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Mercedes took advantage of being the last automaker to show their new vehicles on Wednesday’s Press Day, by wrapping three of them in Christmas presents and unveiling them one by one.

The first, and the most important gift was the official introduction of the Mercedes GLK, the automaker’s all-new, small sport/utility vehicle. Handsome, with chiseled lines and a boxy look, the GLK may seem out of place during these days of avoiding all things SUV. Mercedes indicated as much, but stressed that the GLK is the perfect transition vehicle from the big SUV that their competitors sell (think Cadillac Escalade) to something that is smaller and more responsible.

The 2010 Mercedes GLK will begin to arrive in dealer showrooms this December, but become available to customers in January. Offered in both two and four wheel drive, the base two wheel model will retail for $33,900 while the 4MATIC version will start at $35,900. Mercedes said that when these prices were announced to their dealer group, everyone broke out in applause. In better days, price wouldn’t have mattered, but those days have since passed by and dealers know that customers are looking for value.

Mercedes has stressed that the GLK is not a smaller version of the GL rather that the vehicle is an original design sitting on its own platform. The GLK seats five passengers who benefit from its three-point inertia-reel seatbelt technology which includes electronically controlled belt tensioners that tighten up in the split second before an accident occurs.

Side impact airbags are standard, essentially a curtain that descends between the A and C pillars to protect front and rear passengers. Anti-lock brakes, brake assist, adaptive braking, electronic stability control, and traction control is standard on every GLK model.

Inside, Mercedes added the usual luxury touches to the GLK and some sensible ones too. The top of the dashboard is black, which reduces glare, while the rest of the dash, center stack and glove box are of the interior color chosen by the customer. Air vents and controls blend into the upper part of the dash as does the instrument panel.

The center stack holds controls for the climate and audio systems as well as control for other systems including the heated seats. MP3 connectivity is found inside of the glove box where a power socket and plug is located. A 7 inch display, what Mercedes calls COMAND navigation, features a map of all of North America with turning instructions included when called upon for directions.

Under the hood, it is V6 power only for the GLK. A 24 valve 3.5L V6 engine that produces 268 horsepower with 258 lb.-feet of torque is paired with Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic transmission. Together, these components provide exceptional power and just the right fuel economy for a vehicle in its class.

I liked the looks of the GLK and can see where it’ll give Acura, Lexus, Infiniti, BMW, and Volvo a run for its money. As far as the other two gifts go, they were limited production cars including a $299,000 AMG model that will see only 350 produced in 2009. As for me, I’d go with the GLK if I was looking for an entry level luxury sport/utility vehicle something Mercedes hopes car buyers will do in abundance in 2009.

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