The second-generation 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB has made its world debut and the all-new mid-size luxury SUV brings greater interior space, reimagined styling, a funky Superscreen user interface, and impressive consumption and range stats for petrol and electric variants respectively.
The German automaker also promises improvements in driving dynamics and refinement as the new-gen GLB is built upon the more modern Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA), as opposed to the ageing MFA2 platform that underpins the original GLB.
Visually, the new GLB carries over the upright stance of the existing model, but the design language is all-new and more rounded, with three-pointed star motifs incorporated into the headlights, tail-lights, and grille.
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While the second-gen GLB’s side profile and rear – with its full-width tail-light bar – appear better resolved than the vehicle it will replace, the newbie’s open-mouthed face looks a tad ungainly – at least to our eyes.
The GLC’s sister model will have its work cut out for it in our market as the GLB is currently one of Mercedes-Benz Australia’s least popular non-electric SUVs, finding 1099 buyers this year to November.
In the same period, the smaller GLA has amassed 3064 sales, while the similarly sized GLC has found 3920 new homes in wagon form alone. If you add the Coupe (1406), the GLC has attracted 5326 new buyers so far this year to make it the German brand’s most popular SUV.
The new GLB will go on sale here in the fourth quarter of 2026, but Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson Jerry Stamoulis says it’s too early to comment on local pricing or spec levels.
The current GLB has an entry price of $72,900 before on-road costs, while its electrified EQB counterpart kicks off at just over $90k. It’s safe to expect the second-gen model will bring a slight increase on these price points, given its higher spec levels and new features.
The new generation also ushers in a change in nomenclature, as both petrol and electric models will wear GLB badges, with the latter gaining a “with EQ Technology” suffix.
Although still positioned below the popular GLC, the new GLB has grown substantially in size as it measures 4732mm long (+48mm) and 1861mm wide (+27mm), while its wheelbase has stretched to 2889mm (+60mm). That said, it stands slightly lower than its predecessor at 1687mm (-14mm).
The GLB’s overtly boxy profile reflects the vehicle’s practicality-first orientation. It will once again be available in five- or seven-seat configurations, with the second row sliding forward to liberate added luggage space.
The highlight of the revamped cabin is Mercedes-Benz’s latest MBUX Superscreen, stretching across the entire dashboard. Up-spec variants will be equipped with a 10.25-inch driver display, a 14-inch central touchscreen, and another 14-inch passenger display, creating a seamless wall of glass.
The MBUX system integrates Google Maps directly into navigation and adds an AI-powered virtual assistant capable of learning driver preferences. Wireless phone charging, multiple USB-C ports and optional ambient lighting round out the tech upgrades.
For the most part, the new GLB’s cabin is a nice place to be, as we discovered at a special preview event.
However, some cost-cutting is evident in the hard plastic trim on the door panels and floating centre console. This could be a deterrent for some buyers, given that even many of the emerging Chinese brands have appreciably raised the bar in terms of interior quality and presentation.
Mercedes-Benz has at least taken on board customer feedback and replaced the touch-based steering controls in earlier models with physical rocker switches for volume and the adaptive cruise control.
Even taller adults should find legroom and headroom to their liking in the second-row seats (certainly more than ample for my 1.72m frame) and EV versions of the GLB offer 540/480 litres (five-seat/seven-seat) of stowage space, expanding to 1715/1605 litres by folding the rear seats down. In addition, EV variants have a 127-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet.
Although Australian sales of the current GLB are heavily skewed towards petrol vehicles over the EQB (in a roughly 90:10 split), the second-gen model has been designed with an “electric-first” philosophy – obviously with the European and Chinese markets in mind, where the vehicle is a big seller.
Two battery-powered grades will be offered (at least in Europe) from launch – the single-motor GLB250+ and the dual-motor GLB350+ 4Matic. Both are equipped with an 85kWh battery pack and Mercedes quotes a driving range of 542-631km for the former and 521-614km for the latter.
Thanks to an 800-volt electrical architecture, fast DC charging is possible at up to 320kW (which is claimed to add 260km of range in 10 minutes. AC charging capacity is 22kW.
Power and torque outputs are quoted at 200kW/335Nm for the GLB250+ and 260kW/515Nm for the GLB350+ 4Matic respectively, and sprightly performance is the result. The claimed 0-100km/h time is 7.4 seconds for the entry variant, and 5.5 seconds for the range-topper.
In normal circumstances, only the rear electric motor provides motivation in the 4Matic, with the 80kW front motor only kicking in when a performance boost or added traction is required.
Petrol-electric hybrid variants will pair a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivering improved efficiency and smoother response, according to the manufacturer. As with the EV variants, buyers of petrol GLBs have the option of 2WD and 4Matic drivetrains.
The new GLB is armed with an array of driver assistance systems, including Distronic adaptive cruise control as standard in Europe. The hardware in Euro-spec cars comprises eight cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a water-cooled high-performance computer with sufficient power reserves for future functions and regular over-the-air software updates.
MORE: Explore the Mercedes-Benz GLB showroom
