PORTLAND, Ore. — It’s amazing how fast cars age these days. Or so it seems. The Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster is an example. It feels just like yesterday when we first took possession of an SLK with its amazing hardtop roof that powered back into the trunk for instant open-air motoring.
We liked the original Mercedes M-class sport utility vehicle.
It performed as a luxury mid-sized SUV was expected to perform with decent though not brilliant performance in its base V-6 engine and satisfying power from its V-8 option. Decent on-road manners and a modicum of off-road prowess seemed about right for an upscale vehicle that seldom left the pavement. And maybe best of all for the suburban crowd, it had a car-like ride.
Astonishingly, it turned out to be enough to get us on the road with the radio tuned to our favorite satellite station and the climate control regulating the interior temperature at 72 degrees.
The guy who delivered the Mercedes-Benz S550 was very thorough considering he was interrupted several times with our questions.
There is a reason the E-Class sedan is annually one of Mercedes-Benz’s best selling nameplates. The E-Class is the comfort food of automobiles.
A quick 60-mile trip to the airport and an equally furious trip back home were accomplished in the quiet comfort of a 2007 E350. The car was unobtrusive with its steady performance, outstanding braking and point-and-shoot steering and performed its tasks with an impeccable demeanor.
If and when you purchase automotive entry-level luxury north of $30,000 you would expect your car to have a luxury persona from the way it looks inside and out and from the way it drives and performs.
Mercedes-Benz has brought its class act to the compact luxury crossover segment. The German automaker is late to the party, but its entry — the 2010 GLK350 — is enticing from styling to build quality to abundant features, and that’s good.
