Mercedes-Benz GLB Review 2024

Mercedes has one of the broadest luxury SUV ranges, which takes in everything from the compact Mercedes GLA to the huge Mercedes GLS and even the legendary Mercedes G-Class. The Mercedes GLB, as its name would suggest, sits between the compact Mercedes GLA and the medium-sized Mercedes GLC, and while it is similar in size to the latter, it takes a more practical approach. Read on for our full Mercedes GLB review.

A taller body than the more rakish Mercedes GLC frees up more interior space, and allows the Mercedes GLB to offer the seven-seat configuration, putting it up against rivals such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport, German counterpart the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace and the decent-value Skoda Kodiaq.

The Mercedes GLB’s slightly boxy dimensions suggest it might not feel as claustrophobic inside as you would expect. Indeed, its 560 litres of boot space with five seats in use compares favourably against rivals – although this drops to 130 litres when the third row of seats is in use.

Four Isofix child seat points will appeal to families, as will the various driver assistance systems that have trickled down the range from the Mercedes S-Class. These include semi-autonomous driving features, such as cruise control which slows down when approaching corners or junctions using navigation data.

Despite diesel proving to be less popular with buyers in recent years, the Germany company has sensibly continued to offer diesel engines in the Mercedes GLB, with the expectation that they will be the more attractive option.

The entry-level Mercedes GLB 200 has a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 163PS and there is also a high-powered Mercedes-AMG GLB version with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol offering 306PS. The diesel options are the Mercedes GLB 200d with 150PS and the 220d with 190PS, both using a 2.0-litre unit. All versions are fitted with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and are front-wheel-drive, bar the Merceded GLB 220d and the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35.

Inside, the Mercedes GLB offers the kind of premium interior that is typical of the brand, dominated by a twin-screen infotainment display and plenty of attractive materials. Where there is evidence of some cost-cutting with cheaper plastics, it is well hidden away.

Better still is the amount of space on offer. Those in the front seats will enjoy the benefit of sitting high up, with plenty of head and legroom. It’s good in the rear, too, although the seats are raised slightly compared to the front, which reduces headroom slightly.

The third row is best saved for children or occasional use.

The driving experience is undemanding, particularly in diesel versions, which help the relaxed feel with their easily-accessible torque. Body roll is kept in check despite the tall bodyshell, although the downside is that the ride can feel quite firm over sharper bumps.

The steering is accurate, if quite light. However, for most drivers this will not impact greatly on the driving experience.

With such a broad range of SUVs in its range, Mercedes has something to suit everyone. While the Mercedes GLB may be one of the more niche choices, for buyers seeking seven seats in a relatively compact body with a premium feel, it has all the right attributes.

Given the Mercedes GLB takes a more practical approach as a mid-sized SUV than the Mercedes GLC, it is understandable that it has been designed to offer a composed and low-stress experience from behind the wheel, with driving pleasure taking something of a back seat.

The high driving position gives a good view out and makes it relatively easy to drive despite its size. The steering is quite light, but not excessively so, and is ideal for tight turns in the city as well cruising at motorway speeds. It also means the SUV is quite easy to park.

For the most part, the ride quality is good, although it is worth bearing in mind that higher specification Mercedes GLB AMG Line versions wear larger alloy wheels with lower profile tyres, and these can exacerbate road imperfections. A non-AMG version is recommended if ride comfort is a high priority.

The majority of road imperfections are dealt with comfortably, but potholes can deliver a thump to the cabin.

Press a little harder and the Mercedes GLB is capable, with good grip from the tyres on all versions. But there is some body roll through corners, and it displays little enthusiasm for quicker driving, so the best approach is not to push too hard.

The base Mercedes GLB 200 has a 1.3-litre mild hybrid petrol engine, which is surprisingly small for a car of this size.

However, with 163PS and 270Nm of torque it is sufficiently brisk – 0-62mph takes 9.3 seconds, which should be enough for most eventualities. It is likely to feel a little underpowered should you regularly load it up with passengers and luggage, though.

Other than the expensive and considerably more powerful Mercedes GLB 35 AMG version, the remaining engine choices are all diesel. The Mercedes GLB 200d offers 150PS but with a useful 320Nm of torque, which is enough to make it quicker than the Mercedes GLB 200 to 62mph, with a time of 9.2 seconds.

It’s a sensible choice for those who are happy choosing diesel, with good economy and plenty of torque to make short work of pulling heavier loads.

The Mercedes GLB 220d uses the same 2.0-litre diesel as the Mercedes GLB 200d, but in this guise offers 190PS and 400Nm of torque, which means effortless performance and no concerns about loading the vehicle up.

It’s certainly quick, with a 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds, and its fuel consumption is barely any different to the Mercedes GLB 200d. So if you can afford the price difference, it is the pick of the engine range.

Euro NCAP tested the Mercedes GLB in 2019 and awarded it a full five-star rating.

It scored an impressive 92% for adult occupant protection and 88% for child occupant protection. Pedestrian mitigation was rated ay 78%, while a safety assist score of 74% is good but not exceptional.

The standard safety equipment provision is comprehensive, including features such as an active bonnet, adaptive brake assist and speed limit assist.

A driving assistance package is also available which adds features such as active blind spot assist and evasive steering assist, but this is only available on the Mercedes GLB AMG Line Premium Plus and the Mercedes GLB 35 AMG Premium Plus.

