

Mercedes-Benz GLK Brand Reputation: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2013 | The smaller the Mercedes, the more heavily it tends to trade on the three-pointed star. So the #1 reason to consider a GLK250 carries over from the GLK350 review (text from the previous review in italics): I don't personally put much stock in brands, with cars or anything else. But each time I have a Mercedes-Benz for a week the continuing power of the marque has been unavoidable. Audi and BMW now command similar prices, but haven't yet acquired the same mystique. They probably never will for people born before 1980. Until the final years of the twentieth century, Audis were largely ignored as troublesome, modestly upgraded VWs and BMW was mostly known for the compact, still semi-affordable 3-Series. Neither could hold a candle to the company that invented the mass-produced automobile and that has been strongly associated with large, top-shelf automobiles ever since. Gayla (the site's programmer, my wife) is not a car person. Her take on the GLK: "Of course it's a good car, it's a Mercedes." Some of my friends who are more into cars--and who own competing makes--similarly employ a different tone when asking about "the Mercedes." They could afford one, so why don't they own one? Partly because the brand's mystique cuts both ways. They're not interested in making such a strong status statement. Can even a compact crossover make a strong status statement? Mercedes-Benz has done its best to make this so--check out the size of the three-pointed star on the GLK's grille. see full Mercedes-Benz GLK review |
Mercedes-Benz GLK Brand Reputation: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Trickle-down reputation from the more expensive M-Bs. see full Mercedes-Benz GLK review |
Ford Fusion Brand Reputation: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.5L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD |
I have purchased Fords for most of my 45 yrs of driving and have always marveled by their reliablity. I never get rid of a car with under 100K miles and the Fords I have owned have never had any major problems in this range. see full Ford Fusion review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan 221-horsepower 3.0L V6 6-speed automatic FWD |
Their working on it . see full Ford Fusion review |
Ford Fusion Brand Reputation: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
worried about long term reliability see full Ford Fusion review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 160-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed automatic FWD |
Not "Fusion" but, "Ford". Most of the time when I tell people what I drive, they cringe, make jokes, or both. see full Ford Fusion review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan 160-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
I bought it because it shares a lot with mazda6, else i would never considered it see full Ford Fusion review |