Exterior

The GLK350 sported a luxuriously boxy exterior with huge, expressive tires that were the perfect juxtaposition of femininity and gusto. It seemed to be saying, "I could hang with a Land Rover in the mud if I wanted to, but I'd rather hit the spa with a glass of bubbly in hand." I knew we had a lot in common from the get-go.

Next to the seeming lack of head-turning ability, which quite frankly I don't get - it's sharp and unique-looking - I have one other complaint about this car: The door sills on both the front and rear doors are so wide and deep that it was nearly impossible for either me or my children to get in or out without brushing a pant leg on the exterior. I never thought I'd say this, but it's a good thing I reverted to wash-and-wear clothing with the births of my children, or my dry cleaning bill would have been astronomical after a few days in the GLK350; it's hard to be as stylish as Sarah Jessica Parker when everything I own gets thrown into the "mixed-load" cycle alongside Little Mermaid undies.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Groove On

    See also:

    Slippery road surfaces
    WARNING The outside temperature indicator is not designed to serve as an ice-warning device and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. Indicated temperatures just above the freezing point ...

    Limited braking performance on salttreated roads
    WARNING The layer of salt on the brake discs and the brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the braking effect, resulting in a significantly longer braking distance, which could lead to an ...

    Important safety notes
    The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the components on the circuit and their functions stop operating. WARNING Only use fuses approved by Merced ...