Upon first glance, it is obviously the smallest Mercedes-Benz SUV in the lineup, compared to the larger ML, GL, and G-Class. That being said, it does not skimp on any of the luxury aspects. The vehicle I drove had the standard audio system, which still boasted quite the sound definition you would expect from a Mercedes-Benz. The leather seats were comfortable, and the heating system worked well. Overall the cabin had plenty of legroom in the front or the back, and the dual panorama roof was certainly a nice touch. Additionally, the cargo area was huge for a vehicle this size, with second-row folding seats that make the capacity even larger. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled the hatch handle and it opened automatically, a feature I didn鈥檛 expect on a vehicle this size. The handling dynamics of the vehicle surprised me the most, with steering and acceleration more in tune with a C-Class sedan, and not a sport ute鈥? The 350鈥檚 motor pulled well and was exceptionally smooth, making a great pair with the vehicle overall. Overall the GLK is a perfect blend of utility, handling, and safety. I would say that even though this is the most affordable Mercedes SUV available today, it certainly borrows the capabilities of its larger siblings, while behaving more like a car than a utility vehicle.

2,000 premium it commands. A tight 37.6-foot turning circle and extremely nimble nature make the GLK a master of city driving; U-turns and tight corners are easily conquered by the sprightly SUV. Benz calls the GLK-Class midsize, but it drives like a much smaller compact SUV. Small turbocharged engines are gaining popularity in other Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs for their increased fuel economy, and it鈥檚 possible you鈥檒l see a turbocharged offering in the GLK鈥檚 successor. If that鈥檚 the case, I鈥檒l miss the current GLK鈥檚 standard powertrain: a naturally aspirated 302-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. Sure, fuel economy could be improved from the all-wheel-drive鈥檚 18/25/21 mpg city/highway/combined figures, but it鈥檚 hard to replicate in a turbocharged one the punchiness of a good naturally aspirated engine. The GLK鈥檚 V-6 offers a potent punch of acceleration, with instantaneous accelerator response and a healthy V-6 growl under the hood. A BlueTEC diesel-powered GLK250 is rated 24/33/28 mpg with standard all-wheel drive and is one of a few diesel-powered SUVs in the segment. Other noises inside the GLK aren鈥檛 as pleasant, like the intrusive wind you鈥檒l hear whistling past the exterior at high speeds.

The excessive noise is almost like a light switch that turns on at 50 mph and above, marring an otherwise refined highway driving experience, as the GLK tracks true on the highway with minimal fuss. The GLK鈥檚 cabin isn鈥檛 claustrophobic despite having a decidedly more compact exterior than competing SUVs. The rear seat, however, is tight. It鈥檚 not an uncomfortable experience, like you鈥檒l find in Mercedes鈥?smaller GLA-Class SUV, but it鈥檚 snug and the backrest is raked at an awkward angle without any adjustable reclining function. Much larger SUVs like the RX 350 have hugely roomy backseats; I even found the Q5鈥檚 slightly larger backseat more comfortable than that of the Mercedes-Benz GLK. The interior is put together with decent materials, providing a satisfactory luxury experience. Not one particular finish stands out, however, and the design as a whole is somewhat uninspiring. Our test car was equipped with the standard MB-Tex imitation leather upholstery, which I find convincing enough.

3,450), which included a panoramic moonroof, power liftgate, 115-volt AC household outlet and more. There isn鈥檛 much new blood in this aging class of SUVs except for the Lincoln MKC, which provides a surprisingly luxurious experience for the money and a much more interesting, high-tech interior than the GLK. You鈥檇 think the GLK hadn鈥檛 been redesigned for some time, and from the ground up it hasn鈥檛 been, but it was touched up for 2013 with a new dashboard and interior materials. The update, though, merely brought the GLK up to an average level of quality. Given what we鈥檝e seen Mercedes accomplish with the all-new 2015 C-Class compared with its previous generation, there鈥檚 promise for a GLK successor to make a big leap in the interior finish and design department. Multimedia technology is moving at lightning speed, and the GLK鈥檚 standard multimedia system is stuck in the Stone Age. The system might not have been as big a disappointment if we hadn鈥檛 already grown enamored with Mercedes鈥?latest high-resolution-plus-touchpad technology in the C-Class.

The GLK-Class鈥?standard 5-inch screen is simply not enough real estate to legibly display the many functions of the GLK鈥檚 central controller system, which is used to control radio, media and car functions. The graphics are also dated. 2,970 Multimedia Package. Lincoln鈥檚 MKC includes a standard 8-inch touch-screen with much higher-quality graphics, plus two USB ports. 3,450 Premium Package). Our test car came with an Apple 30-pin connector for older iPhones. Mercedes鈥?website says an Apple adapter is required for use with the eight-pin Lightning connector used on later-model devices. The GLK鈥檚 small stature doesn鈥檛 show on the inside until you need to use the cargo area, which measures just 16.5 cubic feet behind the backseat. The RDX has 26.1 cubic feet, the MKC 25.2 cubic feet, the Q5 has 29.1 cubic feet and the RX 鈥?as its significant size suggests 鈥?has the most, at 40 cubic feet. Using the cargo area was at least easy thanks to our test car鈥檚 power liftgate, which is included in the Premium Package. With the 60/40-split folding backseat down, the GLK has a maximum cargo capacity of 54.7 cubic feet.