dwbf11

For a thorough review of the 2010-2012 model GLK, check out drzoidberg's excellent writeup in Car Renting Reviews. The 2013 GLK has been mildly refreshed and updated so I figured this should get its own ride report thread.

I just rented a 2013 GLK 350 4MATIC for the weekend. Mine came in Steel Grey Metallic (+$720) over black MB-tex leatherette with burl wood trim. Mine also came with the Premium 1 package (+$3450) for an as-rented MSRP price of $44,165. It had 200 miles at pickup so I was probably the second or third renter. I received it on a G reservation after the only other Premiums available (including the one assigned to me) reeked of tobacco.

For 2013, M-B added a few features not found on the car reviewed by Dr. Z above, including an engine stop-start function (it can be disabled, but it is not obtrusive like the BMW system) and brake hold feature which applies the brakes automatically at stoplights.

On the plus side, the ride was fantastic and it soaked up NYC's pockmarked excuse for infrastructure with ease. Plenty of power but gas mileage was not terrible (about 18 MPG average for the city, 23 on the highway, on a non-broken in engine). I found myself missing the heated seats especially, but as a stand alone option, I am not surprised that fleet buyers are not ticking that box. I was also impressed with the small footprint of the car but relatively spacious interior (I disagree with most major magazines and Dr. Z on this point - we did not find the space to be too small). We were able to fit 5 normal size adults in, each with luggage, with only minimal discomfort and no compromise on visibility. Base audio was OK and the 6-month Sirius trial was still active. The standard halogen headlights gave off excellent light though I would have preferred xenons (the Lighting Package is another option box not being checked off here).

Mine did NOT have the COMAND system which was a serious shortcoming. I found the operating system clunky and unintuitive, and the screen was much too small. (Sorry, Dr. Z, I have to disagree with your analysis on that point as well.) I found the gauges hard to read, even if the small black numbers against the silver were quite handsome in appearance. Thankfully, the speed can also be displayed on the large central color LCD screen inside the speedometer. I found that the buttons were hard to read, especially at night, and lacked sufficient illumination; there is no "dimmer" for the button brightness, only for the LCD screen, which gave the options of "Day," "Night," or "Auto." This was quite annoying as the buttons turning on at all was left entirely up to the car - even turning the headlights to "On" from "Auto" did not turn on the interior gauge lights. I'm not the only one with this complaint, as apparently many folks on the Mercedes forums complain of the same problem. I also did not appreciate that the car had the nav controls built in (including a button on the radio) but no actual nav capability. That's pretty inexcusable, IMO, for a car costing this much. Not hard to put in a switch blank there, but I suppose that is cost cutting at it's finest!

Helpful tip, you can tell the 2013's from the 2012's by the presence of LED strips in the lower front fascia. 2012's have round fog lights. Overall this was not a bad rental, and I'd probably get one again.

A further word of caution, however, as mine was labeled as being Neverlost equipped but it did not actually have Neverlost (which was fine by me). Make sure you aren't charged for it if the car doesn't have it!

drzoidberg

Wow, you were able to rent the 2013 GLK?! Lucky duck. Absolutely deserving of its own thread.

What does the slight decrease in number "GLK320" vs. "GLK350" signify?

It seems the fuel economy has been significantly improved for 2013.

dwbf11

That was a typo by me. It was, in fact, a GLK 350.

I think the stop/start did help the gas mileage significantly. Because of its sensitivity you can be stopped for as short as 5 seconds and it will turn the motor off. I also kept a fairly light foot on it, since this isn't exactly a stoplight racer.

drzoidberg

Is the start/stop implementation as noticeable as BMW's?

jbcarioca

I have driven them both extensively. IME MB's is a trifle less obtrusive, but neither is as smooth as the Toyota hybrids are.

I have not driven the stripped version of the 2013 GLK350. My experience is in ones that were loaded including Parktronic and cameras everywhere plus adaptive cruise control. Obviously these were not US models, but oddly neither was a diesel.

I am a sucker for lots of gimmicks and I like the adaptive cruise control which seems better balanced in the 2013's than it was last year. They both were about equal with the BMW 525d I last drove with it, a 2012 model.

Right now I am debating about buying one of the MB GLK 350's or a Range Rover Evoque.

I currently drive a BMW X1 2.8xi and want something smoother, less inconsistent in shifting and less arcane for satnav and with less snotty service as well. To be candid I detest the BMW and wish I'd not bought it.

dwbf11

The start/stop in this was much less obnoxious than the system on a 520D I rented for a week in Germany.

@JBcarioca, you may want to check out the recent Car and Driver comparo on the mini-SUVs in this class.

and this review of the GLK

jbcarioca

I have read the C&D and a couple of others. Not all the reviewers shares my tastes, but they're informative all the same.

IME, the BMW gasoline start-stop might be smoother than the diesel ones. All of them, if I believe what I read, are getting better quickly.

elCheapoDeluxe

I think there may be a mistake on the engine. I'm pretty sure the GLK got the new 300+ hp 3.5L direct injection engine sometime in the last year or two just like the C350 did.

TWH

Slightly off topic but I'm amazed how many people seem to hate stop/start systems on these forums! I've not driven US spec beemers so can't say for sure, but I've got a diesel 3 series and have driven audis with stop start as well, and I love the stop/start. It was weird at first, which is maybe why I've seen so many complaints about it on here as people only have it for a few days, but now when I drive a car without it, it just seems odd. The improvement on economy is significant for any town/traffic driving, and this is on a car that already averages over 45mpg. I think unfortunately that you're never going to get it being seemless so you don't notice it - the only reason hybrids seem that way is that they are tiny petrol engines so there's no real inertia for the system to overcome, once you're dealing with a decent size engine that turns out a lot more power, there's always going to be a noticeable shake when the car starts up, but as I say I think it's just a case of it seeming foreign as it's not something that we're yet used to in cars.

elCheapoDeluxe

I think the other advantage that hybrids have is that they can get the car rolling electrically while still starting the engine. The shudder is less noticeable once the car has some rolling momentum (think of the tires as gyroscopes).

jbcarioca

I love stop-start! Some are better than others but I like them all. I like them most when I buy fuel. People who hate them sometimes live in very hot climate ands don't like the A/C stopping while the engine stops, but taht doesn't bother me either, the fan continues and the coils do retain cool for long enough to serve the typical stop light.

MVF Trekker

Just curious but would this model be part of the Prestige collection and how many points would be required for redemption?

Beckles

So, this raises a question I have on a GLK (2012) I currently have rented, if I search MCO inventory the GLK is a Prestige Collection vehicle. Now, on this particular rental I had actually reserved the Cadillac/Infiniti SUV (SRX/QX60/QX70), also a Prestige Collection that is priced lower. After arriving at the garage on the side with baggage claim for my flight I found the board telling me to head to the other side. Considering I had wife, two babies, and all the assorted trappings of such an entourage in tow I had no desire to cross the terminal to get my car, and Hertz knew darn well what airline I came in on. I asked for a car on the side I was on and the guy asked if a GLK was okay, I agreed knowing it was a more expensive Prestige Collection option.

However, the one I received had neither Neverlost or active satellite radio, and my understanding is that Prestige Collection vehicles are supposed to come with both. The keytag shows it's an H4 class, and I'm wondering do they have both Prestige and non-Prestige versions of the same vehicle?

Regardless, I hope I get the random survey after this rental, but will let them know what I think of this no matter what.

drzoidberg

Holy cow, Hertz is still renting 2012 GLKs?

AndDee

Yes they should have both!

"• Complimentary NeverLost® In-Car Navigation System and SIRIUS® or XM® Satellite Radio in the US and Canada."

Generally Hertz forgets to active/pay for Sirius/XM after the 3/6/12 month trial has finished.

I always check Sirius/XM is working before I leave the rental lot, but that's hard in locations such as LAS/SFO where it's undercover and Sirius/XM may not work!