Source: Motorpress /Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Mercedes-Benz GLB reinvents the compact SUV
Pretoria. The new Mercedes-Benz GLB has arrived in South Africa – and it’s about to redefine the versatile compact SUV market. The new GLB is the first Mercedes-Benz in the compact segment that is optionally available as a seven-seater, and is powered by completely updated four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines that offer a combination of fuel economy and performance.
Pretoria. The new Mercedes-Benz GLB has arrived in South Africa
The new GLB joins the Mercedes-Benz compact car family of the A-Class Hatch, A-Class Sedan, B-Class, CLA and the GLA. Since the first A-Class was launched in 1997, over seven million vehicles of this segment have already been delivered worldwide.
"There is a growing interest for SUVs, while compact cars are also seeing an increase in sales. So a compact SUV such as the GLB blends all the success factors of our two segments," says Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa. "The GLB also boasts some special features which we have not previously offered our customers in this segment, like seven seats."
Powerful proportions with short overhangs and off-road-oriented design, standard LED headlights, as well as 4MATIC all-wheel drive in the GLB 220d make the GLB a versatile SUV and a spacious family car.
"Its iconic exterior and trendy interior lends the Mercedes-Benz GLB an unmistakable SUV character. The GLB will allow Mercedes-Benz to speak to a new audience," says Selvin Govender, Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa.
With powerful and efficient four-cylinder engines, the latest driving assistance systems and the intuitively operated infotainment system MBUX, the new family member has all the strengths of the current compact-class generation from Mercedes-Benz. These include the completely modernised four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with increased power and torque and reduced emissions.
South Africans will be able to choose from the GLB 250 and the GLB 220 d 4MATIC at launch. The GLB 250 offers a combined fuel consumption 7.4-7.1 l/100 km, with combined CO2 emissions of 168 g/km. The two-litre diesel engine in the GLB 220d 4MATIC offers a combined fuel consumption of 5.4-5.1 l/100 km, and combined CO2 emissions of 144 g/km.
With a wheelbase of 2829 millimetres, the GLB is 10cm longer than the new BClass. The car is 4634 millimetres long, 1834 millimetres wide and 1658 millimetres high. As a result, 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 two optional additional individual seats can seat people up to 1.68m tall in comfort.
The boot compartment capacity of 570 to 1805 litres boasts the qualities of an estate car. The second row can be moved fore and aft, enabling the boot to be enlarged by up to 190 litres. Comfort details in the third row include two drinks holders between the seats as well as two stowage compartments with rubberised insert on the left and right in the load compartment trim, each housing a USB port. The seats can be lowered so that they are flush with the load compartment floor to extend the load compartment.
Driving assistance systems are drawn from the S-Class, with improved camera and radar systems that allow the GLB to see up to 500 metres ahead and drive in semi-automated mode in certain situations.
The MBUX infotainment system (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) offers powerful computer, brilliant screens and graphics, customisable presentation, full-colour head-up display, with optional navigation and augmented reality, learning software, and voice control activated with the prompt "Hey Mercedes".
Off-road orientation: the exterior design
The powerful proportions of the GLB underscore the off-road focus of the design, with an upright front section, striking headlamps and short overhangs at the front and rear. The muscular vehicle shoulder dominates the side view at the height of the C-pillar, an effect reinforced by the rising waistline. The doors reach over the side bar, improving ease of access, and keep the door apertures free of soiling as well as increasing protection in a side impact. All-round protective claddings divide the overall proportions and emphasise the vehicle's off-road character, as does the stylised skid plate at the front and rear.
Useful in easy off-road terrain
The GLB 220d 4M is equipped with the permanent all-wheel system 4MATIC, with fully variable torque distribution. The Off-Road Engineering Package is standard on the GLB 220d 4M and includes an additional drive mode that adapts the power delivery of the engine for off-road driving in easy terrain. This is not available in the GLB 250.
To learn more about the new Mercedes-Benz GLB, visit https://www.mercedes-benz.co.za/glb
Seating variability in detail:
ariability Five-seater (Standard) Seven-seater (Optional)
First seat row Folding front passenger seat (option)
Second seat row Seat backrest with 40:20:40 folding split
Multi-stage seat backrest inclination adjustment
Seat row can be moved fore and aft by 140 mm, seat with 40:60 split (option) Seat row can be moved fore and aft by 140 mm, seat with 40:60 split (standard)
EASY-ENTRY function
Third seat row - Two retractable bucket seats
The models at a glance:
GLB 250 GLB 220 d 4MATIC
Transmission 8G-DCT (automatic) 8G-DCT (automatic)
Displacement Cc 1991/L4 1950/L4
Output kW 165 140
At Rpm 5500 3800
Peak torque Nm 350 400
at Rpm 1800-4000 1600-2600
Combined fuel consumption[1] l/100 km 7.4-7.1 5.4-5.1
Combined CO2 emissions[1] g/km 168 144
Acceleration 0-100 km/h S 6.9 7.6
Top speed km/h 236 217
Retail Price R831 000 R841 000
The figures shown were obtained in accordance with the prescribed measuring process. They are "NEDC CO2 values" pursuant to Art. 2 No. 1 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption figures have been calculated on the basis of these values. Electrical consumption has been determined on the basis of Directive 692/2008/EC.
