2009 Mercedes Benz SLK

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Exterior - What the Auto Press Says

Refreshed for the 2009 model-year, critics compare the SLK with Formula 1 race cars, as well as the SLK's infamous sibling, the SLR McLaren. The SLK features an automatic retractable hard-top.

"For 2009, all models get new shoes and a nose job -- trimmed back a bit, with the wings fleshed out for a more Formula 1 look. Larger mesh in the grille and redesigned foglamps round out the front-end revisions. The back has been cleaned up, too; taillamps are now tinted, exhaust tips are squared off, and the accent lines have been rubbed out. The lower valence has been styled to look like a diffuser." -- Motor Trend

• "With retractable hardtop in place, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class is virtually indistinguishable from a conventional two-seat coupe." -- Edmunds
• "The SLK350 makes an interesting visual statement. The car has a bulge running down the middle of the hood that recalls the SLR McLaren, Mercedes' supercar, and the large three-pointed star draws your attention to the grille." -- Cars.com
• "The SLK thankfully keeps its muscular looks and its gee-whiz folding hardtop, which makes it easier to justify as a four-season car." -- About.com
• "[T]he SLK remains arguably one of the best-looking two-seaters on the road. Celebrate Mercedes for allowing its least expensive convertible to look very, very similar to models that cost three times as much, and not entirely dissimilar to the half-million dollar SLR McLaren." -- Car and Driver
• "See, now that Mercedes has made numerous changes to the SLK's mechanical bits and interior quality, its biggest problem is its image. My friend Sarah said the SLK looked like a car for lawyers' wives. My friend Scott, her boyfriend, said it made me look like the lawyer's boyfriend. Ouch." -- Automobile Magazine