2022 (72) Mercedes-Benz GLB GLB 220d 4Matic AMG Line 5dr 8G-Tronic

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

The first generation Mercedes GLB delivered to market the first properly practical mid-sized SUV from the Three-Pointed Star. There's enough room for seven seats, enough capability for light off road excursions and enough of a premium feel to make other class rivals feel rather low rent. In short, it's a potentially appealing package.

History

At first glance, the GLB is yet another Mercedes SUV - at launch back in 2019, it was actually the eighth. But there's a really significant place for this GLB model in the Three-Pointed Star line-up - and here, we're going to help you consider the first generation version as a used buy. Perhaps you're familiar with Mercedes SUVs - in which case you'll know that the smallest GLA model suits only quite small families, while the mid-sized GLC is sometimes too expensive for larger ones - and can't be ordered with the third seating row that many of them need. In the same way that at the top of the Stuttgart brand's SUV range, the G-Class 'Gelandewagen' offers a practical, sensible alternative to a GLE, such is the role of a GLB against a GLA or a GLC. Still with us? If you are, then you'll be interested in the way that Mercedes wanted to use this car to address a growing niche on the mid-sized family SUV class, that for seven seats. Back in 2019, the VW Group was doing quite well here with contenders like the Skoda Kodiaq, the SEAT Tarraco and the VW Tiguan Allspace. As an alternative, the Koreans were providing the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Sorento, plus there were 7-seat versions of the Nissan X-Trail and the Honda CR-V. At the end of this century's second decade though, if you wanted a premium badge on this kind of car, prior to the arrival of this Mercedes there was only the Land Rover Discovery Sport. That's the car that this GLB took on most directly in its MK1 X247-era form. And, like the Disco, the question it asks is whether you really need a lumbering large segment family -sized SUV when you can have one of these? Practicality, prestige and pragmatism. What's not to like? All of which might sound good until you learn that this is effectively a 7-seat Mercedes A-Class. It sits on an only slightly lengthened version of the same compact platform as that little hatch and shares all the same engineering and front cabin architecture. If you're looking for something family -sized, that doesn't sound especially promising, but Mercedes promised at launch that passenger and luggage space here would be 'generous' and reckoned the third seating row is good for more than a couple of eunuchs. What was certain was that this car was designed to deliver a higher level of interior quality than anything that had previously been seen in this segment. It was also claimed to be potentially better off road the most of its contemporaries. And for the first time in the class, there was a high performance model, the GLB 35, for really fast families. Here though, our focus is on the mainstream range. Is this the Mercedes SUV you never knew you needed? There was a light mid-term facelift in 2023. Following which this MK1 GLB sold until an all-new second generation model arrived in early 2026.

What You Get

The look of the MK1 GLB drew inspiration from Mercedes' grand 'G-Class' 'Gelandewagen' - which you need to know because otherwise, you might wonder why it's quite so squarical and van-like. Even Designer Robert Lesnik described it as 'a box with rounded edges'. The dimensions are a little confusing too, this car actually being almost the same size as the MK1 GLC model that at launch it supposedly sat beneath in the Mercedes SUV line-up; this GLB's 4.63m length sees it measuring in only 21mm shorter than that GLC - and it's actually 18mm taller than that car. In its own way, this cabin is as distinctive as the boxy silhouette, with architecture shaped by the avant-garde design of the dashboard and all of it fashioned into an interior with neat little SUV touches. Like the aluminium-look tubular element on the dashboard on the passenger side - and the horizontal grab handle fitted to each door, supposed to resemble a milled aluminium tube. Some features are of course familiar from other modern Mercedes' - primarily the distinctive widescreen cockpit layout with its twin virtual displays, one for the centre stack and the other for the instrument binnacle. Depending on trim level, these will be either 7-inches or 10.25-inches in size and can be activated by prodding on the monitors, by various neat touchpads or by the provided 'Hey Mercedes' voice-activated functionality. You might be a little disappointed to find that the black leather-stitched 'comfort' seats position you only a fraction higher than you would in the brand's other compact models, but compensation comes in the way that you're surrounded by premium touches; like the intricately fashioned double-stitched door cards. And the circular silver jet engine-style vents which decorate the dash and are an integral part of the classy ambient lighting system that brings the interior alive at night. Luxury downsizers will love it all. Space-wise, it's actually not too bad on the back seat, helped enormously by the fact that the bench base can be slid back and forth over a range of 140mm, 90mm to the front and 50mm to the rear. Plus the seats in the back are mounted a little higher than those in the front, which gives a better view forward and out of the side windows, which might help with travel sickness for younger folk. What about the third row seating? In theory you don't have to have it. Mercedes imported a very few GLB models in five seat-only 220d 4MATIC form, but those are extremely rare. But we can't really see why you wouldn't want the extra rearmost chairs, though third row legroom is as restricted as the class norm. As usual with a 7-seat SUV, you rather sit with your knees up towards your stomach and headroom is at something of a premium - in fact, Mercedes says it isn't safe for someone over 1.68-metres in height to be sat in the third row at all. The boot is accessed via a standard 'EASY-PACK' powered tailgate that on plusher variants can be activated by a wave of your foot beneath the bumper if you happen to be approaching your GLB laden down with child seats and paraphernalia. Obviously, there won't be much space to play with if all three rows are in use - just 130-litres, so in this kind of configuration, you'll be limited to carry a few shopping bags and not a lot else. Most of the time though, you're going to be travelling with the rearmost third row chairs folded into the floor, a simple action activated by pulling on the provided red straps. That'll improve cargo capacity to at least 500-litres with the second row bench pushed right back towards you - or as much as 640-litres if you're able to push it right forward. If you're able to flatten the second row in the 7-seat model, you can free up as much as 1,055-litres - or as much as 1,680-litres if you load to the roof.

