Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ Review: One Star, Seven Seats

Some people buy a Mercedes-Benz because they've worked hard and want something nice to show for it. Others buy one because the three-pointed star has a certain appeal that no amount of equipment or horsepower from another manufacturer can quite replicate.

And then there are those who need seven seats because, apparently, having two children also means becoming the designated chauffeur for everyone else in the extended family.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ caters rather nicely to all three.

Replacing the electric EQB, this new-generation GLB is a fully electric SUV that manages to accommodate three rows of seats without looking like it requires a commercial loading bay.

It is also rear-wheel drive, which makes things a little more interesting for those of us who still believe driving should involve more than simply transporting people from one shopping centre to another.

The Inside Story

The GLB's interior is where Mercedes-Benz makes a particularly convincing argument for its asking price.

The dashboard is dominated by the MBUX Superscreen, incorporating a 10.25-inch driver's display, and two 14-inch screens for the infotainment system and front passenger.

It certainly makes an impression - whether the front passenger actually needs that much screen real estate is another question, but at least they can entertain themselves without interfering with your navigation.

The cabin's general presentation is pleasingly upmarket, with good material selection, attractive detailing and reassuring assembly quality. The seats are supportive, the driving position is commanding and the overall ambience feels suitably... expensive.

More importantly, Mercedes-Benz hasn't sacrificed practicality simply to make the dashboard resemble an electronics showroom.

Measuring 4,732 mm long and riding on a 2,889 mm wheelbase, the GLB makes excellent use of its relatively compact footprint. The front occupants enjoy generous accommodation, while the second row provides sufficient legroom and headroom for adults. Its sliding adjustment also allows passengers to redistribute available space depending on who's occupying the third row.

That last row, however, requires some discussion. Mercedes-Benz deserves credit for providing seven seats in something that isn't unnecessarily enormous; but those final two seats are best reserved for children, preferably below the age of 10, depending on their height.

Adults will find knee and legroom rather limited, especially over extended journeys. And even if you don't particularly fancy your brother-in-law, or that loud-mouthed uncle who always has something to say about your driving, please resist the temptation to banish them to the last row - you wouldn't want to be answerable should they develop deep-vein thrombosis…

Jokes aside, the GLB is best regarded as a comfortable five-seater with two additional seats available when required, rather than a vehicle intended to transport seven adults regularly.

With all seven seats occupied, boot capacity is 145-litres. That's enough for smaller bags and everyday essentials, but you'll have to reconsider that airport run if everyone insists on bringing a large suitcase.

Fold the third row away and capacity increases to 480-litres, which is considerably more useful for daily family duties. With the second and third rows folded, maximum luggage capacity reaches, voila, 1,605-litres. There's also a 127-litre frunk, particularly useful for charging cables and other items you'd rather keep separate from your luggage.

For Singapore, its dimensions are another advantage. It offers the flexibility of a seven-seater without making every visit to an older HDB multi-storey carpark an exercise in spatial judgement.

Driving It

Underneath its rather sensible exterior sits an 85 kWh battery powering a rear-mounted electric motor, producing 200 kW (268 bhp) and 335 Nm of torque.

A two-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels, with 0-100 km/h dispatched in 7.4 seconds.

More importantly, Mercedes-Benz quotes a WLTP range of 674 km, giving the GLB considerable appeal as a family EV. Its 800-volt electrical architecture also supports DC charging at up to 320 kW, with a claimed 10-80% charging time of approximately 22 minutes under suitable conditions.

These figures are reassuring, especially for families who cannot charge at home and depend on public infrastructure.

And while 7.4 seconds might not impress someone accustomed to today's absurdly powerful electric SUVs, the GLB never feels lacking in everyday performance - power delivery is progressive, overtaking is effortless and there's sufficient urgency when joining an expressway. It doesn't attempt to rearrange your internal organs every time you touch the accelerator, which is probably a good thing when you've got children sitting behind you.

With its electric motor driving the rear wheels, the front axle is relieved of propulsion duties and can concentrate on steering. The result? A family SUV that feels more willing to change direction than its proportions might suggests.

Our test car was equipped with staggered, low-profile Michelin Primacy 5 Energy tyres, which contributed to its reassuring grip and relatively sharp responses. Through bends, the GLB feels composed, with controlled body movement and sufficient precision to make driving it genuinely enjoyable.

However, while the steering is accurate, I couldn't help wishing for more feedback and weight.

Around town, its calibration is perfectly appropriate - it is easy to manoeuvre, sufficiently weighted and doesn't make negotiating tight carparks unnecessarily strenuous. But when you're driving alone, with nobody complaining about your choice of music or asking whether you've reached the destination, a little more steering resistance would make the experience considerably more satisfying.

The chassis clearly has the ability; it would simply be nice if the steering communicated a little more of what was happening underneath.

Nevertheless, this remains a family SUV first and foremost. For its intended audience, Mercedes-Benz has struck a sensible compromise.

One aspect that deserves particular recognition is its braking performance. The pedal response is progressive and reassuring, allowing the driver to regulate stopping power confidently without having to second-guess the transition between regenerative and conventional braking.

More impressively, during a sudden brake-and-evade manoeuvre, the GLB demonstrated excellent composure - it stopped convincingly, while maintaining surprisingly controlled body movement, even with the additional directional input. There was no excessive pitching or unsettling sensation that the vehicle's substantial mass was overwhelming its chassis.

This matters considerably more to me than another manufacturer's claim of reaching 100 km/h in four seconds – you see, a family vehicle should inspire confidence when something unexpected happens, and the GLB delivered precisely that.

In A Nutshell

The GLB 250+ is a thoughtfully executed family EV. It is spacious without being cumbersome, comfortable without feeling disconnected and sufficiently enjoyable to drive when the opportunity presents itself. Its generous WLTP range, flexible interior, reassuring braking performance and well-controlled chassis make it a particularly appealing proposition for families wanting something more premium.

There is, however, the unavoidable matter of price.

At approximately S$332,888 inclusive of COE, the GLB 250+ AMG Line Sport represents a substantial financial commitment. And this is perhaps its greatest obstacle.

(You can find 95 three-pointed star emblems on the front grille, and they light up at night.)

Had Mercedes-Benz introduced this car during a period when COE premiums were considerably kinder to the masses, I reckon it would have been an easy volume seller. The combination of brand prestige, seven-seat versatility and genuine everyday usability is precisely what many Singaporean families look for.

As it stands, buyers will need to weigh that considerable premium against an increasingly accomplished field of electric SUVs.

But the GLB's appeal isn't difficult to understand - it offers enough space for the family, sufficient range to make charging less of a concern, and road manners that remind you Mercedes-Benz still understands the importance of engineering a properly sorted car.

The bonus? It even offers a little rear-wheel-drive enjoyment when the family isn't around.

Just don't tell your wife that's one of the reasons you bought it...

Technical Specification - Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+

Power/Torque: 268 bhp/335 Nm
Battery type/Capacity: Nickel Manganese Cobalt/85 kWh
Charging time: 4.5 hours (AC), 22 minutes (DC) - 10 to 80%
Range: 674 km (WLTP)
0-100 km/h: 7.4 seconds
Top speed: 210 km/h
Efficiency: 19.4 kWh/100 km
Agent: Cycle & Carriage Industries

Photos by Azfar Hashim (@azfar.talks)

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