Mercedes-Benz GLB Review 2024

If you’re looking for a classy car that has room for all the family but don’t want (or need) a massive SUV, the Mercedes-Benz GLB should be high on your shortlist.

All Mercedes-Benz GLB models come with seven seats as standard and even the entry level Sport Executive model comes well equipped with 18-inch alloys, a digital instrument display and keyless go as well as Mercedes' Artico artificial leather seats. While this offers all most people will need, the sportier looking Mercedes-Benz GLB AMG Line is £3500 more, but it's still the one we'd choose. The extra equipment such as rear privacy glass and a 180 degree reversing camera make it worth it. 

The engine line-up is small but we'd go for the Mercedes-Benz GLB 200 petrol unless you're covering big miles, in which case the GLB 200 d is best for economy.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB is unique in that it has seven seats - you usually have to go for a bigger SUV for this. Competitors come in the form of five-seat premium SUVs like the BMW X1, Volvo XC40 and Audi Q3 as well as more mainstream alternatives like the Peugeot 5008 and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace. 

Not that its outside isn't appealing, but you can really sense where the extra money went when you climb aboard the Mercedes-Benz GLB. The driver gets the best deal of course, but all your passengers will also enjoy the modern and classy interior.

There's very little evidence of penny-pinching in here and it all feels very well built too. If you've ever been fortunate to experience the luxury of an S-Class interior you can see how the GLB comes from the same family.

One of the highlights of the Mercedes-Benz GLB is Mercedes-Benz’s excellent MBUX infotainment system, comprising two digital displays, each 10.25-inches in size now, though some earlier models made do with a 7.0-inch infotainment screen. It's a clear system to use with sharp graphics and lightning-quick responses. 

You can control it via touchscreen (it’ll take pinch and swipe gestures like a smartphone), or using the touchpad between the seats. We particularly like the augmented reality navigation, which will display graphics over an image of the road ahead to make it clear which direction you need to go in.

The dimensions of the Mercedes-Benz GLB make it 4634mm long and 1834mm wide, so it's only a fraction longer than something like a Nissan Qashqai. The result is that the cabin feels fairly spacious, thanks to its 100mm longer wheelbase compared to the A-Class. There’s loads of space for passengers in the middle row, thanks in part to a bench which can be slid backwards and forwards. 

All models now come with seven seats, but the third row really is for occasional use only. Adults will raise eyebrows at the idea of clambering into the back seats. Kids will love it. If you do use the rearmost seats, there’s practically no boot. They’re easily dropped, though, and when used as a five-seater the Mercedes-Benz GLB is a practical crossover with 570-litres of luggage space, though the 200 petrol model's boot is marginally smaller at 565-litres.

While diesel is out of fashion at the moment, we reckon the Mercedes-Benz GLB’s at its best with a diesel engine. The entry-level diesel is the 200d, and this’ll be sufficient for most. It’s a 2.0-litre engine with 150PS, which accelerates the GLB to 62mph in 9.2 seconds.

If you’d like a bit more power, the Mercedes-Benz GLB 220d is the same 2.0-litre diesel packing 190PS and covers 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds. This feels pretty quick and well up the job of hauling seven passengers along in comfort, and it comes with 4Matic four-wheel drive as standard.

For those who cover mainly urban miles, you’d be better with the front-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz GLB 200 petrol. It uses a 1.3-litre petrol which, although it sounds small, provides a useful 163PS. It does need working harder than the diesel to make progress, but it’ll cover 0-62mph in 9.3 seconds. Its seven-speed automatic gearbox lets it down slightly, though - it hesitates more than the eight-speed transmission used in the rest of the range.

If you want a petrol with a bit more oomph, look for the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35. This is quite pricey (and you’ll want to take out a loyalty card for your local petrol station), but it’s a lot of fun. It’ll accelerate to 62mph in 5.5 seconds which is hot-hatch quick, and has a great soundtrack to boot. 

Thanks to the hush of the well-built cabin and the smooth engines, the Mercedes-Benz GLB is kind to its occupants. The Mercedes-Benz GLB 200 model, being the smallest petrol offering, needs to be worked a bit harder to make decent progress and so makes itself heard a little more than the alternatives.

Wind noise is well contained even at higher speeds, and road noise is rarely an issue either, although models that wear the largest wheels and tyres do suffer from this a little more.

EuroNCAP tested the Mercedes-Benz GLB in 2019 and gave it the full five star rating, just as you'd expect from a recently-launched Mercedes.

The safety kit provision is pretty generous from standard, with features such as Attention Assist, Active Brake Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and Speed Limit Assist. Go for a Mercedes-Benz GLB AMG Line Premium model and you get Active Parking Assist too, then there's the Mercedes-Benz GLB AMG Line Premium Plus with Driving Assistance which adds Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Distance Assist, Active Steering Assist and an exit warning function.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB has no noteworthy reliability issues reported so far. Mercedes-Benz as a brand performed well enough in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, coming 20th overall with a score of 87.5%.

Because it shares the infotainment set up with the A-Class, it's worth noting that a small number of issues have been reported with the function of the twin screen system.

The basic Mercedes-Benz GLB 200 falls into insurance group 25, with the higher-spec versions and 200d models falling into groups 25 and 26.

Move up to the Mercedes-Benz GLB 220d 4MATIC models and you'll be in groups 30 to 35, while the top spec GLB 35 is in group 38.

Engine choice and list price makes a big difference to the VED cost. You’ll pay a flat rate of £190 a year in VED car tax, but pricier models are subject to an extra £410 a year in premium tax. This lasts for the first five years (after the first year’s registration fee). It applies to all models with a list price of more than £40,000 - so even if you paid less than this, you may have to fork out each month.

For first-year road tax, you'll pay between £270 and £680 depending on the exact model, plus that £410 surcharge on cars costing more than £40,000.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB is now on the used market in reasonable numbers, though used demand means prices are higher than for some of its rivals.

At present the cheapest Mercedes-Benz GLBs on the market are around £25,000. We found several 2020 examples, with 50,0000 miles on the clock for this sort of money. Younger 2022 examples with fewer miles are closer to £31,000, and we also found a nearly newMercedes-Benz GLB 200 AMG Line Premium with just 1500 miles on it for £37,000, which is a great price for what is essentially a new car and saves you almost £7000 on the list price.