The towing capacity for the Mercedes GLB is 750kg unbraked on all models, with the Mercedes GLB 200, 200d and GLB 35 AMG offering 1,800kg braked capacity.

Those who wish to tow larger loads should consider the Mercedes GLB 220d, which offers a towing capacity of 2,000kg.

SUV buyers tend to be demanding in terms of practicality, even if they do not intend to regulalrly use all the space at their disposal.

The Mercedes GLB puts practicality front and centre, with a more boxy body design that is arguably less stylish than that of the similarly-sized Mercedes GLC. But it’s all in the name of space.

It’s effective, too. Headroom is good thanks to the tall roof, so passengers in all rows can get comfortable, even if the seats are adjusted upwards.

Legroom and elbow room are decent, too, with enough space for three adults to sit across the middle row, even if the centre seat is narrower than the outer two.

Legroom in the second row is also helped by the fact that the front seats are raised slightly from the floor, so the space underneath can be occupied by feet.

The third row of seats is less spacious, however, and for regular use they are best suited to children only. It is possible to fit adults in, but only short journeys are recommended.

The boot capacity is 570 litres for five-seat versions and 500 litres for seven-seat variants, with the third row folded away.

Mercedes has a great reputation for quality, and the interior stands up well in this regard.

Even the lowliest model in the range, the Mercedes GLB Sport Executive, has an attractive interior, dominated by the large digital display, but also featuring an attractive mix of finishes, with little in the way of cheaper plastics.

There is a solidity to the cabin that that is reassuring, and although the design is relatively plain, it is a comfortable and welcoming environment for driver and passengers.

Move up to the Mercedes GLB AMG Line Executive trim or above and you get a choice of artificial leather and cloth mix in a choice of colours, which helps to lift some of the gloom of the predominantly black interior.

The good news here is that all versions of the Mercedes GLB benefit from a twin 10.25-inch infotainment screen and digital instrument display.

Although this system has already been superceded by even fancier versions in other Mercedes vehicles, it still looks good and works well.

The graphics are sharp and it responds quickly and accurately to user inputs, although the relatively distant positioning of the central display makes the touchscreen slightly difficult to use on the move.

There are ways around that, including touchpad controls on the steering wheel or the car’s in-built voice-activated personal assistant. The latter is similar to Siri or Alexa, but triggered by “Hey Mercedes”. 

Moving up to AMG Line Premium or Premium Plus trim gets you Augmented Reality navigation. This clever feature feeds an image from the front camera on to the screen and inlays arrows and directions to show you exactly which junction or exit to take. Premium Plus variants can do this via a head-up display, too, and it works well. 

All versions also come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard and the audio quality is good, although unusually there is no option to upgrade to the impressive Burmester premium audio system, which is standard only on the Mercedes GLB 35 AMG.

At the time of writing, prices start at £38,000 for the Mercedes GLB 200 Sport Executive trim, with the Mercedes GLB 200d version approximately £750 more.

Mercedes GLB AMG Line variants start at £42,000, Mercedes GLB Premium versions are from £43,000 and the top-spec Mercedes GLB Premium Plus gets under way at £52,000.

The Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace is slightly cheaper, ranging from £37,000 to £42,000, while the Land Rover Discovery Sport is significantly more expensive, starting at £43,000 and rising to £53,000 depending on specification.

As for second-hand examples, early 2020 and 2021 versions of the Mercedes GLB are available for around £25,000, while at the top end of the used market expect to pay up to £40,000.

If you ignore the high-performance Mercedes GLB 35 AMG, most models should be relatively inexpensive to run, at least from the perspective of fuel consumption.

The Mercedes GLB 200 petrol versions offer official combined fuel economy of 40.4mpg, while the Mercedes GLB 200d has figures as high as 50.5mpg for versions with the smallest alloy wheels.

As for insurance, the lowliest versions of the Mercedes GLB drop into group 24, while modes with the 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system are rated higher, between group 30 and 35 depending on specification.

However, for a sizeable premium vehicle, this is not excessive.

The Mercedes GLB Sport Executive offers four drive modes, comfort suspension, a multi-function sports steering wheel in artificial leather and LED headlights.

Buyers also benefit from electric folding door mirrors, aluminium roof rails, 18-inch alloy wheels, single zone climate control, heated front seats and a reversing camera.

Moving up to the Mercedes GLB AMG Line Executive adds a Nappa leather steering wheel, high-gloss aluminium exterior trim, AMG bodystyling, branded front brake callipers and AMG exhaust pipes.

There’s also keyless go, privacy glass, 19-inch alloy wheels, AMG-stitched floor mats, ambient interior lighting, AMG sports pedals, sports seats, carbon trim and wireless charging.

The Mercedes GLB AMG Line Premium adds two-zone climate control, blind spot assist and augmented reality navigation.

Taking things a stage further with the Mercedes GLB AMG Line Premium Plus means adaptive damping, adaptive LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch alloy wheels, electric memory seats and traffic sign assist.

The Mercedes GLB 35 AMG Premium Plus adds 4MATIC four-wheel-drive, cruise control with limiter, five drive modes, AMG speed-sensitive steering, AMG performance steering wheel, aerodynamic exterior package and high gloss black exterior details.

Buyers also get high-performance AMG brakes, AMG sports exhaust, black roof rails, 20-inch alloy wheels and black leather upholstery.