The subcompact luxury SUV’s lineup will eventually grow to include an all-wheel-drive hybrid too.
Farewell, EQB, we hardly knew ye. Mercedes-Benz has pulled back the cover on the 2027 GLB-class, and this foxy little box keeps the same vibe as before—fitting an impressive amount of people into a small, squarish silhouette—but its inner workings have been given a big ol’ reorganization.
What’s Powering the New GLB?
If you’re familiar with the changes to Merc’s other diminutive entry-level car, the CLA-class, the GLB’s changes won’t seem to come flying in from left field. The most important update comes by way of the powertrain. At launch, the GLB will be an electric-only affair, available in two flavors.
The rear-wheel-drive GLB250+ with EQ Technology (for the sake of brevity, we won’t be typing the full name again) makes 268 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque, enough to get the car to 60 mph in a Mercedes-estimated 7.3 seconds. If you need more power and perhaps more traction, the GLB350 sports dual-motor all-wheel drive and has a much meatier output of 349 horses and 380 pound-feet, enough to shrink the 60-mph sprint to 5.4 seconds. Both models feature a two-speed transmission on the rear axle.
The GLB250+ and the GLB350 use the same battery—a nickel-manganese-cobalt lunker with 85 kWh of usable capacity. The rear-drive 250+ will be the range queen of the group, with an estimated WLTP range between 337 and 392 miles (using our EPA conversion math, that comes out to 286 to 333 miles by U.S. standards). The GLB350 adds performance but reduces range, with WLTP estimates landing between 324 and 382 miles (275 to 325 miles using our EPA conversion). Both electric GLBs will be able to charge at up to 9.6 kilowatts on an AC charger and up to 320 kilowatts on a DC fast-charger.
For those of you who aren’t ready or willing to go electric, a traditional hybrid will eventually join the lineup too. Expect that one to borrow a whole lot from the new CLA220 hybrid. Along with a small 1.3-kWh lithium-ion battery and a 27-hp electric motor built into its eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the gas-electric GLB will feature a gas-fed 1.5-liter Miller-cycle four-cylinder engine that should combine for 188 horsepower. Mercedes says this hybrid setup will provide pure-electric power for short distances, but speed is capped at 60 mph.
Inside the New GLB
The GLB’s new dimensions should improve interior space. The new GLB’s body is 3.9 inches longer, 1.1 inches wider, and 0.9 inch shorter than the outgoing GLB, with a wheelbase 2.4 inches longer than before. It picks up usable space in nearly every dimension—second-row legroom expands by an impressive 2.7 inches—although third-row headroom loses a tenth of an inch.
Speaking of, the GLB will continue to be available in both five- and seven-seat configurations. The rear door openings are now larger, and there’s an increased range of movement in the second-row seats, so third-row ingress and egress should be much easier.
Sadly, the GLB’s latest iteration is not the “Baby G” that we’ve been waiting for, though that would’ve been cool. But this little Scion xB wannabe still picked up several aesthetic updates in its new generation. The front has adopted the unibrow-and-big-grille styling seen on the new CLA-class, while the rear sports a width-spanning LED lighting array. In person, it’s got more of a squared-off look than its predecessor, especially at the D-pillar, which is much more upright and chunky.
And then there’s the cabin. Opt for the aptly named Superscreen setup, and you’re met with a 10.3-inch digital driver display, a 14-inch central touchscreen, and a 14-inch passenger screen. Those who don’t feel like dropping a yet-unknown quantity of money on the Superscreen will be met with two-thirds of that arrangement; upgrading adds only the passenger display. Fans of physical buttons will be pleased to find some returning favorites on the steering wheel—namely, a rocker switch for the adaptive cruise control and a roller for the volume.
There’s a bunch of AI in the GLB’s tech stack now, but it keeps trying to take our jobs, so we’re not going to talk about it much. Nearly all its software can be updated over the air, and the infotainment system can now hold a conversation thanks to its reliance on several AI agents simultaneously. The in-car navigation is now based on Google Maps.
Pricing will likely not arrive for some time, but for some context, the electric CLA—which shares its EV powertrains with the GLB—starts at $48,400 for the CLA250+ and $51,050 for the CLA350. We imagine the electric GLB should carry a small premium above that, given its larger footprint. The 2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA-class EV is slated to go on sale sometime at the end of next year, with the hybrid versions to follow in early 2027.
