Model Year | 2012 | 2020 | |
Model | Mercedes-Benz GLK | Toyota Highlander | |
Engine | 3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 268 hp@6000 258 lb-ft@2400 |
3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 295 hp@6600 263 lb-ft@4700 |
|
Transmission | 7-speed shiftable automatic | 8-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 2,756 mm | 2,850 mm | 0 mm |
Length | 4,529 mm | 4,950 mm | 0 mm |
Width | 1,839 mm | 1,930 mm | 0 mm |
Height | 1,699 mm | 1,730 mm | 0 mm |
Curb Weight | 1,830 kg | 1,964 kg | 0 kg |
Fuel Capacity | 66 L | 68 L | -2 L |
Headroom, Row 1 | 1,011 mm | 1,046 mm | 0 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 1,402 mm | 1,499 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 1,351 mm | 1,453 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 1 | 1,062 mm | 1,067 mm | 0 mm |
Headroom, Row 2 | 1,008 mm | 1,001 mm | 0 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 1,407 mm | 1,491 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 1,334 mm | 1,448 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 2 | 892 mm | 1,041 mm | 891 mm |
Headroom, Row 3 | 0 mm | 917 mm | -917 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 0 mm | 1,397 mm | -1 mm |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 0 mm | 1,158 mm | -1 mm |
Legroom, Row 3 | 0 mm | 704 mm | -704 mm |
Total Legroom | 1,953 mm (over 2 rows) | 2,812 mm (over 3 rows) | -1 mm |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 660 L | 453 L | 207 L |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 23.3 | 1,371 L | 22.3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 1,549 L | 2,387 L | -1 L |
2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
2011 | Expect the GLK to grow when it is next fully redesigned. A smaller MLK is on the way to battle the upcoming Audi Q3 and just-arrived BMW X1. For 2013, the GLK's body structure remains essentially the same, so rear seat knee room remains just sufficient for a man of average height sitting behind another such man. (Headroom, on the other hand, is abundant.) Among competitors, only the Infiniti EX37 has a tighter rear seat. The Audi, BMW, and Volvo all offer knees another inch or three. Seat comfort is debatable. To my bottom, the GLK's seats feel overly firm. Cargo space is similarly short of the segment average. The GLK's 54.7 cubic feet isn't far behind the Audi's 57.3 but well below the X3's 63.3. That truncated tail has a downside beyond aesthetics. But do these shortcomings really matter? For most people nearly all of the time, there's enough space. see full Mercedes-Benz GLK review |
2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2011 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
I have a problem with headroom. So many cars give me less than a half inch from my scalp to the frame on the sunroof. That hurts over bumps, not to mention what my hair looks like when I get out. GLK has over an inch of space for me. see full Mercedes-Benz GLK review |
2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr SUV turbocharged 168hp 2.1L I4 Diesel 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
We are a couple with no kids and we rarely have visitors so the cramped rear seating is not a problem. Someone with teenage kids will want to seriously reconsider before getting a GLK. I know my Mom would not appreciate the ingress/egress ease as she has some limited mobility. see full Mercedes-Benz GLK review |
2011 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
If you are 6' plus like me, you will have to adjust the front seat forward if you want passengers to ride with you unless they are quite small. But this is a perfect city hauler for a single or couple. see full Mercedes-Benz GLK review |
2020 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
With each redesign (for 2008, 2014, and 2020) Toyota has enlarged the Highlander, yet the crossover's third-row seat remains uncomforably low and tight. For adults to be even passably comfortable in the way-back the second row must be slid forward, rendering legroom there also marginal. Some three-row crossovers have much roomier and more comfortable third-row seats. But if you want to be able to squeeze in eight people, Highlanders with a second-row bench can do this. Because they have significantly narrower third-row seats, the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento cannot fit three people back there even in a pinch, so in hybrid form the former has a maximum capacity of seven people and the latter only six. (The Sorento PHEV will be able to seat seven.) This noted, if you want your adult passengers to have plenty of room, the practical capacity of each is four people. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2020 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2020 | 4dr SUV 295-horsepower 3.5L V6 8-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
The 3rd row seating is just not for adults at all, and I'm not certain that children would be easy to fit back there as well. I'm not sure what Toyota was thinking, even making the 2020 longer didn't make any difference at all. My one complaint is it is just TOO SMALL! see full Toyota Highlander review |