A premium, compact, three-row crossover sounds destined to basically print money and that’s just what Mercedes-Benz is hoping the new 2020 GLB 250 4MATIC will do.
In terms of curb appeal, the 2020 GLB 250 4MATIC’s boxy, upright exterior takes more cues from the G-Wagen than any other new Mercedes-Benz SUV. Up front, a skid-plate-like styling element looks rugged, while standard squared-off LED headlights echo the boldness of the front fascia and the bulldog stance. Around the sides, the GLB 250 4MATIC features an unusual beltline that kinks up towards the back of the rear doors, almost like an inverted version of the 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey’s beltline. While the beltline may be an acquired taste for some, the rugged, squared-off, plastic-clad wheel arches and taut, bulging haunches are easy to like. Once around the back of the GLB 250 4MATIC, those aforementioned haunches accentuate the tumblehome and create a more planted stance, while the horizontally-oriented LED taillights also do their part to enhance visual width. Overall, the new GLB 250 4MATIC sports attractive sheetmetal that should appeal to many buyers.
The big news on the inside is that the 2020 GLB 250 4MATIC offers third-row seating. While it certainly won’t be the roomiest third-row of any SUV, Mercedes-Benz says it will seat people up to 5’6” tall in comfort, while offering the creature comforts of two cupholders and side storage compartments with USB charge points. Up front, the dashboard is topped by the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system and features a rugged, grab bar-like styling element that’s reminiscent of the grab bar on G-Wagens. This grab bar element is also echoed on each front interior door panel, albeit in a significantly more functional manner. Other notable interior features include Mercedes-Benz’s excellent ambient lighting and an additional two child seat mounting points when third-row seating is optioned.
Powering the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 4MATIC is a two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (codename M260 for Mercedes-Benz aficionados) with trumpet-honed cylinder bores and two-stage variable valve lift on the intake cam. It’s good for 221 horsepower and comes mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and 4Matic all-wheel-drive. This variant of 4MATIC has a default torque split of 80:20 front-to-rear in eco and comfort modes and 70:30 front-to-rear in sport mode. Currently this is the only powertrain option announced for Canada and is expected to propel the GLB 250 4MATIC to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.
Pricing has not yet been announced for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 4MATIC. Expect more information to be available closer to its on-sale date at the end of this year.