"There is a growing interest for SUVs, while compact cars are also seeing an increase in sales. So a compact SUV such as the GLB blends all the success factors of our two segments," says Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa. "The GLB also boasts some special features which we have not previously offered our customers in this segment, like seven seats."
Powerful proportions with short overhangs and off-road-oriented design, standard LED headlights, as well as 4MATIC all-wheel drive in the GLB 220d make the GLB a versatile SUV and a spacious family car.
"Its iconic exterior and trendy interior lends the Mercedes-Benz GLB an unmistakable SUV character. The GLB will allow Mercedes-Benz to speak to a new audience," says Selvin Govender, Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa.
With powerful and efficient four-cylinder engines, the latest driving assistance systems and the intuitively operated infotainment system MBUX, the new family member has all the strengths of the current compact-class generation from Mercedes-Benz. These include the completely modernised four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with increased power and torque and reduced emissions.
South Africans will be able to choose from the GLB 250 and the GLB 220 d 4MATIC at launch. The GLB 250 offers a combined fuel consumption 7.4-7.1 l/100 km, with combined CO2 emissions of 168 g/km. The two-litre diesel engine in the GLB 220d 4MATIC offers a combined fuel consumption of 5.4-5.1 l/100 km, and combined CO2 emissions of 144 g/km.
With a wheelbase of 2829 millimetres, the GLB is 10cm longer than the new BClass. The car is 4634 millimetres long, 1834 millimetres wide and 1658 millimetres high. As a result, 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 two optional additional individual seats can seat people up to 1.68m tall in comfort.
The boot compartment capacity of 570 to 1805 litres boasts the qualities of an estate car. The second row can be moved fore and aft, enabling the boot to be enlarged by up to 190 litres. Comfort details in the third row include two drinks holders between the seats as well as two stowage compartments with rubberised insert on the left and right in the load compartment trim, each housing a USB port. The seats can be lowered so that they are flush with the load compartment floor to extend the load compartment.
Driving assistance systems are drawn from the S-Class, with improved camera and radar systems that allow the GLB to see up to 500 metres ahead and drive in semi-automated mode in certain situations.
The MBUX infotainment system (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) offers powerful computer, brilliant screens and graphics, customisable presentation, full-colour head-up display, with optional navigation and augmented reality, learning software, and voice control activated with the prompt "Hey Mercedes".
Off-road orientation: the exterior design
The powerful proportions of the GLB underscore the off-road focus of the design, with an upright front section, striking headlamps and short overhangs at the front and rear. The muscular vehicle shoulder dominates the side view at the height of the C-pillar, an effect reinforced by the rising waistline. The doors reach over the side bar, improving ease of access, and keep the door apertures free of soiling as well as increasing protection in a side impact. All-round protective claddings divide the overall proportions and emphasise the vehicle's off-road character, as does the stylised skid plate at the front and rear.
Useful in easy off-road terrain
The GLB 220d 4M is equipped with the permanent all-wheel system 4MATIC, with fully variable torque distribution. The Off-Road Engineering Package is standard on the GLB 220d 4M and includes an additional drive mode that adapts the power delivery of the engine for off-road driving in easy terrain. This is not available in the GLB 250.
To learn more about the new Mercedes-Benz GLB, visit https://www.mercedes-benz.co.za/glb
Seating variability in detail:
ariability Five-seater (Standard) Seven-seater (Optional)
First seat row Folding front passenger seat (option)
Second seat row Seat backrest with 40:20:40 folding split
Multi-stage seat backrest inclination adjustment
Seat row can be moved fore and aft by 140 mm, seat with 40:60 split (option) Seat row can be moved fore and aft by 140 mm, seat with 40:60 split (standard)
EASY-ENTRY function
Third seat row - Two retractable bucket seats
The models at a glance:
GLB 250 GLB 220 d 4MATIC
Transmission 8G-DCT (automatic) 8G-DCT (automatic)
Displacement Cc 1991/L4 1950/L4
Output kW 165 140
At Rpm 5500 3800
Peak torque Nm 350 400
at Rpm 1800-4000 1600-2600
Combined fuel consumption[1] l/100 km 7.4-7.1 5.4-5.1
Combined CO2 emissions[1] g/km 168 144
Acceleration 0-100 km/h S 6.9 7.6
Top speed km/h 236 217
Retail Price R831 000 R841 000
The figures shown were obtained in accordance with the prescribed measuring process. They are "NEDC CO2 values" pursuant to Art. 2 No. 1 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption figures have been calculated on the basis of these values. Electrical consumption has been determined on the basis of Directive 692/2008/EC.
The new GLB joins the Mercedes-Benz compact car family of the A-Class Hatch
-Class Sedan, B-Class, CLA and the GLA. Since the first A-Class was launched in 1997