Mercedes-Benz GLK facelift

It might have only touched up the outside of its GLK baby off-roader, but Mercedes-Benz has given its interior a thorough cleanout.

Oft-criticized for the feel, quality and even the durability of the GLK’s interior trim, Benz’s designers at Sindelfingen have essentially ripped out the old and crafted in the new.

There is a new dashboard with a wide slash of either alloy or wood to add feeling of width to the cabin. They’ve moved the automatic gearshifter from the traditional PRNDL area in the centre of the console to the ML- and GL-Class zone on the steering column to clear up space in the middle and add a huge central storage area. They’ve torn up all the upholstery, too, fitting new seats and all new materials throughout the cabin.

There is also a new steering wheel, with three spokes and a handful of buttons to make the new entertainment screen and audio system work, along with a new instrument cluster, too, along with optional colour upgrades.

The exterior design guys haven’t been completely indolent, though, with a changed grille, new headlights, optional intelligent headlights, fibre-optic and LED tail lights, new roof rails and new 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheels.

As before, the GLK will hit the showrooms later this year as either a rear- or all-wheel drive, but now comes with start-stop as standard and EU6 compliant diesel engines.

Under the bonnet, the GLK is being launched worldwide — except in Oz — with five versions of the same twin-turbo, 2.2-litre turbo diesel, including the 150kW version, which is the most powerful four-cylinder diesel in the SUV world.

The four-cylinder diesels range from 105kW to 150kW, with three versions of the 125kW motor in the middle, including EU5 and EU6 versions (or BlueEFFICIENCY and BlueTEC in the Mercedes-Benz world).

In its most-humble form, the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel in the GLK 200 CDI, the 105kW motor still punches out 350Nm of torque at just 1200rpm, then it holds it to 2800rpm. It’s not a high-revver, though, with its peak power arriving at 3200rpm and sticking around until 4600rpm. No rocket, it will eventually get the GLK to 100km/h in 10.8 seconds, though it only uses 5.6 litres/100km on the combined fuel-economy cycle.

By comparison, the GLK 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY is more powerful and faster but uses no more fuel. Its torque lifts to 400Nm, its power jumps to 125kW and it reaches 100km/h in a more-respectable 8.7 seconds, though both these base models are only rear-wheel drive.

The all-wheel drive version of the GLK220 BlueTEC has the same pace, but uses about half a litre more per 100km.

The strongest of them, the 150kW LFK250 BlueTEC 4MATIC, reaches 100km/h in eight seconds, but it’s more notable for its in-gear flexibility. With 500Nm of torque from 1600rpm, it promises to have performance available for all situations in all gears, though it only uses 6.1 litres/100km.

Above the diesel four pots is the GLK 350CDI V6 turbo diesel. It’s faster and it’s stronger, hitting 100km/h in 6.4 seconds. The 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel is impressive, with 195kW of power and 620Nm of torque and the price it pays is not huge, with only 6.9 litres/100km on the combined cycle. And it’s only with all-wheel drive.

It will start life with only one petrol engine option, with Benz’s direct-injection 3.5-litre V6 doing service in the GLK 350 4MATIC all-wheel drive. There’s no surprise that it’s the most-powerful engine and highest revving engine in the GLK, with 225kW at 6500rpm, but it pays an expected price in torque.

Where the diesels all thump out big torque, the V6 petrol motor ranks below all but the least-powerful of them, with 370Nm at a relatively high 3500rpm. It still hits 100km/h in 6.5 seconds, but its fuel consumption is higher, with an 8.1 litres/100km figure.

All of the GLKs start life with the seven-speed automatic as standard fit, and Benz has taken measures to help it lower its fuel consumption drag on its engines.

The GLK has not made it to the Australian market due to an oversight by Benz, as we've reported in the past. Four-wheel drive models were developed with no provision for the steering mechanism on the right side of the engine bay, where the front-drive components are located. Benz management in RHD markets kicked up such a fuss that Dr Dieter Zetsche, the head of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, issued an announcement that right-hand drive would be given equal opportunity in future. But we won't be seeing this upgraded GLK in Oz. Local buyers will have to wait for 2015, we're told, before the GLK is likely to be offered.

-- with staff

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