Driving

Once perched, the comfort levels and supportiveness of the seats in either rig is a wash. Neither feels overly supple or luxurious, nor did either leave us feeling stiff, sore or fatigued after a long stint behind the wheel.

The view out is better from the little Mercedes, with its boxy profile providing taller side and rear glass. But if you still need help parking, the top-view camera system fitted to the Benz makes positioning the little ute in even the tightest parking spaces a snap.

The rest of the Mercedes COMAND system falls well behind BMW’s vastly superior iDrive infotainment system. The new iDrive enables easy data input through its touch panel atop the rotary dial control without needing to take one’s eyes off the road. The larger display is higher on the dash and offers much better resolution, not to mention more contemporary graphics, giving the BMW a better score here.

2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d engine bay 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d gauges 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d shifter
2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d, engine bay, gauges, shifter. Click image to enlarge

Firing up the diesels, a difference in character once again appears. The Mercedes, with its 2.1L four-cylinder starts, idles and runs along with a distant putter. It’s rated at only 200 hp (3,800 rpm) but a lusty 369 lb-ft of torque from as low as 1,600 rpm. This gives the GLK 250 plenty of oomph to pull away from a stop and execute passing maneuvers safely on the open road. Never will it be mistaken for the GLK 350’s V6, but then, it doesn’t pretend to be.

Mated to the well-spaced 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic transmission, the GLK 250 always seems to be in the right gear to maximize power and efficiency. Paddle shifters are included, though I can’t imagine anyone actually using them.

From the moment the start button is pushed, the BMW’s 1,995 cc four-banger does just that, bangs. And clatters and generally sounds like a small Kubota engine instead of a high-end German car. Both inside and outside, the X3 is notably noisier than the GLK.

The BMW is also down on power, presenting 181 ponies at 4,000 rpm and only 280 lb-ft of torque from 1,750 rpm. As with the Benz, if you don’t get into an X3 28d expecting it to perform like a 35i (or even a 28i) gas engine, you should not be disappointed. The BMW gets around town just fine and has enough power to merge onto the highway without breaking a sweat. When signaling to pass, however, make sure you’ve left a little more space than you would in the GLK, since the power deficit is noticeable at speed.

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 Bluetec 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 Bluetec engine bay 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 Bluetec steering wheel 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 Bluetec gauges
2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 Bluetec, engine bay, steering wheel, gauges. Click image to enlarge

The eight-speed automatic in the BMW optimizes the efficiency of the engine by always having the right ratio available, regardless of speed.

In terms of handling, the GLK exhibited a planted demeanour when we managed to find some lightly traveled back roads with a few curves. Steering feel, too, was surprisingly superior to the X3’s somewhat aloof personality through the wheel. Some of this – and its relative lack of grip on the back roads – is likely due to the Pirelli SottoZero snow tires fitted to our test X3, while the Benz still wore its sportier all-season rubber.

At highway speed, the BMW always seemed a little unsettled, requiring near-constant correction through the wheel. Once again, we’ll give BMW the benefit of the doubt and chalk this up to squishy new winter tire treads. The GLK always felt solid and planted.

Braking for both utes was smooth, linear and sufficient for the type of duty expected in this class of vehicle.

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