Test drive Mercedes Benz GLK class X204 since 2008 SUV

All photos of the Mercedes Benz GLK class X204 since 2008

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Not every car will get from point A to point B if the Alps between them. Slippery. Dangerous. Mercedes-Benz presented in Austria a new GLK, providing journalists from the Russian Federation with the opportunity to find the German-Austrian border, ride along snow-covered passes, and at the same time guaranteed other Stuttgart format cars along the Austrian land.
From Munich Airport to the Austrian Innsbruck several hours of driving. It is good to the Germans: the speed on the autobahns is not limited only if the signs are not prescribed to slow down for various (usually objective) reasons. For example, road works or an uneven road. However, 99% of Russian asphalt would be considered here, but if it weren’t for countries with defective roads, the Germans might have not come up with formatics - the Stuttgart full -wheel drive system itself. With the advent of the GLK class, four wheels are driven by 51 models of cars in the ruler. In the Innsbruck, in the parking lot at the airport there were a dozen Mercedes-Benz tests, which were united by 4matic nameplate. But there were no compact crossovers: their test organizers were saved on a sweet, for a snowy alpine route around the gorge. In the meantime, I took the keys to the CL500, and under the Russian -speaking (I was also surprised) the leadership of the onboard navigation system went to Hokhgurgl.

It was there, in paradise for snowboarders and skiers, that the maximum GLK density was discovered per square kilometer of the Austrian tyrol. A narrow winding road leads there, on which two medium-sized SUVs do not barely touch each other with mirrors. Every now and then, the highway wriggles so that the angle of rotation does not exceed even 30 degrees about which the Austrian authorities warn with signs a speed of not more than 60 km/h. Right before the very closed turn, the Austrians are completely alarming: the overtaking sign is prohibited. And, most importantly, local Kamikadze initiatively comply with these signs

Snow there, in the Alps, is surprisingly white. It is as if it is produced in a factory, where super -precise equipment constantly controls the color temperature: only 6500 and neither Kelvin is more or less. Even the imprints of the non -navigated tires did not leave dirty traces on it. By the way, it was possible to stay on snowy alpine tracks, kindly prepared by the organizers of the test drive only thanks to good tires and a reliable all-wheel drive system. However, friction tires felt well in the snow, but suffered from weak braking and a tendency to scream. Therefore, the responsibility for formatics was special.

In GLK, a whole detachment of electronic systems is responsible for the stability of movement on various coatings: ESP (stabilization), ASR (anti -circus) and 4ets (distribution of torque). In the standard, the basic distribution of torque between the front and rear axle is 45:55. But the moment can be distributed from 30:70 to 70:30. Thus, GLK always has all -wheel drive this scheme is not so economical, but reliable and inspires confidence even on the edge of the cliff. High in the Alps on a narrow highway on one side of which is a break, I was not afraid to drown the pedal into the floor: the electronics allowed exactly so many Newton meters to the wheels so that they spin not in idle, but directed the crossover in the right direction.

The process of emergency stop was alert. On a heavily snowy road, due to the turn towards me, two Germans raised me, accidentally falling on a closed highway. My speed is about 60 km/h. The surprise forced the brake to drown before the ABS is triggered, but the slowdown did not almost never happen. Intermittent braking, tires and all -wheel drive helped me to take the car to the side and go around the oncoming ones dumbfounded from the surprise

The center differential in the 4Matic system has a friction double -disc cloud, which develops a blocking force of about 50 Nm. In an unlotted state, the discs are constantly pressed with a spring, but if one or both wheels begin to slip on one of the axes, then the discs are set in motion, and part of the torque is redistributed to the axis where the wheels rotate more slowly.

Active driving fans will evaluate the property of Stuttgart electronics: the systems are configured to interfere at the very last moment, letting the driver enjoy the demolition, skidding and for a second a feeling of losing the clutch with the road. A meter from a two -kilometer abyss, I did not dare to turn off the ESP system, but I realized that it was my actions that directed it and removed it from slipping. The only drawback of such freedom is tangible screening and departments from a straight line: it was necessary to steer and often steer.

A much more serious SUV came out of GLK than from most competitors for the recently created segment. In many ways, of course, thanks to the constancy of all -wheel drive. But no blocks-drives-drives are so attracted as external authenticity to the class of all-past expenses. Therefore, for GLK they made a package consisting of decorative and technical solutions that create an integral image of the SUV. The Off-Road switch on the central console increases patency when off-road movement if the model is included in the Off-Road Engineering Package. In this case, the electronic control unit changes the transmission algorithm of automatic transmission 7G-Tronic, reduces the sensitivity of the gas pedal and activates the off-road operating mode ABS and 4ets. The switch to the central console can also be transferred to the DSR position (speed adjustment when descent from the slope). In this mode, the speed of 4 to 18 km/h will automatically maintain when moving down. The speed of descent can be adjusted by the driver with the help of the left steering lever of the cruise control. The SUV is visible in GLK even from the side: cars with Off-Road package can be recognized by gray plastic in bumpers, two (instead of three) lamella radiator lattices, as well as metal sills under the side doors