What to Look For

Quite a few of the same issues that apply to Mercedes A-Class, B-Class and GLA models also apply here. Which means that the 1.3-litre petrol unit can be harsh and jerky at low rpm or when idling. We've heard of malfunctioning oil supply lines for the turbocharger, cracked drive shaft flex discs that cause vibrations and faulty Electronic Stability Program software. Look out for interior rattles, creaks and inconsistent panel gaps. And check the infotainment system out thoroughly; we've heard of the central screen turning off unexpectedly and failing rear view cameras. Insist on a full Mercedes dealer service history, especially for the most recent models whose lengthy warranty - effectively for the life of the car - is dependent on proper servicing by an authorised agent. Check that all the accessories work and watch out for cosmetic damage which can be expensive to correct. These are popular family cars, so check for wear and tear in the rear. Also look for the usual signs of wheel kerbing and poorly repaired accident damage.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2021 GLB 200d- Ex Vat) An air filter is around £13-£27. An oil filter is around £6-£19. A fuel filter is around £36. Front brake pads sit in the £35-£84 bracket for a set (for rears it's around £24-£52). Front brake discs cost in the £35-£86 bracket. Rear brake discs can cost in the £146 bracket. A starter motor is in the £101-£266 bracket. An alternator sits in the £304-£566 bracket.

On the Road

Pretty much all the engineering in play here was originally developed for frugal family hatchbacks, not go-anywhere Gelandewagens. Still, it was reassuring to know that it had been evolved a bit for this GLB, a longer wheelbase combined with a wider track and a stiffer body. Plus the raised suspension was of the sophisticated rear multi-link kind that only the most expensive and powerful versions Mercedes smaller models normally tend to get. All of which helps to mitigate the roly-poly handling that you might normally expect a relatively compact, tall boxy SUV to deliver. You might be a bit less impressed with the ride, which for the UK couldn't be embellished with the adaptive damping system available in other markets. But all of the available mainstream engines are pleasingly refined, these mated to a selection of dual-clutch auto gearboxes. Which ones of these you get will depend on powerplant selection. Things kick off with the Renault-derived 163hp 1.3-litre petrol unit mated to a 7-speed auto and fitted to the base GLB 200, but you might conceivably feel that a car of this sort has no business sharing an engine with a Clio supermini. In which case we'd direct you to the gutsier 2.0-litre diesel, which works in concert with an 8-speed auto and comes in a couple of guises. There's the GLB 200d, which offers 150hp and can be had in either front-driven or 4MATIC form. Or the 4MATIC-only GLB 220d variant, which offers 190hp and a decent balance of performance and WLTP-rated efficiency - up to 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and 156g/km of CO2. For wild families, there's also a high performance Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC flagship model, which offers a 306hp 2.0-litre petrol turbo unit from the A 35 hot hatch capable of powering the car to 62mph in just 5.2s. And you could consider the closely-related EQB full-electric derivative too. Mainstream GLB models could be had from new with an optional 'Off Road Engineering Package'; seek out a version fitted with that if 'off piste' tracks might occasionally be on your agenda. And upper-spec versions feature all of the brand's usual camera safety and semi-autonomous drive technology too.

Overall

At first glance, you might think that this first generation GLB was an unnecessary further addition to the Mercedes SUV line-up. After looking closely at what it had to offer though, we ended up concluding that there was a real place for it in the Stuttgart maker's line-up. Prior to the arrival of this MK1 GLB, the brand had never before offered a car in this class that was really practical for a growing family, yet one that was reasonably affordable. This was it. Are there issues? Well probably, if you're shopping for a car of this sort from this era, you could pay slightly less and get a slightly bigger seven-seat SUV in this segment from a volume brand, but after trying a GLB, we think you may not want to. It has a premium, desirable feel that cars like Skoda's Kodiaq, Hyundai's Santa Fe, SEAT's Tarraco and even Volkswagen's Tiguan Allspace struggle to match. And the interior technology of those cars seems rather yesteryear compared to the cabin media tech on offer here. And in summary? Well you probably won't have started off wanting a GLB in this class. But take a closer look and its hold on you might grow. Hip to be square? There's something in that.