Feature
New Tesla Model Y vs Mercedes GLB Electric
We know the Tesla Model Y is a fine electric SUV, but does it make as much sense in seven-seat form? We pit it against its closest rival to find out
The contenders
NEW Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD (7-seat)
List price £55,490
Best price £55,490
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Only one version of the Model Y is available with seven seats, and it's one of the pricier ones. Still, the Model Y's renowned performance is unaffected.
Mercedes GLB Electric 250+ AMG Line Premium Plus
List price £56,800
Best price £56,800
Electric version of the GLB comes as standard with seven seats and is remarkably well priced in entry-level guise. We're testing it in range-topping trim, though.
At first glance, this test is the perfect match-up: two family SUVs with premium badges. And claiming foul play because the Mercedes-Benz GLB runs on petrol or the Tesla Model Y has only five seats doesn't wash. True, you can buy a petrol GLB, but this is the electric version. And yes, the Model Y was just a five-seater, but it's available with seven now.
You could argue the toss over what counts as a premium badge. And if it's purely down to the cost, you might be surprised by the outcome. The entry-level Model Y is a relatively affordable electric SUV, but we recommend the £49,990 Long Range RWD. You're paying a bit more but getting more, including considerably more range. The problem is, that version doesn't qualify for this test, because you can't option it with seven seats. The only Model Y that's available with that option is the Long Range AWD, which creates another problem. That costs £52,990 and the seven-seat option is a further £2500, which, all up, makes it £55,490.
John Howell
Updated: 8 November 2026
Car reviews
Tesla Model Y
Mercedes GLB
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By contrast, every GLB comes with seven seats, and the cheapest 250+ Sport version undercuts that seven-seat Model Y by more than £9000. Bet you didn't expect to pay that kind of premium for a Tesla badge instead of a three-pointed star, did you? In fact, the seven-seat Model Y is so pricey that, in order to level the playing field, we've had to pick the range-topping GLB 250+ in AMG Line Premium Plus trim.
The point is, what constitutes premium is subjective; it's best if you figure that out for yourselves. We'll stick to what we do best: measure them in all the ways we can, to figure out whether the seven-seat Model Y is, objectively, as good as the GLB.
Driving
Performance, ride, handling, refinement
How quick is quick enough? If we're talking about supercars, where bar-room verbal jousting centres on 'mine's quicker than yours', perhaps enough is never enough. But in the world of seven-seat SUVs, at some stage surely they're quick enough? Let's work through that conundrum with some numbers.
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The GLB 250+ can sprint from 0-60mph in 7.0sec. That's basically as quick as a Ferrari (albeit a 308 from 1985) or a Volkswagen Golf GTI (from 2005). And that kind of pace means the GLB never eaves you wanting; put your foot down and it gathers speed readily, whether you're in the city or bound for the outside lane of a motorway.
Yet there's no denying that the Model Y Long Range AWD is quicker. It rockets from 0-60mph in just 4.9sec; that's seriously rapid, even by today's standards. You can feel the extra punch off the line and added surge when you bury the accelerator pedal at any speed up to 70mph. Fun? Absolutely. Nice to have? Of course. Necessary? No. The GLB is quick enough.
In its default driving mode, the GLB has a gentle accelerator response that lets you pour its power out smoothly. The Model Y's accelerator is spikier - until you discover the Chill mode, which dampens down its response to match the GLB's. The Model Y's brake pedal response isn't snatchy, as is the case in some electric cars, but it doesn't match the linearity and progression you get from the GLB's brakes. And the GLB gives you more options to tailor its regenerative braking - the slowing effect you get when you lift off the accelerator and the car harvests energy to replenish the battery.
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It has several regen modes, ranging from strong to nothing, which means it's freewheeling when you lift off the accelerator. That makes it easier to maintain momentum on motorways, but it'll still harvest energy when you press the brake pedal, so none is wasted. There's also an auto setting, which varies the braking effect depending on your proximity to the car in front, or the sat-nav sees you're approaching a junction.
The Model Y's brake pedal doesn't do any of its energy recuperation. That only happens when you lift off its accelerator, which is why you can't switch off its regen entirely so it'll freewheel like the GLB. Your options are limited to two modes: normal and one-pedal, which stops the car without you using the brake pedal at all.
That limitation doesn't harm the Model Y's efficiency, though. We drove both cars in convoy when the ambient temperature was 18deg C. The test route encompassed a mix of roads, including a fair amount of motorway that should've favoured the GLB; unlike the Model Y, the GLB has a two-speed automatic gearbox to make it more efficient at higher speeds. But its trip computer showed an average of 3.89mi/kWh, while the Model Y managed 4.24mi/kWh (with optional 20in wheels fitted). However, the Model Y's battery has a smaller usable capacity (79kWh versus 85kWh), so their estimated range is similar: 335 miles for the Model Y, 330 miles for the GLB.
