Details of Cars

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class: the compact boxy crossover

MERCEDES-BENZ

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class X204
Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class (X204). Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class, model code X204, is a compact luxury crossover SUV produced from 2008 to 2015. Its name stands for Geländewagen Luxus Kompaktklasse, and it was replaced by the GLC in 2015.

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class at a glance

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class key facts
Model code X204
Production 2008–2015
Debut 2008 Beijing Auto Show
Platform W204 C-Class
Design influence Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Drive at launch 4MATIC all-wheel drive; rear-wheel drive added later
Early German models GLK 220 CDI, GLK 320 CDI, GLK 280 and GLK 350, all 4MATIC
Concepts of 2008 Vision GLK Freeside and Vision GLK Townside
Successor GLC from 2015
Not sold in right-hand-drive markets such as Britain and Australia

This article is based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class.

History of the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class

Two concept cars appeared in 2008: the Vision GLK Freeside, designed for light off-road use, and the Vision GLK Townside, meant for the road only. The Freeside combined cues from the original G-Class with the contemporary passenger-car range and used a 2.2-litre BlueTec diesel of 170 PS, a seven-speed 7G-Tronic gearbox, 4MATIC, Pre-Safe, the Intelligent Light System, Comand APS, a rear-seat entertainment system and three-zone climate control. It was shown at the 2008 Detroit show.

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class X204, rear view
GLK-Class from the rear. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The production car was unveiled at Auto China 2008 and its design was heavily influenced by the C-Class, whose W204 platform it shared. European sales began on 30 June 2008 with deliveries that autumn, starting with the GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC BlueEfficiency, GLK 320 CDI 4MATIC, GLK 280 4MATIC and GLK 350 4MATIC. The Edition 1 cars, based on the V6 models, added a sports package, 20-inch wheels, an Easy-Pack tailgate, nappa leather from designo, an AMG steering wheel and the Comand APS system. More models, including the GLK 300 4MATIC and GLK 250 CDI 4MATIC BlueEfficiency, arrived in 2009.

At launch in Germany and North America the car was offered only with all-wheel drive, with a rear-wheel-drive version added later. It was not sold in right-hand-drive markets such as the United Kingdom and Australia: the driveshaft for the front wheels of the 4WD versions occupied the space needed by the steering column. In 2015 the GLK was replaced by the GLC, following the new naming scheme in which the letter after GL links the SUV to the corresponding car class.

Design and features

  • C-Class basis: the W204 platform and much of its design language.
  • Angular styling: a deliberately boxy look recalling the G-Class.
  • 4MATIC first: all-wheel drive at launch, with rear-wheel drive later.
  • Concept pair: the Freeside and Townside studies of 2008.

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class versions

  • GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC: the four-cylinder diesel.
  • GLK 320 CDI 4MATIC: the V6 diesel.
  • GLK 280 and GLK 350 4MATIC: V6 petrol models.
  • GLK Edition 1: a launch special with 20-inch wheels and designo leather.
  • Rear-wheel-drive GLK: added after launch.

The GLK was replaced by the GLC and sits below the GL-Class, using the C-Class platform. More in the Mercedes-Benz collection.

Video: Mercedes-Benz GLK offroad 2013

Video by YouTube on YouTube.

Sources

More from MERCEDES-BENZ