2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB

As Mercedes-Benz broadens its attain to deliver younger shoppers into the brand, new, apparently less expensive motors just like the GLB had been advanced to welcome them to the family. Although the GLA is still the entry-stage SUV for the three-pointed star, the GLB is proper above it with its boxy styling, a groovy indoors, and area for as much as seven passengers. The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB become specially advanced for China, in which a 3rd row—irrespective of how tiny and cramped it is—is taken into consideration critical for plenty families.But withinside the U.S. market, in which clients aren't used to seeing small, top rate SUVs with a loss of interest to detail, the GLB won't be as nicely suited. Americans are acquainted with larger products, along with the rear-force-primarily based totally GLC or the extra spacious GLE, which now no longer handiest supply an wonderful journey best however additionally deal with their passengers proper. They sense like a Mercedes. The front-force GLB does now no longer.

"The GLB seems like a commodity Mercedes—constructed to a rate factor to test bins on a spec sheet after which passed over to a few designers with commands to 'make it seem like a Mercedes-Benz,'" head of editorial Ed Loh said. "It's a mercenary, with out passion."

Although the badge and the appearance are attractive, our mind modified while we were given at the back of the wheel and drove it. The suspension fails to soak up small vibrations, the transmission is continuously shifting, and the energy is weak.

Sharing its powertrain with the GLA, the GLB's coronary heart is a 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine that promises 221 hp and 258 lb-toes of torque. But in contrast to the GLA, the GLB feels lethargic. "This is a certainly terrible powertrain healthy for this specific automobile," capabilities editor Christian Seabaugh said. "I'm sort of bowled over that Mercedes signed off on this—it is much less delicate even than Mercedes' industrial vans."

The GLB's indoors does as a minimum make a stable preliminary impact. With the MBUX infotainment gadget and ambient lighting, the cabin brings a loungelike vibe. But maximum of the judges had been aggravated via way of means of the MBUX gadget, which is still unintuitive, with almost each characteristic buried in layers-deep menus.

Although the indoors offers occupants a pleasing sensation, that slowly disappears as you begin feeling the substances across the cabin. The difficult plastics at the door handles, door panels, and decrease middle console are proof this Mercedes become constructed at the cheap.

Calling the GLB a 5+2 passenger automobile may sound like a joke. Although there's lots of shipment area, there may be absolutely now no longer sufficient room to in shape extra human beings in spite of its plethora of headroom.

Held up towards our criteria, the GLB did not supply a sturdy price proposition. Our tester got here with a $51,760 rate tag, which won't look like a lot for a Mercedes, however a mainstream automaker will come up with the entirety the GLB has and lots extra at a decrease rate. "It's quite steeply-priced for what essentially drives and plays like every other compact crossover with a far less expensive badge on it," capabilities editor Scott Evans said.

In phrases of safety, a number of the usual technologies, along with adaptive cruise manage or lane maintain assist, come at a $2,250 top rate withinside the Driver Assistance package, even if the a lot much less steeply-priced Honda CR-V gives them at no greater cost.

All in all, the Mercedes-Benz GLB left us with a dry taste. It ought to gift a stable first impact for the ones new to the brand, however it would not supply the best and overall performance of its extra lavishly appointed and better-powered siblings. "You're purchasing the badge and the appearance and that is it," Evans said. "It's underneath Mercedes' standard, however it is now no longer a horrific car. It's just ... whatever."