Categories: Cars

Seven Seats, Three Screens, Two Trunks

Mercedes is in the midst of renewing its compact car lineup. After the CLA sedan and CLA wagon were introduced earlier this year, the GLB is next. The seven-seat crossover thankfully stays boxy like the GLK of yore, but everything else changes for the second generation. In keeping with Stuttgart’s latest models, it’s chock-full of three-pointed stars inside and out.

As with the CLA models, Mercedes is leading with the electric version. No longer called the EQB, the successor has been rebranded as the GLB with EQ Technology. Stretching the definition of “compact,” the new GLB is longer and wider than its EQB predecessor. Mercedes elongated the body by 48 mm to 4732 mm, while the width has jumped by 27 mm to 1861 mm. The three-row crossover has been lowered by 14 mm to 1687 mm, and its wheelbase is now 60 mm longer, at 2889 mm.

As a result of this growth spurt, there’s slightly more headroom and legroom no matter where you sit. The two rearmost seats can accommodate occupants up to 1.71 meters tall, so the third row isn’t just for kids. Neither BMW nor Audi offers a seven-seat EV in this class, allowing Mercedes to lure in more buyers who need the third row but don’t want to upgrade to a higher segment.

Although it sits closer to the bottom of Mercedes’ SUV lineup, the GLB can be ordered with 20-inch wheels, in which case adaptive dampers come standard. You’ll have a hard time telling the electric and gas versions apart, as the German luxury marque is merging its previously separate design languages. It’s taking a page from BMW’s book by making only subtle tweaks to distinguish the EV from the ICE models, primarily through different grille designs.

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

Accessing the cabin is now done via flush door handles, a recurring theme among new vehicles for better aerodynamics. The interior looks instantly familiar with a trio of screens: a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, a 14-inch infotainment display, and a 14-inch passenger screen. A handful of shortcut buttons positioned below the central air vents survive. Look up, and you’ll count as many as 158 illuminated stars on the panoramic glass roof, which transitions from opaque to transparent at the touch of a button.

The GLB can swallow 127 liters in the front trunk, giving it slightly more room than the CLA, likely thanks to a taller front section. In the back, you get 540 liters of luggage space in the five-seat version. Opt for the seven-seater and the rear volume drops to 480 liters. Fold the rear seats and the capacity increases to 1,715 liters or 1,605 liters, respectively.

Mercedes is selling the not-so-compact crossover as the GLB 250+ with EQ Technology, a base model with a single-motor setup. It delivers 268 hp and 247 lb-ft (335 Nm), good for a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 7.4 seconds. The beefier GLB 350 4Matic with EQ Technology uses dual motors for a combined 349 hp and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm), cutting the sprint to 5.5 seconds. Both versions are electronically capped at 130 mph (210 km/h).

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

Regardless of rear- or all-wheel drive, the GLB uses an 85-kWh battery. The base single-motor configuration is rated at up to 631 kilometers in the WLTP cycle, while the slightly heavier dual-motor model tops out at 614 km. If you’re in a hurry, a 10-minute charge at 320 kW adds enough energy for 260 kilometers.

The electric GLB is already available to order in Germany and will reach customers in the spring. Prices start at €59,048 for the single-motor setup and €62,178 if you want 4Matic all-wheel drive by adding a front motor.

Mercedes is also planning a cheaper electric GLB, along with a mild-hybrid version equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. Both additions are scheduled to arrive “soon,” likely in 2026.

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Source: Mercedes-Benz