The new Mercedes GLB: more digital, more comfortable and more efficient

Mercedes hasn't officially unveiled the GLB yet, but we've already gotten a glimpse of the model's interior. The highlight is the new air conditioning system, which heats the cabin twice as fast while using significantly less energy magazin de piese auto online.

The new Mercedes GLB: more digital, more comfortable and more efficient

The Mercedes GLB has been on the market for six years; so we expect the next generation to be ready for market launch very soon. In fact, the successor is the successor to the electric EQB – with a new name, as happened with the GLC and CLA. The compact SUV, offering space for seven people, is still being tested and heavily camouflaged – but the Stuttgart manufacturer has already revealed its interior.

And in this respect it is very reminiscent of the new CLA. As the third model based on the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), the SUV is equipped with the new MB.OS infotainment system. Thanks to it, three screens provide not only navigation, but also entertainment for the passengers in the car. As with the CLA, however, the passenger display is only available as an option. The dashboard and door panels are also like those of the coupe, but slightly higher.

In a version with seven seats

Like its predecessor, the new GLB will be offered with two seating configurations (5 or 7 seats). However, the third row is quite narrow for taller passengers – it is only designed for passengers up to 1.65 meters tall.

In contrast, the other seats offer plenty of space, with no restriction on legroom or headroom. The standard panoramic roof lets in plenty of light – reminiscent of the new GLC, but with seven instead of nine panels, with individually controlled light transmission.

In addition to the comfortable seats and the foam-filled surfaces, the air conditioning also plays a key role in the comfort of the new GLB. This function usually generates increased energy consumption, but not in the GLB: the people at Mercedes have equipped the SUV with a new heat pump, the same as in the Vision EQXX prototype.

According to the manufacturer, the system can warm the cabin to a comfortable temperature twice as fast in low temperatures, using only about 50% of the energy required by conventional air conditioning systems. It sounds promising. To demonstrate this, Mercedes invited us to its own cold room for a demonstration. There, almost any climatic conditions can be simulated at temperatures between +40 and -40 degrees Celsius.

Defrosting demonstration gone wrong

In our case, the camouflaged GLB was parked and covered in snow at around -17 degrees Celsius in the cold storage room. Unfortunately, however, this was not the first time the car had been switched on that day – and the air intake of the heat pump had frozen over due to repeated heating and cooling cycles, preventing air from passing through. As a result, the system was damaged and the heating failed.

However, it should be noted that this test does not reflect real-world conditions: it is unlikely that anyone would get into a car and warm it up, then immediately get out again and let it cool down. Mercedes promises that the GLB will warm up from the moment you get in, maintaining full functionality – without the need for preheating.

Conclusion

Mercedes is focusing even more on the digital experience with the new GLB, as was already clear with the launch of the new CLA. The new heat pump should ensure that the interior temperature is maintained comfortably while consuming significantly less energy, which increases mileage. Although the system did not work in the refrigerator compartment, I am looking forward to seeing the GLB without camouflage and testing the defrost function.

Car parts AutoPower
Car parts AutoPower

The Mercedes GLB has been on the market for six years; so we expect the next generation to be ready for market launch very soon

And in this respect it is very reminiscent of the new CLA