Powerful proportions with short overhangs and off-road-oriented design as well as optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive and a special off-road light which helps detect obstacles in front of the vehicle at low speeds – the new Mercedes-Benz GLB is a versatile SUV. And a spacious family car: it is the first Mercedes-Benz in this segment that is optionally available as a seven-seater. The two seats in row three can be used by people up to 1.68 metres in height.

With powerful and efficient four-cylinder engines, the latest driving assistance systems with cooperative support for the driver, the intuitively operated infotainment system MBUX plus the comprehensive convenience control ENERGIZING Comfort, the new family member (length/width/height: 4634/1834/1658[1] millimetres) has all the strengths of the current compact-class generation from Mercedes-Benz.

Also in the starting blocks: The new Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC (combined fuel consumption: 7.6-7.5 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 173-171 g/km)[2] as an unrivalled alternative in the segment of compact SUVs.

At 2829 millimetres the GLB has ten centimetres more wheelbase than, for example, the new B-Class. Together with the function-oriented greenhouse this is decisive when it comes to the generous amount of space. The headroom in the first seat row is 1069 millimetres – an optimum in this segment. At 967 millimetres the effective legroom in the rear of the five-seater is at an especially comfortable level.

The load compartment capacity of 570 to 1805 litres (figures for the five-seater) boasts the qualities of an estate car. The backrest angle is adjustable in several stages as standard. Optionally, the second row can be moved fore and aft. This enables the boot to be enlarged by up to 190 litres and put to versatile use.

The new GLB is manufactured at the Aguascalientes (Mexico) plant and, for the Chinese market, in Beijing. The market launch is planned for the end of 2019.

The instrument panel consists of a single solid, which has a cut-out in the driver and front passenger area. The driver faces a Widescreen Cockpit, with control and display via MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience). A new feature is the off-road-like aluminium-look tubular element in the dashboard on the front passenger side. Below the round air vents positioned next to it are the air conditioning controls, whose buttons create the impression of having been milled out of an aluminium cylinder.

The new GLB places its trust in the four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines which were completely updated to relaunch the compact model series. In comparison to the previous generation, they are characterised by significantly increased power and torque and by improved efficiency and reduced emissions.

The gateway to the range of petrol engines is the M 282 with a displacement of 1.33 litres in the GLB 200. This engine has cylinder shut-off for efficient operation in the partial-load range.

The two-litre M 260 engine in the GLB 250 4MATIC (combined fuel consumption 7.4-7.2 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions 169-165 g/km) has cast-iron cylinder liners in its die-cast aluminium engine block, which widen at the lower end as per the CONICSHAPE® principle. In-house, the machining process for the cylinder bore is descriptively known as "trumpet honing". This reduces piston friction and lowers the consumption. In the aluminium four-valve cylinder head, the CAMTRONIC variable valve timing system allows two-stage adjustment of the valve lift on the intake side.

Thanks to the further expanded emission control system, the two-litre diesel engine (OM 654q) with 8G-DCT dual-clutch transmission (combined fuel consumption 5.5-4.9 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions 146-128 g/km)[5] already meets the RDE (Real Driving Emissions) Stage 2 requirements, and is certified to Euro 6d.