Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

The cabin of the Mercedes-Benz GLB Class, as expected, boasts of top-notch quality, with the minimal yet classy looking panels of the dashboard exuding premium appeal. The all-black cabin of the Mercedes-Benz GLB Class gets silver highlights on the co-passenger side of the dashboard, lower center console and grab handles on the door pads.

The multi-functional flat-bottom steering wheel gets accompanied by the large and widescreen behind it, which houses both the instrument console as well as infotainment system in a single high definition panel. At the center of the dashboard’s lower housing, there are three big round propeller-like AC vents and a sleek panel for the dual-zone automatic climate control sitting below it. 

The Mercedes Benz GLB Class gets a plethora of luxury features, including Artico leather upholstery, powered driver’s seat with memory function, split-folding rear seats and many more. However, while the Mercedes Benz GLB Class has been pitched as a seven-seater, the space in the third row is limited and best suited for small kids only.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB Class might not be as dynamic to look at as the GLA and GLC SUVs between which it has been positioned. However, the long-wheelbase with the scaled-down GLS-Class design does give it a mature and strong road presence.

At the front, the Mercedes Benz GLB Class looks sophisticated with the large and wide front grille with rounded edges and a large chrome bar running in the middle of it and a big three-pointed star logo in the center. The slightly sweptback rectangular headlamps with rounded edges get twin daytime running LEDs and a high performance LED projector stacked in the middle of them. To make it appear tough from the front, the front bumper here gets sporty air vents on the corners as well as a slim silver skid plate in the middle.

When you look the Mercedes Benz GLB Class from the sides, it looks like a well-contoured SUV, thanks to well-sculpted bonnet and roof lines. The design element, which adds a slight amount of visual drama to the otherwise plain-looking side profile is the slight kink in the window waistline at the bottom of the C-pillar. The slightly squared wheel arches, as well as bottom of the doors, get thick body cladding in continuation from the front bumper, with the Mercedes Benz GLB Class getting functional big roof rails as well.

At the back, the Mercedes Benz GLB Class gains a lot of resemblance with the GLS-Class, with the way its LED tail lamps, wraparound windscreen with a roof spoiler and thick silver cladding with dual rounded exhaust ports have been placed. 

The Mercedes-Benz GLB Class is designed as a compact vehicle for long rides, and which is why it gets a soft spring suspension setup and a versatile dynamic select feature. This allows the user to choose from three different default drive modes of Comfort, Sport and Eco and a separate personalized ‘Individual’ drive mode.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB Class sources its power from a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine under its hood, which happens to be the smallest engine in the current lineup of Mercedes Benz. Coupled to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, this engine belts out a maximum power output of 164 PS and a peak torque output of 250 Nm

The long list of safety features in the Mercedes-Benz GLB Class includes front, side, curtain and knee airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control, electronic stability program, hill start assist, hill descent control, anti-slip regulation, attention assist system and tire pressure monitoring system.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB Class comes across as a vehicle which sits as a perfect balance between affordability and sophistication. While it offers a practical cabin with three rows of seats, comfortable seating and usable features, the SUV doesn’t miss out on the premium appeal, which is usually associated with the Mercedes Benz badge.