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Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2013GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.8× usual
133 serious complaints of 146, the most about air bags (102) and steering (8); per car on the road, 0.8× this model's usual year.
What owners report
“Takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 mercedes-benz glk350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v043000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Aug 2018
“Out of no where when I cranked my car the airbag light came on in my car. I took it to have a diagnostic test done and the report shows short circuit at steering gear and driver air bag squib. When I look up my make and model a previous recall for driver airbag comes up, but it's not assigned to my specific vin.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the steering, Mar 2024
146 owner complaints · 0 recalls · EPA combined: 21–27 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2013 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel; 3.5L 6-cyl · Drive: 4WD, RWD
2013 GLK trims
| GLK250 BLUETEC 4MATIC | GLK350 | GLK350 4-MATIC |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Mercedes-Benz reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Mercedes-Benz aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 20–27 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 133 | Air bags (91) | — |
| 2014 | 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 21–27 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 126 | Air bags (78) | — |
| 2013 | 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 21–27 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 146 | Air bags (102) | — |
| 2012 | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 171 | Air bags (136) | — |
| 2011 | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 134 | Air bags (92) | — |
| 2010 | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 241 | Air bags (149) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 6 | 133 |
| 2015 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR 4WD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 6 | 133 |
| 2014 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-CLASS 4 DR 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 6 | 126 |
| 2014 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-CLASS 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 6 | 126 |
| 2013 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 7 | 146 |
| 2013 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 7 | 146 |
| 2012 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 171 |
| 2012 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 171 |
| 2011 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 134 |
| 2011 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 134 |
| 2010 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4-DR w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 241 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | GLK250 Bluetec 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 4 cyl, 2.1 L, Diesel, Turbo | 27 |
| 2015 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21–22 |
| 2015 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions |
20–21 |
| 2014 | GLK250 Bluetec 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 4 cyl, 2.1 L, Diesel, Turbo | 27 |
| 2014 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
21–22 |
| 2014 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21 |
| 2013 | GLK250 Bluetec 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 4 cyl, 2.1 L, Diesel, Turbo | 27 |
| 2013 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21 |
| 2013 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21 |
| 2012 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2012 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2011 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2011 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2010 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2010 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.