Page 45 - MotorTrend (March 2020)

FIRST DRIVES
BENZES
Autopilot. Activate cruise, and it’ll slow
the vehicle for corners, handle stop-
and-go traffic, and change lanes when you
activate a turn signal. It’ll even display a
forward-looking video feed on the info-
tainment screen with overlay reminder
arrows that point you into the next
waypoint (albeit a bit late in the process). ably while keeping the body reasonably
Sadly, the cumbersome user interface
is multilayered and difficult to use. The
infotainment screen, at least, is touch
sensitive, but the touchpad controllers on
the center console and the steering wheel
rarely understand your inputs.
Once underway, the GLB rides and
drives like a tall sedan, hugging the
ground but giving you an elevated view of
the road. The suspension rides comfort-
flat in a curve so no one gets thrown
around. The steering is responsive and
has a nice weight to it without being too
The Off-Road driving mode sounds
nice, but the GLB’s ground clearance
is barely better than a sedan, so don’t
bother going off-pavement for fun.
heavy. Similarly, the brakes offer plenty
of stopping power if you need it, but they
aren’t grabby, so it’s easy to stop smoothly.
Its all-wheel-drive system, should you
choose to buy it, is undetectable when
engaged, which generally only happens if
a front wheel loses traction.
The engine’s 221 horsepower is more
than adequate. With a pair of adults on
board, the GLB 250 doesn’t feel strained
getting up to speed when merging with
interstate traffic. Give credit to the
new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
transmission, which never stumbles
when smoothly picking the proper gear.
Compared to the CLA’s seven-speed, the
GLB’s transmission is a revelation.
The GLB is let down by the interior
noise level, particularly tire and wind
noise on the highway, which is exces-
sive for a vehicle wearing a Mercedes
badge. Raising your voice to be heard in a
German car? Unacceptable.
The good news is Mercedes didn’t let
the accountants price this thing. You
would have to check almost every box
on a GLB to top $50K. But dial back on
the over-the-top options, and you have
impressive tech and luxury for the price
of a loaded mainstream-brand compact
SUV. With more customers prioritizing
panache over capacity, the GLB makes a
lot of sense. Scott Evans
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250
BASE PRICE $37,595-$39,595
VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD/AWD,
5-7-pass, 4-door SUV
ENGINE 2.0L/221-hp/258-lb-ft
turbocharged DOHC
16-valve I-4
TRANSMISSION 8-speed twin-clutch auto
CURB WEIGHT 3,650-3,900 lb (mfr)
WHEELBASE 111.4 in
LENGTH X WIDTH 182.4 x 79.5 x 65.3 in
X HEIGHT
0-60 MPH 6.9 sec (mfr est)
EPA CITY/HWY/ 23/30-31/26 mpg
COMB FUEL ECON
ENERGY 147/109-112 kW-hr/
CONSUMPTION, 100 miles
CITY/HWY
CO2 EMISSIONS, 0.75 lb/mile
COMB
ON SALE IN U.S. Currently
MARCH 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 45