Time flies: our Mercedes-Benz GLB 200 d, delivered in late November 2022, has now covered more than 7,000 km. Here are my honest impressions after living with it.

Why We Bought the GLB 200 d 4MATIC

Why We Chose the GLB 200 d

The search for a family car with a relatively compact footprint and strong performance led us to the GLB 200 d. The deciding moment came when a friend let me ride in their GLB 200 d—and I was impressed.

Until then, our family car had been a Porsche Cayenne. Its performance was excellent, but its width often made parking a challenge in the city, whether at family restaurants, convenience stores, or hospitals. That was the main reason we decided to replace it with a GLB.

Research and Expectations Before Buying

Before buying, I test-drove my younger brother’s GLA 200 d 4MATIC and also got behind the wheel of the friend’s GLB 200 d 4MATIC mentioned above. I wanted to evaluate both performance and comfort. The GLB felt more nimble and sporty than I’d expected, while its comfort seemed more than adequate.

I was also looking forward to the convenience of its seven seats. We sometimes travel with our family of five plus my sister and her child, so I thought the GLB would be a great fit for family outings.

GLB 200 d Performance and Fuel Economy

Real-World Fuel Economy After 7,000 km

Fuel economy is likely one of the first things many readers want to know. Based on the trip data reset after the break-in period, the average is 13.7 km/L.

That figure reflects my usual driving: I don’t go out of my way to save fuel, and simply drive with the flow of traffic at my own pace. With a more fuel-conscious approach, I think you could do better.

On the highway, 18–20 km/L is achievable in normal driving. Even if you push on a little, you can expect around 15 km/L.

How It Drives in the City and on the Highway

In stop-and-go city traffic, the diesel engine’s strong low-end torque means the GLB never feels sluggish. I haven’t found myself wanting for power; it accelerates just as I expect it to.

That said, the gearing feels lower than I anticipated, with the automatic transmission holding first and second gears for a while. When accelerating normally with traffic, it shifts up at around 2,000–3,000 rpm. Switching to Eco mode doesn’t make much difference.

The engine delivers maximum torque from 1,400 rpm, so I wish the transmission would shift up sooner and more smoothly at lower revs.

At around 100 km/h on the highway, the GLB doesn’t feel quite as planted as I’d expect from a German car. It’s stable and reassuring, of course, but it lacks a certain sense of composure.

However, at the kind of speeds you might encounter while leading the fast lane on the Shin-Tomei Expressway, the GLB becomes impressively stable. The tires feel more firmly planted, and the car starts to track straight as an arrow. It’s a reminder that, at heart, this is a car built in the home of the Autobahn.

GLB 200 d Interior and Comfort

Seat Comfort and the Third Row

My car has the AMG Leather Exclusive Package, which includes gray-and-black leather seats. The leather is somewhat thick and firm, so these seats don’t have the soft, cushy feel some people might expect. Drivers used to Japanese cars may not find them to their taste. Personally, I’d prefer a slightly softer material, too.

That said, I have no complaints about long-distance comfort. Even after covering 500 km in a day on a Tokyo–Osaka drive, I haven’t had any particular trouble with back pain.

Second-row seats

There’s plenty of width in the second row, and even a large child seat will fit. The seat base is a little short, though, so taller adult men may find their knees sit slightly higher, which can feel a bit unusual if you’re expecting a particularly comfortable seat.

Third-row seats

The third row is compact and best suited to passengers up to 168 cm tall. Many reviews point to it as a drawback, but in practice, it hasn’t been much of an issue for us.

Of course, it’s a different story if you’re planning to carry seven adults. But the third row is perfectly adequate for children, who seem to enjoy its cozy, tucked-away feel.

Even an adult can sit back there without their head touching the roof if the second row is moved slightly forward. It’s comfortable enough for trips of around an hour or less.

Ease of Use: The Infotainment System

The infotainment system takes a little time to get used to, especially when learning how its menus are organized. But the screen is easy to read, and you can control it using either the touchpad on the center console or the steering-wheel buttons, so I have no major complaints.

The factory navigation system has a clear display and easy-to-follow directions, but its route choices can sometimes be questionable.

I put up with it at first, but it kept suggesting routes that didn’t seem quite right. So I later bought the “Smartphone Integration” option (¥36,600) through the online Mercedes me Store, which lets me use Apple CarPlay on my iPhone.

Now I use CarPlay to display my phone’s navigation on the screen virtually 100% of the time.

GLB 200 d Pros and Cons: The Verdict

What We Love About It

Its biggest strength is its practical balance: the GLB is reasonably compact, yet can seat seven when needed.

Its performance and driving feel are also impressive. The stability at higher speeds feels true to a car designed in the home of the Autobahn, while it can be surprisingly agile on winding roads.

Overall, there’s no sense of compromise when it comes to going, turning, or stopping. It may not be the kind of car that makes every drive feel like an event, but, true to the Mercedes-Benz character, it’s a dependable partner that gets the job done with confidence.

I’m also very satisfied with the cabin’s upscale feel. Details like the ambient lighting, the quality of the dashboard and door trim, and even the feel and sound of the doors closing never come across as cheap.

What Could Be Improved

I have very few real complaints. If I had to pick three things I’d like to see improved, they’d be:

• The Pirelli P Zero tires fitted as standard with the AMG Line Package’s 19-inch wheels can feel overly high-performance, making the handling very sharp and responsive. A tire with a more comfortable character might suit the GLB better. Options such as Michelin’s Primacy range or Bridgestone’s Turanza range, for example, could improve owner satisfaction with their ride comfort and quietness.
• I’d like the seats to be more comfortable. In particular, the leather material and the length of the second-row seat base could be improved. I’m not expecting seats like those in a GLE or GLS, but a softer, more supple material would be welcome.
• The GLB is a pleasure to drive when you’re pushing on, but I’d like the automatic transmission to shift at lower rpm in city driving. When pulling away from a stop or crawling in traffic, for example, it would be nice if the car made better use of the diesel engine’s low-end torque for smooth acceleration, rather than relying on higher revs.

Those are my real-world impressions after buying the GLB 200 d 4MATIC. I’m extremely satisfied with it. As a practical family car, it offers excellent value for money and, honestly, leaves very little to be desired.