GLK but not such a fan of its incredibly boxy styling? Or like the styling just fine but just wish it had a diesel? Well we've got good news for you, friends, because Mercedes-Benz has just taken the wraps off a revised model that aims to remedy both. Not only does the 2013 GLK-Class get the familiar new family face, but what's behind it has been replaced as well. That means a direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 for the GLK350 that's more powerful and more efficient than the powerplant it replaces, and also a 2.1-liter turbodiesel that joins the family wearing GLK250 BlueTEC badging. The interior has been updated as well, all of which Mercedes surely hopes will help it fend off advances from the Audi Q5, the BMW X3, Volvo's XC60 and the rumored baby RX from Lexus. Take a closer look at the updated GLK in our high-res gallery of live images from the New York Auto Show floor above and the stock shots in the gallery below for a closer look.

GLK but not such a fan of its incredibly boxy styling? Or like the styling just fine but just wish it had a diesel? Well we've got good news for you, friends, because Mercedes-Benz has just taken the wraps off a revised model that aims to remedy both. Not only does the 2013 GLK-Class get the familiar new family face, but what's behind it has been replaced as well. That means a direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 for the GLK350 that's more powerful and more efficient than the powerplant it replaces, and also a 2.1-liter turbodiesel that joins the family wearing GLK250 BlueTEC badging. The interior has been updated as well, all of which Mercedes surely hopes will help it fend off advances from the Audi Q5, the BMW X3, Volvo's XC60 and the rumored baby RX from Lexus. Take a closer look at the updated GLK in our high-res gallery of live images from the New York Auto Show floor above and the stock shots in the gallery below for a closer look.

The GLK's refresh for the 2013 model year -- a major interior makeover and some exterior changes -- played a big part in the sales surge. The line also adopted the more efficient and more powerful direct-injection gasoline V6 engine in the GLK350 and GLK350 4matic models that went on sale last summer. Now comes the capper, the latest diesel powertrain in the Mercedes fleet, in the form of the GLK250 Bluetec 4matic. It's the same 2.1-liter inline four Mercedes will offer in the E250 this fall. In the GLK, the dual-stage turbodiesel produces 200 hp and what Mercedes says is a class-leading 369-lb-ft of torque, the maximum twist coming at a mere 1,600 rpm. What's it like to drive? There's plenty of power to push the 4,000-pound ute to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, slower than the 6.4 seconds posted by the gasoline V6, but responsive enough to handle most everyday traffic situations. Power is also ample at higher speeds, coming on strong as the seven-speed automatic downshifts. The engine is so refined and insulated from the cabin that it's hard to detect any 鈥渄ieselness.鈥?Brakes are responsive, the steering steady and sure, the body control good. Nothing seems to upset the serenity of the driving experience, much like the unwavering steadiness of its big brother GL. Inside, the revamped cabin is buttoned up and sharp, with new retro-aero dash vents, a color instrument panel, and a new steering wheel. With the shifter relocated to the steering column, space is opened up for a handsome roll-top center console cubby. Do I want it? If you're frugal, you'll love the diesel's fuel economy, 33 mpg on the highway and 28 combined. That's the GLK250's key advantage over competitors like the Acura RDX, Audi Q5 hybrid, BMW X3 and others.

January 23, 2018 鈥?Mercedes-Benz is recalling more than 132,100 vehicles as part of a Takata airbag recall expansion of 3.3 million airbag inflators at risk of exploding when they deploy, even in a minor crash. The Mercedes passenger airbags are at risk of exploding due to a combination of age, moisture and the condition of the metal inflators. At least 21 people have been killed worldwide and more than 200 injured. As of November 2017, 19 automakers had recalled about 46 million Takata inflators in about 34 million vehicles. By 2019, as many as 70 million Takata inflators will have been recalled in the U.S. Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Zone C states include Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The passenger airbag modules will be replaced but Mercedes doesn't know when that will happen because parts aren't available. Owners will be sent interim notifications starting in February 2018 and second notices will be mailed when parts are available.

No, I'm not talking about a Mel Gibson/Lee Marvin blood-spattered revenge epic (Marvin's version was titled Point Blank, actually). I am talking about what matters most to every buyer of a diesel or gasoline-electric hybrid: how long until the fuel savings pay back the price premium? In the case of the just-on-sale 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, no time at all. Zero. Not a second. 43,500 compact SUV starts at a lower price - at a lower price! 44,900). How is that possible? 5,000 to the cost of a vehicle. What kind of car company loses money on what will surely be one of its most in-demand models. Because let me say this right now, if you're in the market for a premium SUV of this size and with the GLK's capabilities, you simply must test drive the GLK diesel. I'm betting you'll like it. You'll appreciate the torque, the twisting force that goes directly to the wheels in an instant.

You'll applaud the revamped cabin, which looks delicious and expensive compared to the Filene's Basement-inspired interior of the 2012 GLK. Yes, the GLK here for 2013 still needs seats with more under-thigh support and wind noise on Highway 401 is noticeable off the wing mirrors and around the sunroof. But taken as a whole, the GLK is handsome and well finished. Most of all, though, the segment's first four-cylinder diesel sips fuel. Pick a compact SUV, any compact SUV with all-wheel-drive at any price, and this diesel is the winner on combined fuel economy (7.2 litres/100 km). Better than the miniaturized Chevrolet Trax (7.7 combined) and Buick Encore (7.9). Better than the Mitsubishi RVR, the Nissan Juke, the Mazda CX-5, the Mini Countryman, the Ford Escape, the Honda CR-V - and on and on the list goes. This is what diesel does for you - an instant fuel economy gain of 25 per cent or so. Sometimes more, never less. True, the 302-hp V-6 in the gas-powered GLK350 is quicker to 100 km/h (6.5 seconds).