Approximately three years have passed since Mercedes-Benz launched the GLK crossover onto the market (and let’s not forget, after making its chic promotional premiere at the “Sex and the City” movie…), so it’s time for a customary mid-life facelift, which should arrive in showrooms next year.

Our spies snapped the freshened-up 2013 GLK with minimal camouflage during some cold weather testing in Northern Sweden.

On the outside, Mercedes-Benz’s entry to the junior executive SUV sector with which it competes against the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, keeps its boxy looks adding new headlamps and tail light designs along with reshaped bumpers to the mix.

We also get our first glimpse at the interior that features a restyled center console, which adopts Merc’s new round air outlets and possibly, different controls for the audio and air-conditioning systems.

It is believed that the 2013 GLK will benefit from some tweaks under the hood and the chassis to further improve the crossover model’s fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.

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