BY YANNIS-MARIOS PAPADOPOULOS
“You have (the full) package”
Let’s say you’re looking for the ideal SUV. How would that be? It certainly should be comfortable. To be able to transport a family in a relaxed manner, without luggage at the… feet of the passengers. It should have a small engine, so that on the one hand it doesn’t consume too much fuel, and on the other hand we don’t have to pay too much for insurance and road tax. Be luxurious. And, of course, to have increased off-road capabilities. After all, you should be able to drive an SUV if you enjoy it out of town.
But is there such a car? The truth is that until the moment of testing the Mercedes GLB200 4matic I hadn’t put my hand in the fire. But then I had no doubt: of course it exists! Mercedes GLB200 4matic, well! But let’s take things in order.
Plenty of room for… seven!
The Mercedes GLB is a family SUV with enough space for even seven people, thanks to the folding third row of seats. It could be described as a “little G Klasse”, as it is the only one of the German brand’s SUVs with such strong design influences, mainly due to its square body shape.
But it is not only beautiful. It is also comfortable. It’s easy to find the ideal driving position, thanks to the standard electric adjustment of the driver’s seat and the steering wheel that can be adjusted in all directions.
The middle row seats are retractable to provide the necessary space for the third row passengers if the vehicle is used in its seven-seat configuration. However, if you don’t have such large ones and use the GLB as a five-seater, with the middle row in its rearmost setting you enjoy an extremely comfortable journey. In any case, there is no question of space for rear passengers.
Inside the Mercedes GLB there are plenty of handy spaces for small items. The passenger glovebox is a decent size, and there’s room for a bottle under the centre armrest, which also has two USB C ports.
With seven seats in place, the Mercedes GLB’s luggage space is sufficient to carry a few backpacks. However, if you fold down the third row of seats, a 570-litre boot is created. Importantly, the Mercedes GLB’s boot is easy to load thanks to the low threshold.
With the middle row of seats also folded down, a huge 1,805 litres of space is created, sufficient for a bicycle or a large box.
Luxury
The interior is particularly elegant. The materials are of high quality, the assembly is excellent and the lines that have been followed are absolutely clean. The five round air intakes are a Mercedes trademark, while – as is the case with all modern models of the star – the digital displays for both the instrument panel and the multimedia system dominate.
The Mercedes GLB’s raised body and large, square windows give you a pretty good view of the outside. The pillars next to the windscreen don’t create many blind spots and are easy to check over your shoulder before changing lanes on the motorway.
In any case, the comprehensive equipment, which includes among other things a reversing camera and sensors on both the front and rear bumper, will protect you from possible… mishaps! The GLB200 comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Just 1.3 litres!
One would expect that such a large SUV, weighing over 1,600 kg, would hide a “beastly” engine under its hood. And yet! Mercedes, fully in tune with the spirit of the times, chose for the GLB200 version a 1.3-litre engine producing 163 bhp at 5,500 rpm, with torque reaching 250 Nm between 1,620 and 4,000 rpm.
Even more interesting is the fact that this turbocharged engine works with the new eight-speed 8G-DCT dual-clutch transmission, which is dry-type and, compared to the seven-speed, is lighter and smaller in size.
How does all this “translate” into performance? 0-100 in 9.7 seconds and a top speed of just over 200 kilometres per hour, with consumption in real mixed conditions hovering around 8 litres. Of course, the 4matic all-wheel drive that our test car was equipped with also plays a role, but the benefits of four-wheel drive are infinitely more than your GLB consuming half a litre less fuel!
The Mercedes GLB200 is quite easy to drive in the city, on the motorway it comfortably covers the kilometres, while on the country road, thanks to the “eight-speed” dual clutch gearbox, the journeys are comfortable and enjoyable.
If you’re more interested in your new SUV being safe and sporty at the same time, then the GLB200 is your choice. With its numerous safety systems and unique character, it will not go unnoticed!
