Overall rating:

The latest generation of SLK roadster has been brought up-to-date with the rest of Mercedes' range in the styling stakes. It's also a lot more efficient than the outgoing model and features new gadgets like a glass sunroof with an adjustable tint.

Key Facts

Pricing: £29,970 to £44,115
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder/3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual/seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Body style: two-door folding hardtop convertible
Rivals: Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4, Audi TT Convertible
CO₂ emissions: 151-167g/km
Combined economy: 43.5-39.8mpg
Top speed: 147-155mph
0-62mph: 5.6-7.3 seconds
Power: 182bhp at 5,250rpm (SLK 200), 201bhp at 5,500rpm (SLK 250), 302bhp at 6,500rpm (SLK 350)
Torque: 199lb.ft at 1,800-4,600rpm (SLK 200), 229lb.ft at 2,000-4,300rpm (SLK 250), 273lb.ft at 3,500rpm

In the Metal:

Gone is the soft, round face of the existing Mercedes-Benz SLK in favour of diamond shaped headlamps and a huge grille similar in design to that of the SLS supercar. A muscular, jutted bumper flanks the wide, curved lights at the rear, but the SLK is still every inch the sports car, with a long bonnet and a driving seat near enough over the rear wheels.

The ambience of the interior is heavily affected by the trim, as there is more than enough choice of leather, stitching, wood and aluminium. Black leather, red stitching and the aluminium centre console were winners for us. Build quality is typically excellent and, when you've worked out what all the buttons are for, it seems a clean and well laid-out dash.

Driving it:

We'll start with the entry-level SLK 200, which, with 182bhp, is sprightly enough and responds well to a good thrashing. Our only gripe is its lack of low down torque, which makes steep hills a real effort and creates the need for excessive down-changes.

The SLK 250 is the sensible choice. Though more powerful, it still offers 42.8mpg and 153g/km, which are virtually no different to the SLK 200's figures. The 250 sorts out the 200's bottom end torque problem and has sufficient pace throughout the rev range to be entertaining whatever the situation. It sounds wonderfully throaty, too, but the downside about the engineered exhaust note is a brief (and intentional) 'flatulent' sound that comes after an up-change at high revs. It's very unusual and just sounds a bit silly. The enthusiast's choice is the SLK 350 - 3.5-litre V6, 302bhp, great metallic snarl and lusty performance. Need we say more?

The six-speed manual transmission has a firm and positive action, though we found it a little tough to engage gears on occasion. Mercedes' 7G-Tronic Plus auto suits the SLK better - it's smooth and complements the car's refined nature, though it sometimes changes up unannounced when you're using the wheel-mounted paddles to choose cogs.

It's no surprise that the Merc errs on the side of comfort where rival two-door convertibles are more fun. The ride is exceptional for a sports car and the sound deadening in the cabin is superb. Even so, the SLK is well balanced and easy to drive hard. If you have the means, tick the box marked Dynamic Handling package. This includes continuously adjustable damping and makes the SLK significantly more engaging - to the point that it's verging on a serious driver's car with the suspension in Sport mode.

What you get for your Money:

You'll pay £29,970 for the basic Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 with a six-speed manual gearbox and £44,115 for the SLK 350 with the 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission. The latter is the only model with emissions over 160g/km, too. The lower end versions are much cheaper than the Porsche Boxster's £36,572 starting price, but SLKs with comparative performance are as much if not more.

The folding hard-top is available with a glass sunroof that changes from light to dark. Called Magic Sky Control, the system transforms the glass from a minimal grey to a thick blue tint at the push of a button. Other new features include Mercedes' new draught exclusion system, Airguide, which picks up from where the old Airscarf system left off and helps to cut down on buffeting with the roof down. Merc's COMAND system also offers internet access for those with a data enabled mobile phone.

Safety systems previously unavailable in the SLK include Attention Assist, Active bonnet, Pre-safe and Brake Assist Plus. More are available as options and, given the space, we'd explain them all, but suffice to say, the SLK is easily a contender for the safest two-door convertible on the market.

Worth Noting

For the first time, a diesel-engined Mercedes-Benz SLK will be available at the end of the year. The basic SLK 200 has traditionally been the most popular model in the UK, but that could change when the oil burner gets here.

All new SLKs come with a stop-start system and direct injection as standard. Every model now bears Mercedes' BlueEfficiency moniker because they're that bit more eco-friendly.

Summary

The new Mercedes-Benz SLK doesn't offer a pure enough driving experience to outshine the Porsche Boxster dynamically, but it's still a lot of fun when the mood takes you and is suitably comfortable and refined to use everyday with creature comforts galore. Those who prefer the latter qualities in their convertible will no doubt go mad for the new Merc.