The article was originally produced on January 28, 2020, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

In the GLB 35, the roughly 300 horsepower is enough to propel the car from standstill to 100 in just 5.2 seconds if you use the Race Start mode. In addition to this, there are a number of other driving programs; Slippery for slippery surfaces, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual where the various parameters can be set individually. Like most other AMG models, top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. 

What strikes me when I push the GLB 35 is the car’s versatility. One moment you’re gliding over bumps and bumpy roads where comfort deficiencies would have shown through immediately if the chassis set-up isn’t good enough. Then with a moment’s transition one can enjoy a winding road and one hundred percent contact with the road. Although the GLB as a model is tall, this is not felt when you take the curves hard, something I find very impressive as tall SUVs otherwise like to roll over on sharp turns. 

After the fun and sometimes demanding roads, we arrive at the place where we will experience what the GLB can handle in the terrain. Here, as previously mentioned, we get to try the regular version with 250 in the designation. The engine in the GLB 250 has the same petrol four as in the AMG variant, but with a lower degree of tuning. Here we are talking 224 horses and 350 Newton meters. 

Mercedes literally spits out new models on the assembly line. Now is the time for GLB to take its place on our roads. 

There is no doubt that SUVs are still hot. It is these that the big brands invest most in, besides electrifying their models. Volkswagen has said that their suv offensive will dominate their model range next year. The steaming fresh Mercedes GLB lands between the GLA and GLC and can be compared in terms of size to the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace. 

The international test drive for both the regular GLB and the slightly hotter AMG version GLB 35 was held in southern Spain where we were there to take a closer look at what this new star-studded model had to offer. 

The test drive distance was planned both on a normal road and an off-road course where we had the opportunity to see what the GLB could handle. On the forest path, it was not the AMG model we drove, but the regular version. Let’s get back to it and how it behaved after some highway driving and cornering with the 306bhp AMG version. 

The engine in the AMG 35 is the straight four of two liters with 306 horses and 400 newton meters that Mercedes has worked hard on. The same basic engine is also found in the Mercedes GT4 racing car, but in the racing version the engine has been boosted to 600 horsepower. 

The GLB 250 impresses in the off-road environment. Steep downhills and uphills that are even difficult to walk on can be handled by the car without any problems. Thanks to adjustable ”hill decent control”, you can lower and raise the speed for even safer driving on the steepest descents. One of the exercises I personally think belongs to the scarier ones is the one where you drive the car on a sloping embankment and it leans to the side. The GLB can handle an incline of 35 degrees and we get to experience 32 degrees, which really feels like the car is about to tip over. 

GLB really impresses on all levels. It is versatile, and even if you do not choose the AMG version, you will not be disappointed with the speed resources. As usual, the feeling of quality is top class and the technology is more advanced than most people need. The price is of course higher than that of the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, but on the other hand you get a star in the front.

Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic

Basic price from	SEK 502,900
Engine	2-liter straight four-cylinder engine with turbo, 306 hp. Torque 400 Nm
Transmission	Front engine, 7-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Acceleration	0-100 in 5.2 seconds
Top speed	Top speed: 250 km/h
Fuel consumption mixed driving according to the manufacturer	0.91 l/mile
Weight	1,735 kg
Guarantees	New car 2 years, carriage damage 3 years, rust 30 years, paint 3 years
Web	www.mercedes-benz.se