2013 Mercedes-Benz SLK350

The 350 also offers an extra range of special features grouped into four different package options, ranging from $990-$2,500. The Trim Package caters to drivers who like a taste of the antique, with burl walnut wood trim, a wood and leather shift knob, and a wood and leather steering wheel. The Lighting Package extends exterior safety and visibility with adaptive highbeam assist, custom headlamp washers, and bi-xenon headlamps equipped with Mercedes’ custom Active Curve Illumination. Tech and audio enthusiasts will appreciate the 350’s Multimedia Package, which offers an SD card reader, enhanced voice control navigation, SiriusXM traffic and weather, Gracenote media database, and COMAND system that comes with an 80gb hard-drive navigation. The Sport Package is the true essence of the Roadster, with extra athletic body styling, 18-inch AMG high performance 5-spoke alloy wheels, and direct ambient lighting in an illuminating Solar Red shade.

The SLK350 has stiff competition in its segment, butting heads with the 2013 Porsche Boxter in the steering and handling department, and competing with the 2013 BMW Z4 and 2013 Audi TTS Roadster for elegance and design. Drivers who crave a high amount of luxury features in a standard model respond well to the SLK350, while drivers who want an even larger engine sometimes opt for the Corvette. With each model striving for best design, and none of them achieving top marks in every category, buyers have a number of options to choose from.

Style, power, and comfort are in ample supply, but tall drivers may want to reconsider the SLK350, as the cabin can be cramped for long legs, and the hard top may not provide sufficient headroom. Picky drivers may also find the roadster’s steering and brakes a bit softer than other sports cars in the segment, though the overall enjoyment of the drive is uncontested.