Mercedes GLB: First impression

Those who dream about owning the cheapest seven-seat luxury SUV bearing the three-pointed star badge can now make their dream real as the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLB has made its Malaysian debut today. Globally revealed in June last year, the GLB is the brand’s newest small crossover SUV, which slots between the GLA and GLC. 

Built on the MFA2 (Modular Front Architecture) architecture, the SUV boasts an out of the box design and an impressive bundle of tech and luxury features. It is available in three variants - GLB 200 Progressive Line, GLB 250 4Matic AMG Line, and a high-performance AMG GLB 35 4Matic. Let’s find out more about this new Merc in town in our first impression.

Mercedes GLB Exterior

As a middle brother, the Mercedes GLB draws design inspiration from both the GLC and the GLA and features an interesting blend of the two design philosophies. The subcompact also gets some designing tweaks from the G-Class, giving the sleek SUV a boxier aesthetic. It comes with rectangular-shaped LED headlights, a cleaner six-point grille design, and a more distinct profile.

The different trims come with distinguishing exterior highlights; the GLB 200 gets a Progressive Line trim package, comprising a dual-slat front grille and skid plate at the front, chrome side door moldings, and dual exhaust finishers. While the 250 decked up with AMG Line package, features a more aggressive front bumper with faux side inlets and a broad lower intake. The same exterior package is available on GLB 35, although it comes with Panamericana front grille and round exhaust tips, which differentiate it as a performance model. It also houses Multibeam LED headlamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus. 

Size-wise, the new GLB is 4634 mm long, 1834 mm wide, 1663 mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2829 mm. The SUV rides on 18-inch five-spokes as standard, while the GLB 250 and GLB 35 get AMG five-twin-spokes in different sizes, 19-inch and 20-inch, respectively.

Mercedes GLB Interior

Inside, the mid-size SUV is remarkably spacious considering the segment. Its boxy design and slightly larger dimensions than competing SUVs (Audi Q3 or BMW X2) provide plenty of room for occupants and cargo. The GLB 200 and GLB 250 come with a three-row seating configuration providing space for seven passengers, while the latest GLB 35 gets only five seats.

Depending on the variant, the German SUV comes with the following tech and comfort features:

• Two 10.25-inch touchscreen displays 
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility
• LTE module for Mercedes me connected services
• Thermotronic dual-zone climate control with rear vents
• 12-way powered front seats with memory function
• Powered tailgate
• Ambient lighting
• Nappa leather steering wheel
• Active Parking Assist with Parktronic
• Keyless-Go

Mercedes GLB Engine specifications

Coming to the oily bits, the different trims of the GLB are equipped with different powertrains. Starting with the base GLB 200, it is powered by a 1.33-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine churning out 163 PS of maximum power at 5,500 rpm and 250 Nm of peak torque from 1,620 to 4,000 rpm. The engine is paired with a 7G-DCT seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. With this setup, the SUV can hit 0 to 100 kmph mark in 9.1 seconds and attain the top speed of 207 kmph.

Powering the GLB 250 is a 2.0-litre turbo mill generating 224 PS and 350 Nm, which is mated to an 8G-DCT eight-speed dual-clutch and the 4Matic AWD system. All these allow it to make the 0 to 100 kmph sprint in less than seven seconds, 6.9 seconds to be exact. The top speed is rated at 236 kmph.

Coming to the last and the most potent variant, GLB 35, it uses a high-output version of the engine found in the GLB 250, which increases the numbers to 306 PS and 400 Nm. It gets an 8-speed AMG Speedshift DCT dual-clutch transmission setup, and an AMG Performance 4Matic AWD system. The extra oomph propels the GLB 35 from 0 to 100 kmph in only 5.2 seconds, while it hits the top speed of 250 km/h.

Mercedes GLB Safety 

All the variants come standard with nine-airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, crosswind assist, active brake assist, attention assist, and a rearview camera. The optional features include high beam assist, forward collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, Pre-Safe Plus rear collision mitigation, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and a surround-view camera.

Mercedes GLB Price

Here is a look at the Mercedes-Benz GLB price in Malaysia:

Variant	Price (on-the-road without insurance and including current sales tax exemption)
Mercedes-Benz  GLB 200 Progressive Line	RM 269,118
Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 4Matic AMG Line	RM 318,009
Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic	RM 363,137

In the last, we conclude that the Mercedes' GLB SUV makes a good first impression as it has all the glamour and glitz that one expects of a car adorned with the three-pointed star badge.

Also read: 2020 Mercedes EQS spotted wearing camouflage