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You don’t need to be a genius to figure out that the Mercedes-Benz GLB sits between the GLA and GLC in the German brand’s SUV lineup, but what you might not know is that with seven seats as standard, the GLB might actually make more sense for some families than the larger and more prestigious GLC.
With useful savings over new models, which currently start at around the £40,000 mark, there’s a lot to be said for picking up a GLB that’s a few years old too, since its frugal engines and chunky styling should remain contemporary for some time to come.
Not many similarly-sized rivals offer that seven-seat option which immediately gives the GLB an advantage, but if that many seats aren’t a necessity, then five-seat alternatives include the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, while if you’d like to look beyond German models, the Alfa Romeo Tonale, Lexus NX and Volvo XC40 all offer something slightly different.
As alluded to above, the Mercedes-Benz GLB has a huge trump card at this point in the market: it’s one of very few models available with seven seats. Now it has to be said, the rearmost row is somewhat occasional, with limited legroom and headroom, and reduces the boot space to virtually nothing when they’re both in use, but the extra utility will elevate the GLB well ahead of its rivals if you regularly need space for an extra kid or two.
Even if you don’t, there’s a lot to like about the GLB, from its image to its chunky looks, to one of the more eyecatching cabins in the class - thanks to those rocket-like air vents and modern dual-screen driver display and infotainment setup. The smaller 7-inch displays in lower-spec models look a bit lost in their housing but with the two 10.25-inch variants, it’s pretty flashy and actually works very well.
The GLB is sensibly biased more towards security and comfort than agile handling, though you might be surprised how capable the high-performance AMG GLB 35 can be. The steering is well judged for weight and response and the ride isn’t too bad, and while it leans more in corners and a lower car might, it shouldn’t have younger passengers desperately seeking sick bags.
There’s a small but effective engine lineup of petrol and diesels, plus the sporty AMG 35. All do the job of hauling the GLB swiftly along, with the usual caveat that the diesel (available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive form) makes the most sense for those covering longer distances. The GLB also feels well built, and reliability should generally be fine.
Seven-seat rivals are rare in this size class: you’re looking at either something much less prestigious, like a Nissan X-Trail or Dacia Jogger, or larger and more expensive like a Tesla Model X, for a similar layout. But if five seats are fine, your options are a lot wider: we’d start with the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, each of which drives well and has similar prestige to the Mercedes.
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With all GLBs having seven seats as standard, you don’t need to find a particular variant in order to get the most practical model, so instead you can concentrate on engines and specification. With all models being based around some form of AMG Line trim prior to the 2023 updates, any GLB you opt for will look broadly similar, too.
The petrol GLB 200 would be our choice for local commuting duties and the diesel 200d if you expect to cover bigger distances each year - though to drive, we prefer the diesel, which feels a bit stronger despite near-identical performance figures, and whose 8-speed auto gearbox is more responsive than the petrol’s 7-speed. The GLB 35 AMG is amusingly brisk, but perhaps not the default choice for most families.
If everything is AMG, then is nothing AMG? That’s what you’ll have to ask yourself with the GLB, since until a recent facelift in 2023 (and we’re concentrating on pre-facelift models here) there were simply three AMG-themed standard trim lines, and then the actual AMG 35 above these. Standard AMG body styling means all look broadly the same, so the main differences are in small equipment level changes.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB’s dimensions are:
The Mercedes-Benz GLB’s boot size is:
Lower-end versions of the GLB should avoid the government’s Vehicle Excise Duty surcharge as they start at under £40,000, which means an annual bill at current rates of £180 for both petrol and diesel versions. Above this price point, you’re looking at £570 per year, from the second year of registration to the sixth.
The most affordable GLB models for insurance are the front-wheel drive GLB 200 and the 200d. The former is in either group 24 or 25 depending on the trim level while the diesel starts in group 26. Adding 4Matic all-wheel drive and the extra power bumps this to groups 30-31, while the AMG GLB 35, as a high performance model, covers groups 37-38. Insurance shouldn’t be that dissimilar from rivals - a BMW X1 also begins in group 24.
Read our full Mercedes-Benz GLB review
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