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Photography and Words by:  Jeff White

Let’s keep this short and sweet. This car has been reviewed by many people. I just recently got a chance to drive it for the first time myself and I must say, this is by far the best Mustang ever made. 

Why do I say this?

Because it does everything well. Yes, everything. It steers well, brakes well, it’s comfortable, the engine has plenty of power for street driving, the suspension, with its independent rear suspension finally makes the Mustang feel like it’s riding on the road, and I must say, those looks, god damn those looks. It’s the best looking Mustang since the 1st one.

Now, I know what you’re saying, a Ford Mustang, really? Look, I’ve driven pretty much every generation of Mustang and I’ve owned more different Mustangs than probably your average earthling. Hell, I even have a Ford Mustang old school jacket. I don’t wear it that much anymore but that’s neither here nor there. I think my Mustang resume makes me more than capable of claiming that this is probably the best Mustang ever made. Throw your emotions out the window and just look at the spec sheet, drive it, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Now available in the JAW Industries store is the Entry, Apex, Exit Tshirt. It comes in Red, Blue, Charcoal, and Marine Green. Get it while supplies last.

http://jawindustries.bigcartel.com

Photography and Words by: Jeff White

Does everyone remember that early ‘90’s Ford Explorer? You know, the square one. The one from Jurassic Park. Well I definitely remember it. I remember there was a guy that my family knew that we used to go camping with. He had one with the Eddie Bauer package. I remember at the time that it was pretty sweet. Well that was a long time ago. 

Those first Explorers were pretty much Ford Rangers with 4 doors, no truck bed, and done up to be a little more luxurious. So pretty much, they handled like a heavier Ford Ranger.

Fast forward about 20 years and now you have Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Chevy, Ford, Cadillac, etc., all involved in one upping each other when it comes to small SUV’s. 

The problem when it comes to small SUV’s is that they need to be extremely well at multi-tasking. Because if you wanted to just get the best handling, people carrying vehicle out there, you would just get a car. If you wanted to get a vehicle to haul stuff around, you would just get a truck. The SUV needs to do many jobs, and do them very well, and this becomes somewhat of an issue because any time you have a vehicle wear multiple hats, compromises must be made.

Well I’m here to tell you that they are getting very good at compromising these days. 

The vehicle I’m here to tell you about is the 2013 Mercedes GLK 350 4MATIC. 

This specific one was equipped with the 3.5L V6 that makes 302 HP and 273 lb-ft of torque. It also has a 7-speed automatic outfitted with paddle shifters so you can select the gear you want when you damn well please. The other engine option available for this model is the 4-cylinder Blue-Tec Turbo Diesel with 200 HP and 369 lb-ft of torque.

This is the second biggest SUV that Mercedes offers in the US so that puts it inline with about the C-Class when it comes where it lands on the Class hierarchy at Mercedes. There are three other options above this one which of course come in a lot pricier.

This one with the Premium package and 4MATIC puts it about $47k before tax and license. In my opinion I say ditch the Premium package and if you don’t need the 4MATIC, just get the AMG package and call it a day. 

I would guess that most people purchasing this specific model of SUV from Mercedes aren’t going to be doing any crazy terrain driving with it. But just in case you live in a snowy climate, or a climate with heavy rain, the 4MATIC is a good way to go.

I found the interior to be very comfortable. The very first thing I noticed about it was the sound when you close the door. Man I love that sound. It’s so solid. Mercedes should definitely think about trademarking that or something. The steering wheel feels nice to the touch with its leather wrapping and it felt good in my hands. To me that’s very important so its something I always mention when I find it.

Everything is laid out so its easy to find and there seemed to be plenty of storage space for everything that you would have to put somewhere. 

I was able to find a comfortable driving position. I just wish they used better seats. Not that they are uncomfortable or anything but I found that I slid around from side to side a bit while cornering.

The back seats fold down and make plenty of room for 4 legged passengers or that Christmas tree you find the need to pick up.

The dash is just the right size. Nothing more annoying than having more dash then you really need.

Now to talk about the most important part. The Driving.

It doesn’t feel like you’re driving an SUV. In fact it feels very car like. I stopped at a light next to a Ford Edge and felt smaller than it. 

The engine feels adequate when it comes to power and the sound isn't all that bad, which I was somewhat surprised about. My only complaint about the drivetrain would be that when using the paddles to shift, the shifts just don't happen as quickly as I would like them. Something I'm sure they will work on in the future. 

On the road it handles very well. The steering adjusts as you drive so in parking lots it is very light and as you go faster it firms up. Some times this can lead to a disconnected feeling from the front wheels but not in the case of the GLK 350. It felt very direct when I needed it to.

The suspension is equipped with what Mercedes calls Agility Control. From what their website says this means that it adjusts the suspension based on terrain and your driving style. I threw it into corners and I’m not going to claim that it handled like a Porsche 911 or anything but it definitely did a good job of preventing excess body roll.

I drove it on windy roads and I also drove it off road in some sand and some gravel. We didn’t get stuck so to me it did just fine. The 4MATIC adjusts where it sends its torque so you always have the traction where you need it.

Styling wise to me it looks like a Mercedes. I think that’s a good thing cause it is one. I tend to like boxy, edgy looking vehicles like this and that seems to be what Mercedes likes also. I also like the look of the long nose. This thing looks bigger in pictures than it is in person. It’s like magic.

For more on this vehicle, you can check out my video review where I answer some very important questions about it and put it through its paces.