With the coveted title of the world’s most populated country now officially in the bag, it stands to reason that the Indian automotive landscape is increasingly being shaped to accommodate more people. MUVs and MPVs are more popular than ever, though not quite as popular as SUVs, premium or otherwise.
Mercedes-Benz India, the brand with the largest range of luxury SUVs, has addressed pretty much the entirety of the SUV spectrum, from the compact GLA to the superlative GLS, which, along with the mid-fielders GLC and the GLE, are among their most popular offerings in the country.
Enter the Mercedes-Benz GLB: an all-new seven-seater SUV, based on the same platform as the GLA and the A-Class sedan, but with seating capacity for seven and a punchy diesel power plant (along with a petrol). The GLB, which, along with its electric counterpart, the EQB, comes in via the CBU (completely built up) route, occupies a niche at the moment. But, considerable time behind the wheel served to demonstrate why it’s the ideal urban family car.
The now discontinued B-Class may not have been the most sensational piece of design, but it was one of the most practical cars Mercedes-Benz sold in the country. It had a high roof line, easy ingress and egress, with a large greenhouse (offering a fantastic view from every seat), short overhangs, and lots of storage space. Yes, the far more aggressively-styled A-Class captured a lot more eyeballs, but the B was a masterclass in ergonomic design.
The GLB serves to fulfill that requirement, while also bringing the bold styling cues, square wheel arches, and the visual essence of a scaled-down GLS to the family-mover space. It has managed to do this while looking truly distinct with its rhomboid headlamps, chrome-sprinkled grille and, when viewed from the side, long wheelbase (a good 100 mm over the GLA).
The inside view
You step-in with ease. The ride height has been calibrated to perfectly meet the needs of rock-ridden Indian terrain, and the driver’s seating position, upright windshield, and the clear, inviting view all around absolutely hits the spot. So much so that it’s the first thing that greets me, instead of the twin-screen, brushed aluminium-and-metal interior that shares plenty with the GLA and the A-sedan.
Any gripe I had about the interior quality of the erstwhile GLCs and A sedans appears to have been addressed. None of that flimsy faux wood trim to be found here, thankfully. This is a cabin worthy of the three-pointed star, with red stitching running across the length and breadth of the leather draped cockpit, including the steering, the seats, and the door pads.
Considering the price of the car (Rs 63.80 lakh) all of this, and more, is par for the course. The suede seats are a particularly nice touch, although it’s available on the top-end 4Matic trim only. So it comes as quite a shock that the GLB doesn’t get wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
That said, it isn’t exactly a bare-bones rally car in here. A 10-speaker sound system, a slick, high-resolution 10.25-inch screen, and the latest MBUX in-vehicle infotainment system makes this a fairly well-appointed cabin.
The second row is particularly comfortable, worth the CBU premium you’ll be paying for the car (demand is not an issue for either the EQB or the GLB). Lots of head and legroom and an overall spacious cabin really make you wish the GLB could be a future contender for local assembly. This is despite the fact that the third-row is primarily targeted at very small humans or large dogs. Best to fold away the third-row and enjoy the extra storage space.
In terms of sheer length, the GLB is only 12mm shorter than the GLC. This is a B-Class enhanced in every possible way. Except that there’s no spare tyre, which is a must for every SUV.
Oil burner to the rescue
Merc’s present-gen diesel outguns its anorexic petrol by a considerable margin. So it’s not even a contest as to which GLB is better. The 220d gets 188 bhp and belts out 400 Nm of torque in the all-wheel drive 4Matic option. But honestly, the cheaper, front-wheel drive option will serve you just as well in most driving scenarios.
The diesel motor on the GLB seems noticeably quieter than on previous Mercs. Strong bottom-end torque immediately elevates its status, although it’s still not the smoothest, quietest diesel out there, that distinction arguably going to the current crop of BMWs. But it is a more zesty motor, working in perfect unison with the flawlessly smooth 8-speed, dual-clutch transmission with evenly stacked gear ratios, and seamless transitions. The gearbox is self-assured, with phenomenally quick response times which allow you to access dollops of torque as soon as you drop a gear.
Where it truly excels is in the way it rides. It’s not just the fact that the GLB rides at an optimal height which eats up the big potholes and speed bumps without towering so imperiously high as to compromise driving dynamics. The multi-link units at the back, plus the front struts, work in tandem to make the suspension very absorbent, and the ride excellent. I can’t recall when driving through heavy traffic in a German luxury vehicle had me this uncannily relaxed.
To buy or not to buy?
Is really not the question. As mentioned earlier, the demand for the car or pretty much any Mercedes-Benz in the country isn’t really an issue. In fact, Mercedes-Benz India’s MD Santosh Iyer went so far as to say that those unwilling to endure the long wait for the EQB are opting for the GLB, even though the value proposition for the two are very different.
Still, given how closely the two are priced, it’s a sweet dilemma. Go for the zero-tailpipe emission, instantaneous torque delivery of the EQB, or the go-anywhere GLB with its earthy diesel and plentiful bottom-end grunt? Going by the sheer demand, there’s plenty of room for both. But from a highway worthiness POV, the GLB edges ahead of the EQB by a few points.
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