For those of you craving the latest in Mercedes reviews, we've got a fresh batch, with a total of three publications weighing in on the brand spanking new GLK350 4MATIC and ML320 BlueTEC.  As with each and every one of our Mercedes Review Roundup installments, you can find excerpts from each review as well as links back to the full articles immediately below.

Enjoy ladies and gentlemen.


Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC (via Automobile)
Reviewer's rating:  Unspecified

"We've just finished two weeks with Mercedes-Benz's brand-new GLK350, which goes on sale January 5, 2009, as a 2010 model. Prices have already been announced, and they are quite competitive: $34,775 for a rear-wheel-drive model and $36,775 for the GLK350 4Matic with all-wheel drive. This compares with $40,225 for a BMW X3 xDrive30i, the GLK's most obvious competitor. Mercedes-Benz will also be going up against the all-new Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60, both of which go on sale in March and both of which, arguably, are better-looking vehicles. However, we expect the Q5 to cost a bit more than the GLK, but Audi of America has some time to try to wring a better deal out of its German parent.

As one of the few automotive journalists in America to have driven both the Audi Q5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK350 (but not back-to-back and with five months dividing the drives) I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the Q5 is the more satisfying vehicle in terms of dynamics. The Audi has better body control and more communicative steering, and perhaps a slightly more supple ride. The Audi and Mercedes powertrains are pretty similar, though: the GLK350 offers a 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a smooth seven-speed automatic; and the Q5 is coming to America solely with a 270-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 and a six-speed automatic.

The 3.5-liter V-6 provides plenty of straightline grunt and sounds pretty good when you hammer the throttle. It's possible to drive the GLK350 quite aggressively on a twisty road and come away feeling pretty satisfied, but there is clearly not the level of sportiness here that Infiniti builds into its EX35 and FX35 crossovers. This won't matter to most buyers, though, who will be more interested in the three-pointed star; the all-weather capability of the 4Matic system (it churned the GLK350 up my steep, snow-covered driveway handily, ABS grinding away); and the excellent front sightlines through the broad windshield and the expansive side glass.

The rear seats fold flat easily in a 60/40 split, without having to adjust the seat bottoms first. The rear seats themselves seem pretty comfortable, if not overly roomy. The rear cargo area is wide enough to accommodate a set of golf clubs, Mercedes claims, and there's a 115-volt plug back there."

Read Full Review »



Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC (via TruckTrend)
Reviewer's rating:  Unspecified

"It can get 30-plus mpg or dash to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Its Agility Control suspension corners racetrack-flat, yet its undercarriage can be armored for ramming over rough stuff. It's targeted at "Sex in the City" women, yet it wears sharp, angular styling that apes the butch GL.

Officials claim the package bestows Land Rover LR2-equivalent capability, from a combination of a Downhill-Speed Regulation system that uses engine braking and the ABS gear to creep down hills at any programmed speed from two to 11 mph. An off-road switch changes the transmission, ABS, stability control, and engine control maps to better suit loose surfaces, and underbody armor made of fiberglass-reinforced thermoplastics provides protection and keeps the hangy-downy bits from snagging on rocks. The COMAND system display shows steering angle, altimeter, and compass info in this mode. Sad to say, the two Euro diesel engines are banished--the 34-mpg 2.1-liter twin-turbo four and the 30-mpg, 3.0-liter variable-nozzle turbo V-6. That'll leave us with a 22-mpg 3.5-liter gas V-6 spinning a seven-speed and 4Matic all-wheel drive (rear drive follows a few months later) wearing the fanciest walnut trim, standard dual sunroofs, and 19- or 20-inch wheels.

Let's be honest, although it's a pity, the 4Matic's fixed 45/55 front/rear torque split, traction control, and 7.9 inches of ground clearance will get us where we're going, and the big wheels, fat tires, and taut suspenders are antithetical to billy-goating anyway. We think it's a bad idea not bringing over the diesels; of course, brisk demand for Bluetec MLs and GLs could earn the littlest M-B a better engine choice for the next model year. Cross your fingers for the teched-out four, featuring piezo-electric injectors squirting fuel at over 29,000 psi, dual overhead camshafts driven by gears from the back of the block, and sequential turbos--a small one that spools up quickly at low revs, and a big one for higher speeds. The GLK220 CDI only trails the GLK350 by two seconds to 60 mph, and by achieving 50-percent-better fuel consumption its owners could recover their $1000-$2000 option price during a typical lease, even at today's diesel fuel prices.

The baby-GL styling looks sharp on the road and cuts through the wind with a 0.34 drag coefficient--impressive for such a blocky vehicle. The tall greenhouse and standard twin-sunroof provide spectacular visibility. The total cargo area is smaller than the ML's, but it's configured for slightly more width, meaning that two golf bags can fit sideways on the floor without removing the drivers. A handy cargo net folds in half and rolls up for easy storage in the space above the minispare, below the cargo deck. The GLK's sound system can connect to and control an iPod and a USB stick at the same time, and Bluetooth audio streaming is just around the corner.

The V-6 and seven-speed team well together for brisk acceleration and terrific passing performance. A trailer-hitch option permits towing up to 3500 pounds, which this drivetrain feels capable of handling with ease. Naturally, the vehicle feels extremely stable at three-digit autobahn speeds. The steering feels rather slow and not terribly informative, but it's reasonably accurate. Clever purely mechanical shock valves provide soft damping over small bumps and vibrations, then stiffen up on the big stuff to deliver a ride that's still Euro taut but feels more supple than the BMW X3's or Acura RDX's. Perhaps the closest competitor in terms of general demeanor and deportment is the more powerful and roomier Infiniti EX35. The GLK carries more stuff (up to 55 cubic feet of it) and costs a bit more ($39K and up) but looks and feels worth the premium."

Read Full Review »



Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC (via Chicago Tribune)
Reviewer's rating:  Unspecified

"For 2009 Mercedes-Benz has a trio of 50-state diesel SUVs: the ML, GL and R. Each is called BlueTEC for the technology that injects a special AdBlue fluid into the catalytic converter that reduces oxides of nitrogen to the same levels as gasoline.

We tested the five-passenger ML320 BlueTEC. If you're one of those who remember 5-cent candy bars and glass milk bottles, you'll find things have changed with diesel, too, but for the good. The stink is gone. Stand by the engine or the tailpipe and there's now oil-fume stench or billows of belching smoke.

Then there's the incessant racket that ruled out conversation inside or outside the cabin. It's not totally gone in the ML, but it'sreduced to a muffled chatter.  More than one passenger expressed surprise when told a diesel was under the hood. In fact, Mercedes avoids the "d-word." It doesn't appear anywhere on the outside of the SUV.  Only time you're let in on the secret is when opening the fuel-filler door and seeing the green "diesel fuel only" warning.

But one diesel negative lingers. The sign at the local station read lead-free gas at $1.99, diesel at $2.93. The difference in a fill would be about $25. Still diesel stands out in driving range.

The ML BlueTEC is rated at 24 m.p.g. highway so that 25-gallon tank can take you about 600 miles before a refill.  The ML320 is powered by a 3-liter, 210-horsepower, turbodiesel V-6.  The turbo helps launch the 5,000-pound crossover from from the light and into the passing lane with the same ease as a gas V-6—with a slight, but noticeable, turbo hesitation.

Ride is luxury smooth. The wide-profile 19-inch radials have a big paw print to grip the road.  Our test vehicle came with optional adaptive damping with a "comfort" mode for smooth sailing over pavement or a firm "sport" mode for aggressive moves and off-roading.  On pavement, however, the latter mode transmits every ripple to the seat of your pants.

The ML320 comes with on-demand all-wheel-drive activated when detecting wheel slippage. But there's no low setting for crawling or climbing through unexplored territory.  When off-road or in deep snow, a dash button raises the vehicle several inches.

A new-for-2009 Comand system features a large color screen with an in-dash, six-disc CD changer and a Bluetooth interface for hands-free phoning. Comand can be equipped with an optional iPod/MP3 interface, Sirius satellite radio, HD radio, voice-control system and navi system with real-time traffic info. Mastering the controls takes practice and patience. Lots!

The cabin has good stretch room for people and all their limbs. Cargo space is huge. Rear seats fold flat if you need a massive amount.

Couple gripes include the first-aid kit in the rear cargo wall. Why out of reach? And when in the down position, rear-seat headrests bite passenger backs, which may be why first-aid is needed."

Read Full Review »