Mercedes-Benz’s popular GLB compact seven-seater goes fully electric, and it returns bearing more style, tech, space and efficiency.
One of the best-selling Mercedes-Benz models in Singapore in recent years was the first-generation GLB, and its popularity here was no surprise really. After all, it has all the elements that many Singaporeans desire, being a practical family-oriented compact SUV with seating for seven, along with a premium badge while retailing at a relatively affordable entry-level price point.
The GLB had an electric equivalent, the EQB, which didn’t sell quite as well, but that was down to timing more than anything. It arrived at a time when EVs were still at its relatively infancy locally, and many consumers were hesitant to make the switch, making the GLB a more palatable option than its electric counterpart.
How things have changed in just a few short years. Buoyed by generous governmental incentives, EVs have experienced a major sales boom here, and carmakers are now looking to capitalise on that growth.
It is perhaps in this vein that Mercedes-Benz has pivoted its GLB to an all-electric model, effectively phasing out the EQB in the process. A petrol-hybrid GLB is still in the pipeline though and slated to arrive later this year, but for now, the new GLB is EV-only.
Chunky Stars
Compared with the curvy EQB that it effectively replaces, the new GLB features a chunkier and more squared off design that is more in line with the outgoing GLB’s design language. They all obviously share the same basic silhouette, since there’s only so much you can style a seven-seater SUV, but the new GLB does have some design flourishes that make it stand out.
The star theme is clearly evident throughout, with some variation of Mercedes-Benz’s iconic logo featuring in the illuminated grille, the daytime running lights up front, and the taillights at the back. It gives new meaning to the phrase ‘seeing stars’, though some might find it a bit of an overkill.
Beyond that however, there are some other distinctive elements like the light bar strip between the headlights, and the uniquely-styled taillights with its single bar connecting the two vertical lamps at either side. They won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but there’s no denying that they make the car pretty much unmistakable to spot on the road.
Futuristic yet Funky
If the new GLB’s exterior is eye-catching, the interior takes it to another level. The first thing that greets you is the massive Superscreen layout, which is standard on the GLB250 variant tested here. It consists of a 10.25-inch driver instrument panel, a 14-inch central infotainment touchscreen, and another 14-inch touchscreen for the passenger, all designed to look like one giant combined screen.
It can perhaps feel a bit gimmicky, but the passenger screen can actually be useful on road trips, as passengers can utilise it to help set the audio and music settings without bothering the driver. Said passenger can also use the screen to watch streaming video content to entertain themselves, but without distracting the driver of course.
The updated MB.OS software feels much more conducive for this sort of thing too, with its intuitive interface that is easy to understand and operate. And even though screens clearly dominate the interior, there remains a handful of physical buttons available down on the centre console for quick access to features such as selecting the drive modes and activating the all-round cameras.
Go deep into the screens though and you’ll find a variety of, shall I say, interesting features. The Energizing function, which is already a regular feature in recent Mercedes-Benzes, lets you set a variety of moods to keep you refreshed or energised.
You can also select from a wide array of ambient lighting options, design themes for the screens, and even synthesised sounds to match your drive. It’s all quite entertaining, although the appeal does fade after a while.
Somewhat more useful though is the self-parking function, which is probably one of the better ones among the German brands, with its ease of use and limited intervention required. It’s still not perfect though, occasionally ending up a bit too close to the car parked beside, and similar systems from brands like Tesla and Xpeng feel much more polished in their operation.
More Space, But Only Just
The new GLB is actually bigger than the EQB, with a 60mm longer wheelbase, and Mercedes-Benz says that this translates into 68mm more legroom for the second row passengers, and 35mm more legroom for those in the third row.
Not that you can tell though, because the last row still looks incredibly tight. It’s probably more ideally suited for small children or shorter-limbed folks, and I wouldn’t recommend putting anyone there on long journeys, unless you want to perform a torturous leg amputation exercise on someone you dislike.
Surprisingly, despite being shorter than the EQB in height, Mercedes-Benz claims that the new GLB offers more headroom inside thanks to some packaging magic. It’s hardly noticeable though, given that the GLB is already designed as more or less a tall box, but the large glass roof does accentuate the sense of space and airiness into the cabin.
It doesn’t come with a shade though, resulting in the cabin getting somewhat warm on scorching hot days.
While you obviously won’t have a large boot space with all seven seats up, in five-seater mode the GLB does have a somewhat decent 480 litres of cargo capacity. Putting the second row down gives you 1,605 litres, which is oddly less than the EQB, but still a reasonable amount.
It is perhaps compensated by the frunk, which can hold 127 litres worth of stuff, whereas the EQB did without one at all previously.
Efficient and Steady
Under the skin, the GLB250 features an impressive set of credentials. The single electric motor drives the rear wheels, via a two-speed gearbox (similar to a Porsche Taycan), and total output stands at 268bhp and 335Nm of torque, not figures to be sniffed at for sure.
And yet, despite that hefty output, the car accelerates with a sort of mundane steadiness that doesn’t feel particularly urgent. 0-100km/h comes up in 7.4 seconds, which is decent enough for most everyday situations, but that’s sort of an odd resistance when you plant the pedal down.
There’s none of that punchy urgency that characterises many EVs, and the progression is very linear instead, where the power is fed to you gradually at the car’s preferred pace.
It’s quite clear though that the car is geared towards comfort, and the ride quality bears that out. The suspension is well damped, with good body control, easing out bumps with little fuss. It’s not the most engaging to pilot in the corners, but then this is not a car designed for dynamic driving anyway, so its mild-mannered behaviour is pretty much par for the course.
Where the new GLB truly excels though is efficiency, with the GLB250 having a claimed range of 674km and energy consumption of 5.2km/kWh from its 85kWh battery. It’s a realistically achievable figure too if you don’t drive too aggressively everywhere, and even at its worst you could probably get at least 500km on a full charge, which is already better than most other EVs can manage.
A High Price
Unfortunately, even with an electric drivetrain, the realities of our current COE and taxation situation means that the GLB250 as tested here comes with a somewhat hefty price tag of $325,888 with COE (accurate at time of writing).
Even if you opt for the lesser-powered GLB200 variant, which has the benefit of a Cat A-friendly drivetrain, you’re still looking at an asking price that’s almost touching $300,000. It feels a bit of a stretch, especially given that the outgoing base GLB180 petrol model, which is still on sale, is nearly 50 grand cheaper than the most affordable electric GLB.
That said, you do get a whole lot of car for your money, and the newly-electrified GLB does have a lot going for it. At the very least, the compact seven-seater format has its fair share of fans, and if you’re one of them who’s ready to jump into the electric revolution, then the GLB250 is well worth your consideration.
Technical Specifications
Mercedes-Benz GLB250+ AMG Line Sport Electric
Powertrain: Single Electric Motor, Rear Wheel Drive
Power: 200 kW (268bhp)
Torque: 335 Nm
Gearbox: 2-speed (A)
0-100km/h: 7.4 Seconds
Top Speed: 210 km/h
Battery Capacity: 85 kWh
Drive Range: 674 km (claimed)
Energy Consumption: 5.2km/kWh (claimed)
Price: S$325,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)
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