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To measure their charging speeds, we plugged both cars into the same 400kW charger with their batteries at 47%, then timed how long they took to reach 80%. The GLB needed just 13 minutes, thanks to its higher average speed of 173kW; the Model Y averaged 103kW and took 21 minutes (although it might have been quicker if we'd used a Tesla Supercharger). As standard, the GLB can rapid charge using only newer 800-volt devices; if you want the flexibility to plug in at older, 400-volt chargers as well, the additional factory-fit hardware is an £850 option.
There's some wind noise and tyre roar at motorway speeds, but it's not wearing in either car. The GLB is a better cruiser, though. You feel more vibrations through the Model Y's steering wheel on coarse surfaces, plus you hear more tyre slap over expansion joints and a mild, resonant boom from its rear suspension over most imperfections. The GLB isn't immune from the occasional clang from its suspension on really bad roads, though.
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The real differentiator is ride comfort. The Model Y's nonadaptive suspension is more stiffly sprung, so the ride is more abrupt, particularly over speed humps and potholes. That doesn't make the Model Y uncomfortable per se; it's just that the GLB's softer gait makes for an altogether cushier experience.
The downside is some gentle side-to-side sway over minor undulations that's less prominent in the Model Y. However, the GLB's adaptive suspension (standard from AMG Line Premium trim up) dials that out when you switch to the Sport setting; that boosts lateral support without making the ride jarring.
When it comes to handling, stiffer doesn't always equal better, as some people think, and the GLB is proof. True, it leans more than the Model Y through corners, but not to an alarming degree. And its suppleness and better damping make the GLB more stable; it's hardly ever unsettled by mid-corner moguls, so neither are you when sitting behind the wheel. The Model Y, by contrast, is prone to bucking over bumps, requiring you to make small but conscious course-correcting steering inputs; that's why it's slightly more demanding and wearing to drive.
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The GLB's calmer steering makes it easier to aim, too - in the same way your accuracy improves if you dial down the sensitivity on your computer mouse. That, and the way its steering loads up more naturally through turns, helps to provide a strong sense of connection to the front wheels. That connection exists in the Model Y too, but to a lesser degree, and its steering is dartier and less consistent. You have to think your way around corners in the Model Y, whereas you flow through them instinctively in the GLB.
To be clear, the Model Y is a decent-handling car and has its strengths, including a surfeit of grip that allows you to carry more speed through bends. We're simply highlighting the nuances that make it 'decent' rather than 'darned good' like the GLB.
Behind the wheel
Driving position, visibility, build quality
Underneath, the Model Y is basically a Tesla Model 3 saloon. To give it its higher driving position, Tesla has, quite literally, stuck the front seats on stilts; that creates the impression of being perched above the dashboard. The GLB's driving position is conventional SUV; you sit high up yet immersed in your surroundings. AMG Line trims come with sports front seats with bigger side bolsters, providing more support through corners than the Model Y's seats. Both have electrically adjustable front seats (including for lumbar support), but the GLB adds extendable seat bases for more under-thigh support. The Model Y's seats are fine for long trips, but the GLB's are, overall, that bit better.
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Their steering wheels are fully adjustable to help tailor your driving position. The Model Y's adjusts electrically, but that's not the unbridled plus you'd imagine. Adjusting it is a palaver, involving delving into the infotainment screen, finding the menu to change the function of the steering wheel buttons, then using those to adjust the steering column. And you have to do the same if you want to adjust the door mirrors. Life is easier in the GLB: pull the mechanical release lever to adjust the wheel; use the physical buttons on the door to sort the mirrors.
But like the Model Y, the GLB could do with a few more proper buttons to make it easier to use. Most things, including the interior temperature, are adjusted from the infotainment screen, and the touch-sensitive steering wheel controls are too easy to operate accidentally while driving. True, most tasks can be carried out by talking to the car, but the GLB's 'natural speech' voice control system isn't as good as the Model Y's, so physical buttons would still be welcome.
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Visibility out the front of both cars is fine. The Model Y's perched driving position is a boon here, giving you a better view over the bonnet than you get in the GLB. The Model Y's thicker windscreen pillars can create blindspots at junctions, though. Its rear screen is shallower, too, so you rely more heavily on parking aids; both come with front and rear parking sensors and a surround-view camera. They also have adaptive LED headlights, so the main beams can be on without dazzling other drivers.
