[Ashwin Morey]

Originally Posted by Sivacar

This holds true only for C300d and E350d Amgline. In case of GLA and GLB, the power and torque are the same. Apart from the cosmetic changes, both the models also offer 4 Matic for the Amgline s of GLA and GLB.

Exactly what i was saying, the AMG line in GLA and GLB is just cosmetic changes and NOT similar to full blown AMG versions where even the engine is tuned by AMG.

[bordeaux]

Originally Posted by Ashwin Morey

Simply put, AMG Line is just cosmetic changes being done to a regular GLA/GLB to make them look like AMG versions. Hence visually the car will look like a AMG version.

Unlike this a full AMG version means that not only does it have a different look (cosmetic changes) but it also has a different engine tuned specially by AMG engineers hence it would be like you say, 60 to 70% more, in terms of power.

...

These 'cosmetic only' versions shouldn't be confused with their full blown racing versions tuned by their racing divisions.

Hope this helps.

Ok, I think this clears the air for me. AMG Line is just a variant of the Mercedes-Benz vehicle itself like there is Progressive Line and it's not a real Mercedes-Benz AMG tuned car. Thank you

[Chetan_Rao]

Mercedes-Benz GLB 220d 4Matic AMG Line

Due to the packed driving schedule with two cars on the same day, Tubanator and I only got a short while with the EQB's ICE sibling, the GLB. We got our hands on the 220d 4Matic AMG Line variant, and here are our brief initial impressions.

The GLB borrows design cues from the larger GLS. The large radiator grille with a central 3-pointer star flanked by chrome-trimmed silver finish louvres is available on the GLB 200 & 220d Progressive Line variants. The 220d 4Matic AMG Line variant gets a single large louvre set in a diamond grille with a hexagonal pin pattern.

The AMG front apron with a chrome splitter would look a lot nicer sans the chrome. The chrome treatment continues onto the side skirts, window lines and the faux dual exhaust at the rear. A little too much chrome for a supposedly sporty variant. Thumbs down.



Conspicuous by their absence are keyless entry sensors. Curious choice by Mercedes, given the EQB has them:


What's nice though, are the 19-inch AMG 5-twin spoke light alloy wheels, shod with Pirelli P-Zero 235/50 section tyres. Progressive Line variants get smaller and simpler 5-spoke aero-optimized 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/55 section rubber:


At the rear, the GLB gets a more conventional reversing camera that pops out from above the number plate. The electromagnetic tailgate release is placed right next to it.

Inside the cabin, the GLB gets a feature set similar to the EQB including 64-color ambient lighting, dual 10.25-inch displays, electrically adjustable seats with memory function, lumbar support and seat kinetics, panoramic sunroof etc. all present. The AMG Line has Sports seats with Dinamica micro fiber black upholstery with contrast red stitching. The Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel has the same design with brushed chrome spokes as the EQB. The leather on the steering also gets contrast red stitching. What's missing though, is the rose gold metal and fabric trim and the backlit spiral trim panel on the dash. Honestly, we prefer the AMG Line interior over the EQB's. Cabin space and overall packaging are identical in the EV & ICE siblings.



An additional thing we noticed, was a Tirefit tyre inflator and puncture repair kit stowed away in the boot (not present in our test EQB), while the GLB is missing a 12V accessory port in the boot (present in the EQB).

Driving the GLB 220d 4Matic AMG Line

Familiar oil burner we've seen in numerous Mercedes cars over the years. Everything is neatly arranged, though space is at a premium:


Mercedes expects to slot the GLB twins into the space vacated by the outgoing GLC. While they've gotten close enough dimensionally and from a premium cabin perspective, the powertrains are crucial in the luxury segments.

The outgoing GLC provided a choice between a 1,991cc, 4-cylinder M264 turbo-petrol motor putting out 194 BHP & 320 Nm and a 1,950cc OM654 oil burner putting out 191 BHP & 400 Nm.

While the diesel is retained in a slightly tweaked OM654q configuration putting out 187 BHP & 400 Nm, the petrol offering is now a 1,332 cc M282 4-cylinder turbo-petrol putting out 161 BHP & 250 Nm featuring cylinder deactivation for enhanced efficiency. If that sounds familiar, yes, it's the same motor as the A-Class Limousine and yes, the same block as the Renault Duster turbo petrol! This motor, quite frankly, has no business being in a luxury SUV. It was awkward enough in the A-Class and it's downright ridiculous in the GLB. Curious choice, and one that'll likely turn away a chunk of prospective GLB buyers, who aren't quite on the full-EV bandwagon yet but don't want an oil burner either, owing to NGT norms that are likely to expand beyond the NCR region in the coming years.

Fire up the motor, and one's greeted by the customary diesel clatter. Call us spoilt by the electric experience earlier in the day, but the 220d sounds crude and unrefined compared to the EQB. Four driving modes are offered - Eco, Comfort, Sport & Offroad, the last limited to the 220d 4Matic. All modes tweak throttle, steering and ESP behaviour, and the Offroad program additionally restricts speeds to 110 km/h, while Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR) automatically hold a pre-selected slow speed and applies brakes as needed to support downhill driving.

Slot the gear shifter into D and take your foot off the brakes, the GLB crawls away without any throttle input. Step on the gas, and progress is brisk with the slick 9G-TRONIC transmission shifting up seamlessly. Comfort mode is perfect for pottering around town, with just enough poke available on demand to close those gaps in traffic. Sport can get a little jerky in town, and is best kept for highway sprints.

The ride quality is good, but nowhere near as settled as the EQB. We attribute that to the EQB's superior weight distribution and lower center of gravity. Body roll is perceptible, and we couldn't push the GLB into corners with the same confidence as its EV sibling. Undulations and flyover expansion joints cause noticeable vertical movement, and overall stability is a good notch lower.

The brakes work well but aren't what we'd call confidence-inspiring. Brake Assist, if set to higher sensitivity, can get annoying in unruly urban Indian traffic.

The GLB also carries an NCAP 5-star rating, has 7 airbags (including a driver knee airbag) with window airbags available for all 3 rows, ISOFIX child seat mounts, Car-2-X communication, Parktronic Active Parking Assist, Active Brake Assist and Attention Assist. All safety systems get adjustable levels to suit individual preferences and driving conditions.

Disclaimer: Mercedes-Benz invited Team-BHP for the GLB test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event. Also, credit for some of the images goes to Mercedes-Benz & their team of photographers!

[Cresterk]

What is the comfort like in the second and third row? Is the third row useable?

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

...the petrol offering is now a 1,332 cc M282 4-cylinder turbo-petrol putting out 161 BHP & 250 Nm...If that sounds familiar, yes, it's the same motor as the A-Class Limousine and yes, the same block as the Renault Duster turbo petrol! This motor, quite frankly, has no business being in a luxury SUV. It was awkward enough in the A-Class and it's downright ridiculous in the GLB.

I'm so glad you'll called this out. I was reading the initial reviews on Autocar and the likes and they simply mention this engine without really calling out Mercedes on it. How on earth can you countenance offering a 1.3 liter engine for 68 lakhs ex showroom or whatever the price is? At least I got a huge laugh out of reading it.

Originally Posted by Cresterk

What is the comfort like in the second and third row? Is the third row useable?

I'm going to quote Autocar here. Suffice to say, it doesn't make for entirely pretty reading

Space and legroom on the second row are also excellent as you can slide the second row back quite a bit. And the solid construction of the seats feels good. The backrest can be reclined, the seat back is supportive and what helps is that you are sat at a good height. The seat base, however, is a bit small, probably to help with the variable seating, and so under-thigh support isn’t as good.

Meanwhile, space, comfort and access to the third row are all poor, especially for adults. Ingress is very tight; the second row slides and folds, but the aperture between the canted forward backrest and the door is very narrow. And then, even with the second row seat pushed forward, there’s hardly enough space to place my size 12 feet.

The seat is also very low – even Mercedes says the rear is for children only. It has a sticker inside the door frame that effectively says only for passengers who are under five feet five inches. Should be more like four and a half feet.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

What is the comfort like in the second and third row? Is the third row useable?

Read the last segment of the EQB's interior post. Identical cabins.

[Venkatesh]

Mercedes-Benz India has launched the GLB at an introductory prices ranging from Rs 63.8 lakh - 69.8 lakh.



Mercedes will offer an 8-year warranty on the engine and transmission on the GLB.



The GLB will be offered with a 3 year residual value guarantee in India.



