billyt

I just wrote something about the handling of the GLK in another thread. the following is the copy.
I thought coupe is not very trendy and popular in present and the near future. I also think the E sedan / coupe is good looking only for people over 40. If you like coupe, I would suggest the convertibles like the new IS, SLK, BMW 3 series, but there are really few convertibles that have all wheel drive. I also have remorse after yesterday's real test drive on a moutain road (the sea-to-sky hi-way in Vancouver). I have many hours of driving time for X3 and X5. I would say the best handling among these 3 is X5, then it's X3, and GLK really has no fun. It feels more like a sedan than a sporty SUV. And the comfort mode is really powerless, my right leg was pretty tire because I had to really press down on the pedal all the time. I think the comfort mode is really a winter mode, only suitable for snow and rainy conditions. I guess I will use the sport the whole time after the break-in period. But it's road handling feel that really disappoints me. For those who are still wondering to buy the GLK or not, you should ask the salesman for a long and real test drive before you make the decision. Since in real life I don't do a lot of moutain road driving, I only have a little remorse, and I have no regrets. X3's look is too old, if you like the X3, you should wait the new model.

chilledbenz

Car and Driver put the GLK in last place in their recent comparo as well. But hey, the car mags are never kind to the average Mercedes, the only ones they ever like are the AMG versions. The GL was the last car any magazine ever liked giving it Truck of the Year honors, other wise they always find something bad to say. The Car and Driver review was confusing, they put it in last place, but frankly they had nothing bad to say about it. For a car to be in last place I would think there would be a log of complaints. At any rate, the GLK is turning out to be one of Mercedes most reliable cars to date, so if you like it buy it, if you don't, don't buy it, pretty simple really.

MB_Owner

Huh? I take all the car enthusiast magazines and I saw these complaints in the C&D write-up:

- Pirelli 20 inch tires are noisy and make the steering vague on-center (I agree about the steering complaint, tires didn't seem particularly noisy to me)

- Engine noise makes for a noisy ride at interstate speeds (I had no such gripes from my weekend 'ownership' of a test vehicle but then we have two Porsches)

- Shortest and narrowest of tested vehicles, not enough room for three adults in the back (Agree but that's not a consideration for the two of us)

- High doorsills try to trip you on exit (I didn't particularly notice this)

- Cargo capacity smallest of the five tested (I wrote in another thread I'd like to see a bit of lengthening for additional luggage space. Still, with the second row seat folded, it'll hold 37 cases of longneck beer...enough for most weekends)

- HVAC controls below driver's knees (Wasn't anything that concerned me enough to take notice)

- Dead travel in brake pedal (I didn't have that complaint but the weekend demonstrator had slightly over 6,000 miles on it so maybe that's a low-milage/break-in issue)

- Flaring sills deposits mud on pant legs (Common complaint but certainly not a deal breaker)

C&D bottom line:

"...the disconnected steering and wooden brake feel were too much to overlook, so we'll appreciate the GLK style from the cockpit of something else."

Mike S

I bought a GLK-350 after test driving the lincoln MKX, Cadillac srx, acura rdx and mdx, Audi Q5, Lexus rx350, Volvo c60, and infiniti ex35. I really liked the Audi, but the total pricing ended up being higher by quite a bit if I waited for a comparable 2010 model. The GLK I found drove the best , with a solid feel and the transmission and pick up was really good. The RDX is a small engine with turbo, which was OK, but I definitely didn't feel like I was in a high end car like the mercedes. In the end, ego played a big part in deciding on the Mercedes as I have never owned a German car before. There is something to say about status symbols in my view.
Mike S

MtnMachine

Well, I have had the good fortune of owning numerous MBs, BMWs, Audis and a Lexus RX. I have also enjoyed recent ownership of a Subaru GT wagon that had an amazing 4c/turbo engine that out ran, but did not "out feel" my BMW 325ix wagon. My wife drives a new X5 BMW.

After several top end Audi experiences, we did not even consider the Q5. We have given them three tries and Audi just is not in the same game as MB/BMW. In fact, Audi has been a painfull experience, two of three tries.

Completely seperate from my bad owner experiences, when I see the Q5 on the road, it just looks so common.

I am really enjoying my GLK. I expected a comfortable, feature rich, quality, well performing car that is a true MB and that is what I got. I like the look of the GLK more and more. My wife was opposed to a smaller SUV, thus her X5 choice, but now she loves my GLK and thinks MB got it just right.

The GLK is my first automatic in a decade and I love it. The GLK is not a BMW 335 or AMG machine, but it is a great town and open road driver with SUV benefits and solid MB ride/comfort.

NYCGLK

+1, my exact thought

Metallic

+2.

Baby G

+3

ben-c

I wholeheartedly agree with your views about the GLK vs RX vs X3, but you better read that report again! What you are referring to when you say "initial quality" is the measure of problems per new vehicle, where Jag and Buick are on top, followed by Lexus. BUT in the actual index for long term reliabilty, which is what most people are concerned with, you will find no such brands. That is as far as JD Powers and Consumer Reports is concerned. There are very few "recommended" domestic models, but Toyota is consistantly represented with multiple models in EVERY recommended category from subcompact-luxury passenger vehicle-full size truck.
No, I'm not being a fanboy, those are just the facts. I don't even have any Japanese cars in the family.