For 2013 the Mercedes Benz GLK gets a whole lot of updates plus a new GLK250 BlueTEC diesel model. A little more glamorous and mature but a little less performance oriented than most of what is available in the smaller luxury crossover market; it sold just under 25,000 copies last year. The 2.1-liter four cylinder GLK250 diesel produces an output of 190 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque and could easily be the next big thing in the luxury crossover world.

The refreshed GLK has close to 1,000 new parts but overall is not drastically different from previous models. The car’s chrome trim is a little overboard – it girds the front bumper intake, almost like a faux grille guard. LED headlights join the lower string along the bumper. The redesigned dashboard features a broad expanse of wood trim, while the GLK’s automatic gearshift adopts Mercedes’ electronic column shifter. The steering wheel is classier than last year’s molded three-spoke design.

The GLK is still a small SUV, measuring a few inches shorter than competitors from Audi, BMW, Cadillac and Lexus. As far as cargo volume is concerned it offers 54.7 cubic feet of space. The Lexus RX, in comparison, has more than 80 cubic feet.