That's not the case up north here, where GLKs have flown off the dealers' lots.
The aluminum trim has not been a negative factor as far as I can determine.
Time will tell if the wood trim (yes, it looks much better with stone or almond) wins out over the aluminum.

 

I agree, the great white north is selling out of these.. Most new orders are production orders now since we always get limited quantity compared to our southern counterparts.

 

OK, here's my 2 cents regarding the differences in these two SUVs. The interior is nicer in the ML than the GLK. My ML has double-stitching MB Tex all around; on the dash, door, and seats. I am a fan of MB Tex (easy to clean) in an SUV. You can get MB Tex in the GLK, but the fit and finish isn't as nice as the ML. There is no double stitching in the GLK (so we opted for leather in the GLK.) The seats are thicker in the ML. The ML is larger on the inside and has more leg room in the rear, but that's not a huge issue for our family. You ride higher in the ML. I like that. The ML has has heated seats in the front and rear, the GLK doesn't have rear heated seats. My ML has keyless-go and folding mirrors, the GLK doesn't have that, either. (But, it is apparently coming in later builds). The GLK handles bumps surprisingly well, but not as well as the ML. (But, our GLK has those 20" wheels with low-profile tires, so that doesn't help.) On the other hand, the GLK has better handling, more like a sports car. The ML handles like a boat. Both SUVs are quiet (It's a Mercedes, after all ), with lots of door seals and a large engine seal to seal out noise. A feature we particularly like in the GLK, that we have not had in any of our MBs, is the audio-select knob (found in C-classes) on the console to change audio inputs or radio stations. We both like that useful feature (whatever it is called).

The biggest issue for me in the GLK is the lack of HP. My ML550 is much faster than the GLK350, and as an owner of an SL63 (too), I like a car with a little more HP. Because of this, I would not buy a GLK350 for myself. I like to step on the gas in my ML (to change lanes on the freeway) and it gets me where I need to go quickly. My husband and I have commented that it would be nice to have a GLK450 or 550. Before I owned my SL500 and SL63, I owned a 3.5 liter V6 Toyota Highlander (same as GLK). Back then, I thought the Highlander had guts, so it is all relative and is what you are used to driving.

My husband changed from a GL450 to this new GLK350. But, he is willing to give up that the HP for owning, driving, and handling of a smaller Mercedes SUV. When it comes time for me to flip my ML, I will opt for another ML550.

The GLK is still a Mercedes and it is still a very nice, very SAFE car. My husband loves his new GLK and he (really) raves about it every day. He especially enjoys owning a smaller Mercedes SUV. I posted pics above. The interior is very nice, especially with leather seats and wood trim. It is a SAFE SUV (Mercedes are the safest in the world) and easy to park ANYWHERE.

 

Thank you SPNSLC

Thanks for taking the time to post a very thoughtful review of the two SUV's, very helpful to have the insight from an actual owner of both an ML and GLK. I am sure it will be very useful to many of us on the forum!

 

My jokes aside, I concur. That was very nice comparison, spnslc.

And your husband is a keeper, if he will take the lower hp car Me, I am glad that my wife is leaving the GL for me.

 

LOL. The GLK was going to be my car (he was going to take my ML), but half way through the three-month production wait, I told him I couldn't part with my ML. He said he would take the GLK then. The GLK turned out to be a bigger hit with him than what I expected, so it worked out really well in the end. And really, it is fun to have a smaller Mercedes SUV for a change. I love the backup camera that is in it. I have that in my ML, but we didn't have it in our GL. That is a great option. I wish my SL had that option, too. It's always nice to know if there is something behind you that you could run into. No matter what car you are in, you want to know if something is there. I am hoping they put that option in the next SL makeover in a couple years.