Mercedes SLK 250 CDI, road test (Equipment, prices and assessment)

We have reached the end of the test of this roadster. For a few weeks our protagonist has been the Mercedes SLK with the 204 CV diesel engine. All the information about the engine, performance or behaviour of the SLK we covered in the first part of the test.

What surprises most is the consumption, on the road it hovers around 5 litres per 100 km. In the second part we reviewed the exterior design, with the new front end that is the most distinctive feature, and we also looked at the interior, from the roominess for two occupants to the quality of the finish and the boot.

In this third part we will focus on the standard equipment, reviewing the safety features, and also those optional elements that our test unit had and that we found interesting. Finally, we will put the final full stop on this test by reviewing the prices and our overall assessment of the Mercedes SLK 250 CDI.

Equipment

We start our review with the safety equipment fitted as standard on any Mercedes SLK. The specification in this respect is quite complete, and we can find items such as: front and side airbags, roll-over protection bars, stability control, head airbag, tyre pressure loss warning, adaptive brake light (when it detects an emergency stop the brake lights flash).

We cannot compare with EuroNCAP results since the last test carried out on an SLK dates from 2002. This model is not the same, and there are also new safety improvements and new passive safety devices (such as the curtain airbag). That said, already in 2002 it enjoyed four stars.

Now that we know the safety equipment of the Mercedes SLK, it is time to review the rest of the equipment. Within the standard equipment, this roadster adds items such as: basic Bluetooth, cruise control, CD-MP3 radio with colour screen and USB/AUX sockets, light sensor, electric mirrors, electric parking brake, among other elements.

The list of optional items is very extensive; among all of them, we will highlight some that our test unit had. The first thing that surprises is the analogue clock, located on the upper part of the dashboard. That clock is an extra (244 euros), something that should be standard.

An interesting feature if we are going to use the SLK in winter is the Airscarf system, which keeps us warm even on a cold winter day; it is a heating system that blows warm air out of the seat at the height of our neck.

The navigation system Command has been updated; now, if you connect a device that has data (a smartphone, for example), you can navigate from the car. This is something premium brands are incorporating into their respective multimedia systems.

Price

• SLK 250 CDI 204 CV 46,612 euros
• SLK 200 184 CV 43,374 euros
• SLK 250 204 CV 47,822 euros
• SLK 350 306 CV 58,543 euros
• SLK 55 AMG 84,488 euros

Overall Assessment

We have reached the end of this test of the Mercedes SLK with some aspects that surprised us during the test. The first is the break with petrol rear-wheel drive in this type of model, does a good roadster really have to be petrol?

This diesel engine has convinced us with its power, with its 204 CV and the torque it delivers, we will not be short of strength or liveliness, and it has also convinced us with its consumption figures. We actually came close to 1,000 km on a single tank. On the other side of the scale is the smoothness that a petrol engine offers, and the noise (an aspect to watch, in our opinion, on the SLK 250 CDI).

That the Mercedes SLK is a indulgence should surprise no one, and perhaps with this engine option the level of indulgence is reduced, making the purchase of this roadster much more rational. That said, its price remains high and its practicality is limited to the driver and passenger (plus some luggage, which can be stored in a generous boot).

Another detail that surprised us is the behaviour; we would not describe it as negative, but it is true that it is a car to enjoy driving in the broad sense of the word. It is far from boring, quite the opposite, and it maintains a high level of commitment to comfort.

Finally, the interior quality and finish remain, as is customary at Mercedes, at a high level; we can find few faults beyond certain optional details such as the analogue clock -which should be standard- or that the door openings were larger.

In short, we are talking about a fun roadster, which gives us the versatility of a hard top, which also has a boot of larger dimensions than normal in the convertible segment, and which above all is an indulgence.

As a mitigating factor, there is this diesel engine, which makes this purchase much more rational without losing fun, interesting for those who are going to drive a lot with it. Moreover, on the economic front, the SLK 250 CDI is the second cheapest option in the range; only the entry-level petrol engine with 184 CV is below it.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira