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:

    Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or selector lever
    •► Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use leather care agents that have been recommended and approved by Mercedes- Benz. ...

    Downhill gradients
    On long and steep gradients, you must reduce the load on the brakes by shifting early to a lower gear. This allows you to take advantage of the engine braking effect and helps avoid overheati ...

    Panic alarm
    ► To activate: press button 1 for at least one second. An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting flashes. ► To deactivate: press button 1 again. or ► Insert the SmartKe ...