STUTTGART: The new Mercedes‑Benz GLB 250+ and GLB 350 4MATIC, both with EQ Technology, will see market launch in Europe in the first half of 2026.
With a range of up to 631km (WLTP), the 200kW GLB 250+ offers a range that is unrivalled in its class.
The sporty top-of-the-line model is the 260kW GLB 350 4Matic.
Both models feature a 85kWh lithium-ion battery and 800-volt electric architecture.
Up to 260km of range (WLTP) can be added in just 10 minutes.
Fast DC charging is possible at 800-volt charging stations with a charging capacity of up to 320kW.
However, the GLB can also use a 400-volt charging infrastructure.
A DC converter is available as an option. The AC charging capacity is up to 22kW.
A few months after its market launch, the new GLB will also be available as an entry-level battery-electric model and as a hybrid with 48-volt technology and an electric motor integrated into the transmission.
The combustion engine will initially be available in three power levels.
GLB hybrid models will be able to drive purely electrically and recuperate energy under certain conditions.
Buyers will have the choice between front-wheel drive and 4Matic.
The new GLB comes as either a five-seater or a seven-seater.
With a longitudinally adjustable bench seat in the second row, there's even room for plants from the garden centre, a good friend’s moving boxes or that flea market bargain.
Compared to its predecessor, the new electric GLB offers a noticeable increase in headroom in the first two rows of seats.
This is thanks to the SUV's (sport utility vehicle) roofline as well as a standard panoramic roof.
Passengers can also enjoy more legroom in the rear. Seating comfort in the second row has been noticeably improved, with the thigh support now longer, among other things.
With 127 litres, the model has the largest front boot (frunk) in the new model family – enough space for three footballs.
The rear boot has a capacity of up to 540/480 litres (five/seven-seater), and with the rear seatbacks folded down, this increases to 1,715/1,605 litres.
The 4Matic models also feature Terrain Mode.
This driving programme for fields and gravel roads adjusts the characteristics of the drivetrain, steering and brakes.
The "Transparent Bonnet" function provides a virtual view under the entire vehicle, making it easier to manoeuvre in rough terrain.
The towing capacity is up to two tonnes. This makes the electric GLB models suitable as towing vehicles for full-size caravans.
Thanks to a high drawbar load of 100kg, e-bikes can also be taken along.
Driver assistance systems include Distronic distance control as standard in Europe.
The hardware in this region comprises eight cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a water-cooled high-performance computer.
Mercedes‑Benz now bundles all assistance systems under the name MB.Drive.
The suspension with adaptive damping, comes as standard in combination with 20-inch wheels.
On the new GLB, four child seats can be installed in rows two and three, plus one in the front passenger seat.
Meanwhile, powerful SUV proportions with an upright front and steep windscreen, as well as short overhangs, characterise the side view.
A wide track and flush-mounted wheels, together with muscular vehicle shoulders, give the GLB a powerful appearance.
A total of 94 individually animated LED stars in a chrome look are the highlights of the iconic radiator grille.
Depending on country-specific legal regulations, the central star is also illuminated in whole or in part.
The GLB hybrid has the classic radiator grille with a Mercedes-Benz pattern in chrome, surrounded by a standard LED light guide.
Also, within milliseconds, the glass surface of the optional Sky Control panoramic roof can be switched back and forth between transparent for an unobstructed view upwards and opaque (milky) for more privacy (optional extra). The GLB offers a unique visual experience, especially at night, when its 158 stars are illuminated.
The new interior design principle focuses attention on the seemingly floating MBUX Superscreen.
Behind its large glass surface are a 10.25-inch screen for the driver, a 14-inch central display and a 14-inch screen for the front passenger.
Another eye-catching feature is the floating, sporty, high-positioned centre console with an additional storage compartment.
The new steering wheel is ergonomically designed.
Mercedes‑Benz has reintroduced a rocker switch for the limiter and Distronic, as well as a roller for volume control.
With the Progressive Line, AMG Line and AMG Line Plus equipment lines as well as the Night Package and other equipment options, the GLB can be configured in a wide variety of ways.
Another customisation option is the selection of 11 ambient styles for the MBUX Superscreen.
The new GLB fully operates on the in-house-developed Mercedes‑Benz Operating System (MB.OS).
MB.OS marks the start of the fourth MBUX generation, which is the first in-car infotainment system to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) from both Microsoft and Google.
The further developed MBUX Zero Layer on the central display shows the most important information, suggestions and, for the first time, the most recently used apps.
In the app view, apps can now be moved and grouped into individually named folders, similar to a smartphone.
When an app is open, a simple swipe to the left returns to the app view. Another swipe takes the user back to the Zero Layer.
With generative AI, the new MBUX Virtual Assistant is said to enable the kinds of complex, multi-turn dialogues one might have with a friend and has short-term memory.
Based on ChatGPT4o and searches with Microsoft Bing, it unites the collective knowledge of the internet.
Thanks to Google Gemini, the virtual assistant can access information from the Google Maps.
