dartmouthemcee

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Bob338

I think I know what you mean, it's the absence of "road feel". There isn't a direct link to the steering and was a complaint of 'experts' road testing the car before release. I kneew it going in. Before I bought I drove a gasser and noticed that absence but figured I'd get used to it. I did.

koalatm

I think it's sometimes just in our head. If I drive the GLK for a few days in a row, the steering starts to feel firmer to me. But then I jump back in one of my cars and I realize the GLK steering is not very firm at all.

I'd say my Golf R even on "comfort" mode has better steering feel than the GLK, and our GLK has the 20" AMG wheels, so it's not lacking in road contact area.

I think what could really help this vehicle is some stickier tires. We're still on the original OEM tires and once they're done I'll throw summer tires on.

bop11

Say "Hello" to electric steering. Now with electronic control; Next step, 'Less Feel' as the car corrects for your poor lane holding ability and other bad driving habits, like power cornering. Then Last Step 'No Feel' as the car drives itself.

dartmouthemcee

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super7pilot

My 2006 BMW zed-4 Si and the wife's 2008 BMW 328I both had electo-mechanical steering. The Zed and 328 were brilliant handling motors.

dartmouthemcee

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super7pilot

Dartmouth, I have owned a great many cars in my 60 years ranging from a 69 Corvette, 69 mustang 302, Jeeps, 528 BMW, Caterham super 7 as well as 38 different motorcycles ranging from Goldwing rolling couches to a Ducati 888 SPOLTD monoposto superbike. If one starts to compare such differing vehicles against one another, You will only come away confused or disappointed.

I look at my GLK with it's intended use in mind when I evaluate how it acts in it's performance of it's duties that it was designed to do. To that end, The GLK does very well and is quite efficient to boot. It does feel different from the BMW's because it IS different from those two cars.

Both the Zed4 and the 328 were lighter, Along with a much lower center of gravity and had stiffer suspension. So of course they felt a bit more responsive. Same with my Caterham, Which is supremely responsive and if I were to complain that my GLK is lacking because I compared it with the Caterham. Then the problem is in my head, Not the with my GLK.

dartmouthemcee

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Lazarus Long

I have a 2015. The light steering is due to the electric assist, which provides too much boost. Almost everything is electric now thanks to the increasingly oppressive fuel efficiency requirements.

Note: there is still a direct mechanical link to the wheels, the power assist is now an electric motor instead of a hydraulic pump.

That said, I have found the Mercedes system to be one of the less numb systems. The worst I have felt to date was a BMW 528. The steering in that car felt like a game controller - no feel at all. My old 97 Tahoe has more feel.

super7pilot

If i recall correctly. My 2006 Zed-4 and the wife's 2008 328 even had electric water pumps as well.