheCarConnection.com fail to reach a consensus on whether or not this is a good design for Mercedes, and only time will tell if consumers approve of the 2010 Mercedes GLK's appearance. The exterior of the Mercedes-Benz GLK-350 is small, in accordance with its compact SUV classification, but that doesn't mean it lacks presence. Quite the contrary, in fact, as Car and Driver notes that the "butch SUV styling" of this mini-Mercedes is hard to ignore. Car and Driver reviewers are firmly in favor of the styling, cooing that "the only thing truly surprising about the [Mercedes-Benz GLK-350]: that it has buckets of charm...everything works as a cohesive and likable package." Other reviewers aren't as enthusiastic, and Automobile Magazine reports that "some think the car looks like a Subaru Forester (not a compliment)." Cars.com contends that the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK "looks a little bit like a shrunken version of the automaker's larger GL-Class" and that the GLK "wears this look rather well, with enough design cues in the sheet metal to keep things interesting." MyRide.com generally concurs with that sentiment, although they say "it's hard to agree with the Mercedes executive who called the GLK 'sexy.'" With such mixed reviews of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK, the best solution is probably to visit your local Mercedes dealer, especially since Car and Driver says that, even though it will "never be an object of lust," the 2010 Mercedes GLK looks "much better in person and on the road than you'd expect (certainly better than any Forester)." Inside the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class is a retro-themed interior that also elicits mixed reactions from reviewers. Automobile Magazine once again comments that "some like the retro squared-shapes interior quite well; others just think it looks old." Car and Driver says the 2010 Mercedes GLK's "interior basically repackages the features found on the C350 in a blocky, chunky package" that echoes the Mercedes look from the 1980s but might not strike the right chord with today's luxury buyers. On the positive side, Cars.com feels that "most controls are logically arranged, and numerous features are accessible in multiple ways," while Consumer Guide reports that "the gauges are easy to read." ConclusionFans of squared-off, retro styling will find a certain appeal to the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK profile, which stands in stark contrast to most competing models. 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-CLASS STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: "Butch SUV styling" Automobile Magazine: "Still as clumsy as the concept" MyRide.com: "Dominated by a tiered dashboard that wraps around into the door panels" The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK is hard to classify—on the ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The upmarket brands offer compact SUVs with a little more panache than your average Honda CR-V. Acura, in fact, offers its own version of the Honda CR-V in the RDX, though it has much racier styling, a turbo powerplant, and lots of high-tech goodies. The new Audi Q5 matches the new GLK in size but has the sleek silhouette of its big brother, the Q7 ute. BMW's X3 is the granddaddy of this group, and the current version makes up for past sins with a much better ride and improved steering feel. Land Rover's LR2 has the upright style to match the GLK—and true off-road hardware for those so inclined.

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See the Mercedes-Benz GLK Class in Other Years:

2010

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