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New Delhi: Mercedes-Benz is in a renewal mode of their compact car lineup. Following the CLA saloon and the CLA wagon debuted at the start of the year, the GLB is next in line. The seven-seater crossover is still a boxy GLK, but everything else changes for the second generation. Much like the more recent design language from Stuttgart’s models, it is full of three-pointed stars on the inside and outside as well.
Like the CLA models, Mercedes is leading with the electric version. It is no longer being called the EQB and has been rebranded as the GLB with EQ Technology. The new GLB is longer and wider than the EQB, and it stretches on the concept of a compact SUV. It is now 186.3 inches in length and 73.3 inches in width. The three-row crossover has been lowered by 0.6 in to 66.4 inches, and the wheelbase too is now at 113.7 inches.
All of this means that the headroom and legroom are slightly more as well. The third row can accommodate a decent-sized frame person, and it isn’t just for kids. Neither BMW nor Audi comes with a seven-seater in the EV at present, which does mean that the market share is completely their across the world at present.
While it is sitting at the bottom of the Mercedes’ SUV lineup, it can be ordered with 20-inch wheels as well, with the adaptive dampers are standard. The idea of tweaking a little between the ICE and the EVs is taking a hint from the BMW lineup as well. The EV comes with flush food, which is obviously made for better aerodynamics.
On the inside, you get a 10.3-inch digital driver’s cluster, a 14-inch central infotainment unit, and another 14-inch screen for the front passenger. There are physical shortcut buttons placed beneath the central air vents. Overhead, the panoramic glass roof comes with 158 LED “stars” and can switch from opaque to transparent with one tap.
At the front, GLB offers 127 litres of storage in the frunk, just a little more than the CLA, due to the taller nose. At the back, the five-seat setup comes with 540 litres of cargo room, while the seven-seat layout reduces that to 480 litres.
The GLB comes with an 85.0-kWh battery pack. The standard single-motor setup delivers a WLTP range of up to 631 km. The dual-motor version is slightly heavier and makes 614 km. When charging at 320 kW, just 10 minutes makes for 260 km of driving range.
