New Mercedes-Benz GLB – Official data and photos

Meet the new Mercedes-Benz GLB, the first compact SUV of the premium starred company featuring seven seats. With a design certifying its off-road capabilities and with 4-wheel drive optionally available, the new Meredes SUV takes over the versatile character of its larger siblings.

Following the endless teasing campaign that we have been watching for the past weeks, the new Mercedes-Benz GLB comes alive. The new SUV sports a wheelbase of 2829 mm, 10 centimeters longer than that of the new B-Class. The headroom for the passengers in the first seats row is of 1035 mm, a value of which Mercedes claims it is the best in the segment, while the kneeroom for the SUV configured as a five-seater stops at 967 mm.

The boot of the same variant provides a 560-liter space, going as far as 1755 liters with the back seats folded. Optionally, the bench can slide for 140 mm, providing 179 liters of extra space.

For extra room for long objects, the front right passenger’s seat can also be folded, a feature provided as an option. The car is equipped with the EASY-ENTRY, just as the GLE introduced in September 2018, for easy access to the back seats.

Two passengers with a height up to 1.68 m, can travel comfortably in the back row. There they get two cup holders, two storage spaces and two USB ports. Once folded, those seats can be lowered down to the level of the boot floor, for extra practicality. Up to 4 child seats can be installed in the car.

The looks of the new GLB is that of an SUV ready to face the rough terrrain. The upright radiator grille, optionally flanked by LED High Performance or MULTIBEAM LED headlamps, the short overhangs, the plastic cladding on the sides, the underride protections at the front and rear, but also the muscular proportions and hints to its abilities.

The new GLB comes optionally with a 4-wheel drive 4MATIC system and an Off-Road Engineering Package, that brings MULTIBEAM LED headlamps. The configuration of the 4MATIC system allows adjustments via the DYNAMIC SELECT into “Eco/Comfort” or “Sport” modes. The Off-Road Engineering Package displays an animation, a realistic presentation of gradient, inclination angle and technical settings. The package also offers a hill-start assistance system with Downhill Speed Regulation, allowing driving between 2 și 18 km/h, without the driver needing to press the brake pedal.

The one behind the steering wheel also gets the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), shown on dual screens, capable of learning the driver’s preferences and that is engaged by simply saying “Hey Mercedes!”.

The GLB is just as safe as any other Benz. It comes with a long list of assistance systems, among which there are the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, that receives information from the navigation systems and maps, the Active Steering Assist, Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC and Active Lane Change Assist.

Under the bonnet of the new GLB, there are four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines. The entry-level variant is the GLB 200 with the M 282 1.33-liter engine with cylinder shutoff for efficient operation in the partial-load range. Coupled to a 7-speed 7G-DCT automatic transmission, the unit develops 163 horsepower and a torque of 250 Nm.

Going up the range, there is the GLB 250 4MATIC, with an 8G-DCT automatic transmission, with 224 horsepower and a maximum torque of 350 Nm. The 250 4MATIC only takes 6.9 seconds to run from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) and it reaches a top speed of 236 km/h.

The diesel engine range proposes three options, all coupled to the 8G-DCT automatic transmission, starting with the GLB 200 d. The 2.0-liter engine develops 150 horsepower and a torque of 320 Nm. GLB 200 d is also available with the 4-wheel drive 4MATIC system.

At the top of the diesel range, there stands the GLB 220d 4MATIC with 190 horsepower and a torque of 400 Nm.

The eighth member of the compact class will be manufactured at the Aquacalientes plant in Mexico, while the Chinese market will get the model produced in Beijing.

The new Mercedes -Benz GLB is set to hit the showrooms by the end of the year.

The engine range: