Mercedes-Benz GLB
This is the Mercedes-Benz GLB, and it’s the German manufacturers latest SUV. It ditches the dramatic swoopy coupe roof and boasts good old-fashioned SUV lines, almost like a mini Mercedes-Benz GLS. It’s also available with optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive and a third row of seats to accommodate 7 passengers. Here’s all you need to know about the new GLB, expected to arrive in South Africa from Q2 2020.
"There is a growing interest for SUV’s, while Compact Cars are also seeing an increase in sales. So a compact SUV such as the GLB blends all the success factors of our two segments", says Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa. "The GLB also boasts some special features which we have not previously offered our customers in this segment, for example seven seats."
As its name suggests, the GLB is closely related to the B-Class in terms of dimensions. The wheelbase measures in at 10-cm more than the B-Class, translating into a compact shape with ample room. The boot capacity sits at 570-litres with the rear seats up and 1805-litres with the seats folded. In addition to this, the rear seats can slide backwards and forwards increasing the capacity by up to 190-litres.
There will be two models available at launch; the Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 and 220d 4MATIC. The GLB 250 is powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, producing 165kW of power and 350Nm of torque. Its diesel sibling, the GLB 220d, is powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine that produces 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque. There’s a clear choice between performance and efficiency between the two models, with the high-performance petrol model offering a 0-100km/h acceleration of 6.9-seconds and a top speed of 236km/h and the diesel model offering the most torque and a claimed combined fuel-economy cycle of 5.4-litres/100km.