Link

[npawan29]

:( way over than what I anticipated (rather wished for), I am sure the GLC would be jacked up too - Its not the SIP which is holding up the potential of Mercedees but the unreasonable price to blame - the irony, it would still sell well I think - perfect product for India.

[Acharya]

A 1.3 liter 161bhp motor that wouldn't stand a chance infront of humble Octavia, which is priced almost halfway down the chain.
And then certain people complain that Indians putting money in SIP and not living life by buying brand new Merc!

[bordeaux]

This shows how crazy Indians are about the 7 seats in a car, no matter how cramped they are! You can sell a 7 seater at any price you want in this country. GLB 220D 4MATIC with lesser features but 2 extra seats is pricier than the GLC 220D 4MATIC. We may say that Mercedes has priced it over the top but reality is with those 7 seats in a Mercedes, they could have priced it 2-3 lakhs more and it'd still sell. My family has nearly disowned me for buying a 5 seater GLC for the kind of money I paid for it

[DriveOnceMore]

This is Datsun Go+ of luxury car space.
I don't know what set of people would really buy this.
It may score some brownie point 'on paper' by calling itself a 7 seater. But that's it, nothing more to boast of in reality.

[Arsenic]

Got a chance to check out the GLB/EQB today at Phoenix Palladium. A couple of quick impressions:

- That 3rd row is UNUSABLE. Period. For context, I’m a 5’4’’ 13-year-old, and I would not want to be in there for more than 5 minutes. Plus, the lack of rear vents truly suffocates you. Big to Mercedes on this. I would’ve preferred a 5-seat GLB, because boot space with all three rows up is, frankly speaking, atrocious.

- Second-row comfort is decent, even with the seat slid slightly ahead for a little more third-row. Seat material is nice and feels quite good.

- While ingress into the third row is relatively easy, egress is a total nightmare. My shoe kept getting stuck, and it took quite a bit of acrobatics to get out of there fully.

- What I do like is the interior up front. The cabin feels cozy and quite plush. I quite liked the ambient lighting elements as they seemed well-integrated and made the cabin feel just that extra bit nicer.

- Additionally, I must concede that the car looks BRILLIANT. It really does resemble the GLS from many angles, although a fellow young enthusiast I met there didn’t think the car looked like the GLS at all.

- The SA said that Mercedes is genuinely serious with the GLB and EQB, and isn’t just bringing the GLB as a stopgap until the next gen GLC arrives. Merc wants to create a new market niche / segment with these products, so the XC40 Recharge / EV6 aren’t in Merc’s line of sight at all. I’m all for manufacturers creating firsts in the Indian market, so I’m glad to see them trying and appreciate it. Something I don’t appreciate as much? The SA said the next-gen GLC will touch ONE CRORE!!!

[bordeaux]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

Something I don’t appreciate as much? The SA said the next-gen GLC will touch ONE CRORE!!!

I'd be genuinely pissed off if the new GLC 4MATIC doesn't touch one crore on road. The current GLC 4MATIC is 84+ Lakh on road in Hyderabad (probably more in some states). Like the new C class, I expect the new GLC to be listed at a premium of at least 10 Lakh ex-showroom over the one being phased out.

Why would I pissed off? Because that's the mathematics I used to go for the current GLC and not wait for the new one. The new GLC is amazing but not worth it when you'd have to wait for another 6+ months and also pay extra 15 Lakhs in addition to the wait.

[d.j]

Saw the car yesterday on a display in a shopping mall, it may sell, 7 seats stuff and all but looks tiny, I don’t advocate real estate front on automobiles but this one seems bad proposition, didn’t wait to sit inside, just glanced it for a moment could see the 3rd row - not worth what’s quoted for. In short, a compromise buy for someone who wish to hold only a 3 star, and this fits the budget.

Regards/DJ

[CEF_Beasts]

Earlier I wasn’t to sure who the GLB would be competing with in the Indian market.

Then I realised the lone 7 seater that has been sly-ly operating in the Indian market for quite some time is the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

And Mercedes-Benz has even priced the GLB 220d AMG Line pretty close to the Discovery Sport R-Dynamic Diesel.



Of course for the petrol the price difference is a lot wider due to the inferior petrol engine in the GLB w/o AWD: