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The Mercedes-Benz SLK is a stylish and comfortable two-seat convertible with a folding hard-top roof. It’s great for cruising to somewhere sunny on the other side of the country, or even the other side of Europe. If that sounds like your kind of car, you’re in the right place.
Here, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the Mercedes SLK, including what living with one is like, along with the trim levels and engines that are available to you.
Rivals to the Mercedes SLK include the great to drive BMW Z4, the Audi TT and of course the extremely popular Mazda MX-5.
The Mercedes SLK was last sold in the UK in 2015 (it was replaced by the Mercedes SLC). It was pretty popular while it was on sale, so there is a good supply of used examples available. Take a look at a Mercedes SLK for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer.
The Mercedes SLK is a surprisingly small car, about the same size as a supermini hatchback. Yet it has a really spacious interior with enough room for two large adults to stretch out. It’s comfortable, too, so you can spend a long journey inside without developing any aches or pains. The boot is also pretty big for this type of car, at least when the roof is in place. Two adults could go away for a week and not have to worry about packing light.
It’s not the most engaging sports car to drive, but it offers a more settled, relaxing ride than pretty much all its rivals, even in the high performance AMG model. That car is ballistically fast and its V8 engine makes a glorious noise. However, other versions of the Mercedes SLK are considerably cheaper to run.
Speaking of which, it’s notable that the diesel engine was the most popular choice with Mercedes SLK buyers. That’s because it can offer very high fuel economy, vehicle excise duty costs just £35 per year, and it’s still plenty fast enough. It also has a relatively large fuel tank, so you can travel very long distances between fill-ups – as much as 900 miles if you drive carefully. The petrol engines are also very good, if that’s what you’d prefer.
You may have noticed a theme running through what you’ve read so far about the Mercedes SLK: it’s a great car for doing very long journeys in. That’s because it’s comfortable, practical, quiet and efficient. Which means it’s really easy to live with day-to-day: going to work, going to the shops, or doing whatever else you need to do.
Apart from the AMG model, running costs are generally low, although insurance premiums can be a bit steep. It’s also very well made and generally reliable. You can’t buy this car new anymore, so used examples are sought-after, which helps keep retained values pretty strong.
A Mercedes-Benz SLK not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.
We wouldn't walk past a good example of the base model Mercedes-Benz SLK as it has all you'd every need in a sports car. However, it's hard to deny the added appeal of an AMG Sport trim version that has all the looks of the faster car but without the associated costs.
For those who want the ultimate in thrills in an SLK, the full-blown AMG model will be the one. Be warned, its running costs are high, which is why we'd recommend either the SLK250 petrol or diesel models as a better a--round bet.
There are three petrol engines and one diesel available in the Mercedes SLK. Perhaps surprisingly for a sports car, the diesel was the most popular choice. It offers swift performance, excellent fuel economy and vehicle excise duty (VED, or road tax) only costs £35 a year. The petrol engines are very good, too, especially the stonking V8 in the Mercedes SLK55.
There are three trim levels to choose from: the nameless ‘standard’ trim, AMG Sport and the range-topping Mercedes SLK55 AMG, all of which are pretty plush for cars from the early 2010s.
You may want to keep an eye out for Mercedes SLKs fitted with the optional Magic Sky Control roof. It’s a photochromic glass panel above your head that can be turned dark or clear at the touch of a button. You might also come across Edition 125 models, which commemorate Mercedes-Benz’s 125th anniversary and have sat-nav as standard.
The Mercedes-Benz SLK’s exterior dimensions are:
The Mercedes-Benz SLK’s boot capacity is 335 litres.
As all Mercedes SLK models of this generation were sold before the 1 April 2017 dat efor fixed road tax costs, the duty to pay on these version is based on their emissions. The diesel is the cheapest and will cost you just £35 per year at the time of writing.
The SLK200 and 250 petrol models will need an annual payment of £240, while the SLK350 with its V6 motor will relieve you of £290 for a year's road tax. Choose the SLK55 AMG and you'll be paying out £365 for the pleasure of hearing that V8 motor for 12 months on the road.
Insurance groups for the Mercedes SLK start from 41 (out of 50 groups in total). Even for a sports car, that’s pretty high, and it means annual premiums will be on the steep side.