The Model Y's interior is, arguably, less dazzling than the GLB's. It's a far simpler design, but the material quality is higher and the level of fit and finish is top-notch. The GLB's interior is pure theatre - more colourful at night, due to its more flamboyant ambient lighting, while the digital driver display and infotainment screens turn the dashboard into a mini Piccadilly Circus. Quality is okay, but there are a few cheaper feeling materials, such as the lightweight plastic outer air vents.
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Infotainment systems
Mercedes GLB Electric
The touchscreens that form two-thirds of the standard 'Superscreen' are generally responsive but, as in the Model Y, some of the icons are small and fiddly to use on the move. The natural-speech voice control isn't as good as the Model Y's, but only the GLB has wireless Android and Apple phone mirroring. Both cars use Google Maps navigation; the GLB receives data from third-party charging networks to help plan charging stops, but it isn't always as detailed or accurate as the Model Y's closed-loop system. The front passenger can use their screen to stream films, play games, or listen to music - either via Bluetooth headphones or the superb Burmester audio system.
Tesla Model Y
The super-sharp touchscreen is easy to reach from the driver's seat, and its responsiveness is among the very best. The menus are mostly logical, and while some icons are smaller than is ideal, you can also interact using the sophisticated Grok Al voice control; it's almost like conversing with an actual human. Because all Teslas are integrated fully with the Supercharger network, they receive real-time data on the state of all Tesla devices; this unique ability to manage charging stops ultra-reliably takes the stress out of planning longer trips. You can also browse the web, use streaming apps such as Netflix and play games; the audio system sounds good, but it's no match for the GLB's.
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Space and practicality
Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot
You'll struggle to find anyone who'll be remotely lacking in space in the front of either car, but for the record, the GLB is the most generous when it comes to head and leg room. Each has masses of storage space, too, including deep cubbies and door bins.
With each car's driving position set for a 5ft 11in driver and the sliding middle-row seats all the way back, there's around 10cm of spare knee room for a six-footer sitting in the row behind. The Model Y's sloping roofline eats into head room, but tall people in its outer middle-row seats should still have a small gap above their heads. There's much more clearance in the GLB, plus it's better able to accommodate a third adult in that row; anyone tall will find their head touching the roof in the Model Y.
The middle-row seatbacks can be reclined in both cars, to allow passengers to relax more. The GLB's adjust manually and the Model Y's electrically, using controls on its rear touchscreen.
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In the rearmost seats, six-footers have just enough leg room if each car's middle-row seats are slid forwards a bit. And while those people will find head room tight in the GLB unless they lean forwards slightly, smaller adults will be fine.
Sadly, head room is even worse in the Model Y's third row. In fact, even average-sized adults will find it intolerable, even for brief trips. The back of your head is wedged against the tailgate glass, and you can't lean forwards because the bridge of your nose is level with the back of the roof lining. Adults will feel hemmed in, and access is poor through the narrow slot that opens up when you tilt the middle seat forwards. The GLB offers a larger gap to climb through, as well as Isofix child seat mounts for the third-row seats.
An area in which the Model Y has always been outstanding is luggage space, and that's still the case even with the additional pair of seats. With its third row folded away, its sizeable main boot can accommodate eight cases above the floor (up to the height where the load cover should be, but the seven-seater doesn't actually have one, and instead leaves your luggage on display). You can also fit one case in the huge well under the boot floor, and one in the good-sized storage compartment under the bonnet.
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The GLB's main boot area can likewise hold eight cases, but its underfloor storage space is big enough only for charging cables and the load cover when it's removed. On the other hand, the GLB's under-bonnet compartment is large enough to swallow two cases, so its overall tally matches the Model Y's.
You can still access the Model Y's underfloor storage when its third-row seats are up, leaving far more luggage space than there is in the GLB when its third row is in play.
Boot space
Mercedes GLB Electric
Boot capacity 145-480-1605 litres (rear), 104 litres (front) Suitcases 10
Tesla Model Y
Boot capacity 370-766*-1966 litres (rear)**, 116 litres (front) Suitcases 10
*Measured to the roof **All including underfloor storage
Buying and owning
Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security
In the forms tested, there isn't a lot between their list prices, and cash buyers will be lucky to get any discounts. Both cars are predicted to hold their value relatively well; you'll lose only about £300 more in depreciation if you sell the Model Y after three years/36,000 miles. Overall, it will be the cheaper of the two to own, by a small margin, thanks mainly to its slightly lower insurance, servicing and electricity costs.
