America’s obsession with the SUV isn’t over, but it’s certainly stressed. Knowing this, automotive manufacturers went back to the drawing board to create a new breed of Sport Utes with improved fuel economy, better handling and more refinement, while retaining those traits that created the American SUV love affair in the first place: the ride height, the versatility and the rugged image. With a slew of pint-sized, premium, entry-level SUVs hitting the roads, JEZ takes you behind the wheel of three such models–the Mercedes-Benz GLK, the Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60.
Mercedes-Benz GLK: Sex and the City
Samantha made this small SUV instantly famous as her ride of choice in the hugely popular Sex and the City movie. At just $33,900, the rear-wheel-drive GLK is situated at the bottom of Mercedes’ SUV lineup: smaller and more affordable than the M-Class, GL-Class and the G-Class. If you go with the GLK with all-wheel-drive, however, it goes up to $35,900, bringing it closer to the Audi Q5’s $37,350 starting price. Volvo’s front-wheel-drive XC60 starts at just $32,395, giving it the lowest price of this group.
The GLK is powered by a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 that generates 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Surprisingly, whether equipped with all-wheel-drive or not, the GLK gives up some gas mileage to both the Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60. While the GLK won’t tow the most in this comparison, it is the fastest from zero to 60 mph–but by only a tenth of a second. The GLK was also the best handling SUV in this group, feeling remarkably grounded even during evasive maneuvering.
Current Mercedes-Benz owners will find the interior of the GLK quite familiar. The COMAND joystick controls most functions on the navigation system. The GLK’s interior design feels a little boring, especially when compared to the sexy Swede’s curvaceous center stack. And it doesn’t feel as premium as the Audi Q5’s interior. Overall, however, the GLK’s combination of superb fit and finish, and excellent view of the road (thanks to its steeply raked windshield), make it a comfortable SUV for Atlanta’s crowded highways.