Functions can be controlled by touch, a haptic pad on the center console or buttons on the steering wheel. The infotainment functions and instruments are integrated into one wide video screen. The GLB250 came with winter tires but no spare wheel.
Rear seatbacks fold flat to expand the cargo area to 62 cubic feet.
MERCEDES BENZ CROSSOVER DRIVER
Overall, it would be a vehicle of choice for long-distance travel.Įxcept for any poor soul relegated to the center-rear seating position, which consists of a hard seat cushion and a floor hump to nag the feet, the driver and three other passengers are cosseted in large, supportive and comfortable seats. Highway cruising is fatigue-free and the cabin remains quiet enough for whispered conversation. There’s tactile feedback through the steering while the GLB250 negotiates curving roads without much lean. Even the idle stop-start system mostly works smoothly, although the preference here is to simply turn it off. It’s not super fast, but respectable with the zero to 60 miles an hour acceleration at less than seven seconds. Unfortunately, the sunshade was made of a flimsy cloth that admitted too much sunlight.Īll of that aside, the GLB250’s strength is in the driving experience.
MERCEDES BENZ CROSSOVER ANDROID
It also was a paragon of luxury with soft, dark-brown leather upholstery trimmed in black, sparkling interior trim and such items as a navigation system, dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, SXM satellite radio, power tailgate and a panoramic sunroof. However, the tester had other safety equipment, including brake assist and blind-spot warning. There was no lane departure mitigation or a head-up display. For example, it had standard cruise control rather than the company’s excellent Distronic adaptive cruise control. The tester lacked some items that are almost routinely expected in a Mercedes. Of course, there are differences in equipment among all three. It makes the GLB250 look like even more of a bargain. Tested previously, it had a base price of $50,995 and, with options, a delivered price of $67,615 - or $15,740 more than the GLB250 tested here. It’s the stylish Coupe version with a sloped roof line and the same engine/transmission combination as the crossover GLC. Not to unduly muddle the discussion, we need to take note of a second, even more expensive GLC300 4MATIC. A loaded GLC noted earlier had a sticker of $63,615 with options, or $11,740 more than the GLB tested here. The GLC starts at $43,495, or $3,430 more than the GLB. EPA city/highway/combined fuel consumption is 23/31/26 mpg for the GLB and 22/29/24 for the GLC.Īt least in the versions tested here, the GLC is more expensive than the GLB. The GLB comes with a dual-clutch eight-speed automatic transmission and the GLC uses a nine-speed conventional automatic. The GLC’s delivers 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The GLB’s makes 221 horsepower with 254 pound-feet of torque, or twisting force. Both have turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines. All the foregoing numbers are for the all-wheel-drive 4MATIC versions. An older design, it does not offer a third-row seat. The GLC, on the other hand, has 97 cubic feet of passenger room and 19 cubic feet for cargo. Also unusual, it offers the $850 option of a small third-row seat, which the tester did not have. The GLB has 102 cubic feet for passengers and 20 cubic feet for cargo behind the second row. The latter is nearly an inch longer but has slightly less interior space. In addition to the GLA, GLB and GLC, it offers the midsize GLE and full-size three-row GLS crossovers.Ĭuriously, the new GLB250 is nearly a carbon copy of its garage-mate, the GLC300. Mercedes uses European letter designations for its vehicle classes. In the Mercedes SUV lineup, the GLB250 slots in between the entry-level GLA and the more expensive GLC. With a starting price of $39,995 and a bottom-line sticker of $51,875, the tested vehicle is not exactly cheap but priced more like a near-luxury than a full-on luxury crossover. It’s an all-new entry in the compact luxury category. If one were needed or wanted, you could label the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB250 4Matic as the bargain luxury crossover sport utility vehicle from the storied German manufacturer.
0 kommentar(er)
