With 360 degrees of new styling, the Mercedes-Benz GLB SUV moves the automaker’s design story forward. Much like the GLK stood out from the rest of the Mercedes-Benz lineup, the GLB stands on its own, blending design of recent car models with new exterior treatments to deliver a body with Dachshund-like proportions.
Robert Lešnik, head of exterior design at Mercedes-Benz, told Newsweek that the decision was made to have a completely different look for electric vehicles versus their combustion engine peers, starting with the GLC, whose electric counterpart was dubbed the EQC and debuted in 2018. But, that differentiation is not needed any more under a new “one Mercedes” design and nomenclature goal.
Before the December debut of the next-generation GLB, its gas-powered version was known as the GLB while the electric was subbed the EQB. