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The Mercedes-Benz GLB is the new name for the previous EQB model; updates include more stylish design, longer range and much faster charging, but one of the car’s key selling points is retained – this is a compact electric SUV with seven seats.
Mercedes was initially a bit slow to bring electric cars to market, but eventually we got a range of EVs including the EQB – the B-Class SUV with seven seats. Mercedes is now on a roll, bringing out many updated electric models, including the GLB, which is the new name for the EQB (and the old name for the internal combustion engine model). So what’s new?
The Mercedes-Benz GLB has new design, inside and out, compared to the previous EQB. The exterior is bolder, as well as more stylish, and the interior is higher tech and more premium. Screens stretching all the way across the width of the dashboard are available in higher trim level models.
The key selling point for the GLB is the seven-seat interior, which is still rare for an EV, especially at this size; the GLB is 4,728mm in length, having grown slightly compared to the 4,687mm length of the previous model.
With the third row of seats folded down, there’s a large 540-litre boot. This shrinks to 145 litres with the third row of seats in use, and expands to 1,715 litres with the second and third rows all folded down. If you need more space – for storing cables for example – there’s a large 127-litre frunk under the bonnet.
The GLB has lots of legroom for occupants of the second row of seats; not quite as much for the third row – these seats are best used by children rather than adults.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB has a nickel manganese cobalt battery with a usable capacity of 85.5 kWh; this compares to 66.5 kWh for the previous EQB model.
The GLB is available in five trim levels, each with a GLB 250+ (rear-wheel drive) electric model (as tested), and the top three highest trim levels also offer a GLB 350 4MATIC (all-wheel drive) option.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB is a seven-seat SUV, so you would imagine it has the driving dynamics of a school-run bus. Wrong. The GLB feels more agile than it should, with enjoyable steering and rewarding rear-wheel drive handling, along with comfortable ride quality. With power of 228 hp and torque of 370 Nm, performance also feels strong; acceleration is responsive, like most EVs, even though many other EVs beat the GLB’s 0-62 mph time of 7.4 seconds.
The GLB is also available with all-wheel drive, which delivers more power, torque and performance.
The vast majority of electric cars have a one-speed transmission, but, like other recent Mercedes EV models, the GLB has a two-speed transmission. The idea of this is to improve acceleration at lower speeds, and to increase efficiency at higher speeds. You can feel the transmission change speed when you’re driving.
The gear selector is the traditional Mercedes affair on the right-hand stalk; it offers no option to change the level of regenerative braking, and there are no steering wheel-mounted paddles to do this either.
At the bottom of the centre console is a selection of physical buttons, one of which is for Dynamic Select, giving the drive mode options of Comfort, Eco and Sport.
Although our test car didn’t have the option of screens stretching the full width of the dashboard, the 10.25-inch driver display and the 14-inch central display feel very high quality, with sharp graphics and quick response times. Over recent years manufacturers have been promising that their voice control systems have been improving, with mixed results in our opinion, but the latest Mercedes-Benz Operating System with its MBUX Virtual Assistant seems to be one of the more effective.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ Electric Sport Executive has a WLTP combined electric driving range of 367 miles, which is a significant improvement on the 250-257 miles of the previous model.
For the GLB range as a whole, the driving ranges vary from 349 to 379 miles, and consumption ranges from 3.7 to 4.5 miles per kWh.
However the biggest improvement is the DC charging rate, which has gone from a disappointing 100 kW to an ultra-rapid 320 kW, delivering the potential of a 10% to 80% charge in 22 minutes.
Having said the above, our test car had the option of ‘DC Charging System, 400V’ for £850. Confused? Hmmm. Let us try and explain.
The GLB has an 800-volt electrical system. This means that charging times at 800V ultra-rapid charging stations are reduced. However it’s important to note that you can’t use the large number of public charging stations in the UK operating at the slower 400V DC rate because the car doesn’t have an onboard DC-to-DC voltage converter. If you want to do this, you need to pay £850 for a 400V-to-800V DC converter, enabling it to use 400V DC rapid chargers.
The GLB comes as standard with a multi-source heat pump which aims to ensure that the cabin can be heated in cold weather with minimal impact on battery range.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ Electric Sport Executive, as tested, is priced at £48,050. Our test car had the options of Sapphire Blue Metallic (£715) and 20-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB is available in five trim levels, as a GLB 250+ (rear-wheel drive) electric model or a GLB 350 4MATIC (all-wheel drive) electric model, as follows:
Sport: GLB 250+ electric
Sport Executive: GLB 250+ electric
AMG Line Executive: GLB 250+ electric or GLB 350 4MATIC electric
AMG Line Premium: GLB 250+ electric or GLB 350 4MATIC electric
AMG Line Premium Plus: GLB 250+ electric or GLB 350 4MATIC electric
Prices start from £46,100. The top two trims come with the MBUX (full-width) Superscreen.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB offers a spacious SUV body style with seven seats in a relatively compact footprint, an electric powertrain, and the choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. This latest model delivers an improvement in driving range, and a significant increase in charging speed. It also looks more stylish than the previous model on the outside, and in the interior, which features the latest technology. Perhaps most surprisingly, it’s excellent to drive, with the normal responsive electric powertrain, enjoyable handling and comfortable ride quality. The Mercedes-Benz GLB is awarded a Green Car Guide rating of 9 out of 10.
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