Road Test: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250

Story by Jordan Allan, photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Specifications:

Price: $46,500 (MSRP)

Engine: 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 cylinder

Trans: 8G-DCT 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Power: 221 hp@ 5,500 rpm

Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 1,800-4,000 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,891 lbs./1,765 kg

Fuel Consumption: (L/100km – City/Hwy) 10.1/7.7

New for 2020: The Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class is all-new for 2020 and slots in between the GLA- and GLC-Class. It offers an available third-row seat and features a somewhat boxy design, likely inspired by the legendary G-Wagon.

Segment Competitors: Audi Q3, BMW X1, Jaguar E-Pace, Volvo XC40, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Volkswagen Tiguan, Lexus UX

The Skinny: With an already seemingly full lineup of SUVs available, you may find yourself wondering why Mercedes-Benz would need another one which, honestly, was a fair question. The only way it would work, was if it differentiated itself enough from the others enough to be a completely different experience. After seeing and spending some time with the all-new GLB 250, it was clear that it was.

Many if not most of the available Mercedes SUVs offers a coupe like body that features a long, sloping roofline as they try to mimic the similarly styled coupes and sedans offered by Mercedes. The GLB-Class did not follow this trend, instead borrowing more design cues from the legendary G-Class and thus, makes it feel a whole lot more rugged. The upright, almost boxy shape is a breath of fresh air and really stands out amongst the other Mercedes SUVs.

That said, the more upright stance and higher ride height definitely takes a little something away from the performance end of things. It is still an very smooth, refined ride, and not something you’d every complain about, but it isn’t going to provide a ton of thrill either.

Inside, it looks like a typical Mercedes interior and I could not mean that as any more of a complement. The materials feel expensive, the layout is well thought out, and though it seems many aren’t huge fans of the infotainment system, I personally have no issues with it and find it easy to navigate and use.

The elevated seating position gives you great sightlines on all four corners and the backseat provides enough room for a moderately sized person. The available third row is best suited for smaller children, and when folded down, provides a cargo space that is more than enough to haul around some weekend gear.

Pros: I liked it initially, but I found the looks to grow even more on me throughout my test week.

Cons: It definitely drove nice, but didn’t provide the same thrill that some other Mercedes SUV’s have.

The Verdict: Although it looks like they were trying to make it look the part, the GLB-Class isn’t a smaller version of the G-Class, and does not offer the same off-road capability nor prestige that comes with it. What it does do though, is provide you with a good-sized, capable SUV with an all-wheel-drive system that is more than capable of getting you down your local forestry road to your favourite camping spot and it does all this with pretty good value.

At an MSRP of $46,500, you get all that you’d expect from a Mercedes with even just a little bit of ruggedness sprinkled in. Though it’s obviously on the higher end, the Mercedes-Benz GLB250 isn’t completely in the stratosphere when compared price-wise to some similar non-luxury brands offerings, which should automatically warrant consideration.