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The latter assumes you'll mostly be charging at home at the electricity price cap (currently 26p/kWh). If you're using public chargers, the Model Y will save you even more. Tesla owners pay between 25p and 41p/kWh to use dedicated Superchargers; without a subscription, you could pay up to 90p/kWh to charge the GLB using the other networks.
The Model Y is cheaper to buy on PCP finance, too. On a three-year term with a £7000 deposit and a limit of 10,000 miles per year, monthly payments will be £77 lower than for the GLB. Meanwhile, each costs far less to run as a company car than a petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid equivalent, and it makes little difference which of them you pick.
Each car comes with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry, a heat pump (for more efficient warming of the interior in cold weather) and adaptive cruise control, but only the Model Y's includes steering assistance. The Model Y adds ventilated front seats and heated outer rear seats; the GLB counters with a head-up display and front passenger screen.
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The Model Y achieved the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The GLB hasn't been tested yet but, like the Model Y, comes with all of the mandated safety features, plus additional aids such as blindspot monitoring.
The GLB didn't feature in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but the Model Y was one of the most reliable electric SUVs. Tesla was fifth in the brand league table (out of 30); Mercedes was 21st.
Our verdict
These cars have clear strengths and weaknesses that, on the surface, make it hard to pick a winner.
As a five-seater, the Model Y has always been a compelling electric SUV, with strong performance, exceptional efficiency and great practicality. What's more, compared with this top-spec GLB, it's cheaper to finance.
But this is a test of seven-seat SUVs, and the Model Y makes a poor seven-seater. Very few adults will be happy to travel in its cramped third row, and those seats are of only limited use even for kids.
In contrast, the GLB is a usable sevenseater, and a fine car all round. True, it's not as fast as the Model Y, but it's no slouch, and its better ride and handling are arguably more valuable. If you're put off by the GLB's higher PCP payments, we have a solution: go for the cheaper Sport Executive trim, which is still great.
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1st – Mercedes GLB Electric
For Fine ride and handling balance; faster charging; good range; quieter cruiser; lots of luggage space; roomier in third row
Against Not such good value in range-topping trim; no Euro NCAP rating (yet); Mercedes' so-so reliability record
Recommended options 400-volt charging capability (£850)
What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5
Mercedes GLB Electric review >>
Mercedes GLB Electric deals >>
2nd – Tesla Model Y
For Stronger performance; more efficient; slick infotainment system; excellent safety rating; cheaper on PCP finance
Against Poor third-row head room; only one seven-seat version; more abrupt ride; less polished handling; fewer physical controls
Recommended options None
What Car? rating 3 stars out of 5
Tesla Model Y review >>
Tesla Model Y deals >>
Specifications: Mercedes GLB Electric 250+ AMG Line Premium Plus
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Engine Electric electric motor
Peak power 268bhp
Peak torque 247Ib ft
Gearbox 2-spd automatic
0-60mph 7.0sec
30-70mph in kickdown 5.6sec
Top speed 130mph
Braking 30-0mph 9.0m
Braking 70-0mph 48.1m
Noise at 30mph 50.9dB
Noise at 70mph 63.9dB
Battery capacity (usable) 85kWh
Rapid charging type CCS/800V
Maximum charging rate 320kW
7kW home wallbox 13hr 30min (0-100%)
Rapid charger, peak rate 18min (10-80%)
Real-world range 330 miles (est)
Official range 360 miles
Efficiency on test 3.89mi/kWh
Kerb weight 2300kg
Tyre size (standard) 235/45 (front), 255/45 (rear) R20
Specifications: Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD (7-seat)
Engine Two electric motors
Peak power 507bhp
Peak torque 364Ib ft
Gearbox 1-spd automatic
0-60mph 4.9sec
30-70mph in kickdown 4.0sec
Top speed 125mph
Braking 30-0mph 9.1m
Braking 70-0mph 47.8m
Noise at 30mph 51.8dB
Noise at 70mph 64.1dB
Battery capacity (usable) 79kWh
Rapid charging type CCS/400V
Maximum charging rate 250kW
7kW home wallbox 12hr 45min (0-100%)
Rapid charger, peak rate 28min (10-80%)
Real-world range 335 miles (est)
Official range 373 miles
Efficiency on test 4.21mi/kWh
Kerb weight 2042kg
Tyre size (standard) 255/45 R19
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Location Horiba-MIRA, Warwickshire Weather conditions 18deg C, dry
Cars pictured
Mercedes-Benz GLB Electric 250+ AMG Line Premium Plus with Polar White paint
Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD (7-seat) with Stealth Grey metallic paint and 20in Helix 2.0 alloy wheels (£2200)
Read more: Best and worst seven-seat SUVs >>
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