New Mercedes GLB: next-generation seven-seater to be revealed in December
The second-generation Mercedes GLB will be available with both combustion and electric power...
On sale Early 2026 Price from £45,000 (est)
The first images of the second-generation Mercedes GLB have been unveiled ahead of its full reveal next month as it undergoes winter testing.
Mercedes says the new GLB will be more spacious, more comfortable and easier to get in and out of. For the first time, it’ll be available with both electric and combustion power.
While the outgoing GLB was not short of space, the new version has undergone a number of changes to improve its roominess inside. The roofline has been tweaked with the aim of offering more head room up front, and a new panoramic roof should improve head room in the second row.
Like the old model, the new GLB can be configured with five or seven seats. The second row of seats can now be adjusted to prioritise leg room in the second row or space in the third row (or boot space when the third row of seats aren’t in use). This should also make it easier for passengers to get into the rearmost seats – but if you don’t need them, they can be folded into the load floor.
While we've only seen the car obscured by snow so far, we do know that the new GLB is slightly wider, longer and taller than the outgoing model, which should allow for that extra space inside.
Inside, you will have the choice of specifying your GLB with Mercedes’ dominating MBUX Superscreen layout, which also features on the new CLA. It comprises a 10.25in digital instrument cluster, 14in infotainment touchscreen and 14in passenger display spanning the width of the dashboard. It’s not all digital though, because Mercedes has reintroduced rocker switches and physical buttons on its steering wheel due to popular demand.
There’s an open storage compartment below the centre console, which also houses a space for your phone with optional wireless charging. The panoramic roof can also be programmed to light up with a display of three-point stars.
In terms of technical information, there’s not much out there on what will power the GLB yet, but we do know that it will be underpinned by Mercedes’ MMA technology – replacing the MFA platform the outgoing model sits on.
In other words, the GLB will be available with both combustion and electric power, much like the new CLA. Power options are expected to mirror those of the latter, with battery sizes of either 58kWh or 85kWh, or a mild hybrid system using a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
For reference, the CLA can manage an official 484 miles of range with its bigger battery, but the GLB is likely to have more modest figures due to its chunky SUV styling, which doesn’t really lend itself to aerodynamics. That being said, it should still be highly competitive.
The electric variant will act as a replacement for the EQB, which was discontinued earlier this year. It’ll also receive 800V architecture, which will allow it to be available in rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive (4Matic in Mercedes-speak) forms.
It’s expected that electric versions of the GLB will arrive first in early 2026, followed by mild hybrid versions before the end of the year. Prices are expected to start at around £45,000, which would make it a cheaper buy than the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 – those rivals are slightly larger, but they're only available as five-seaters.
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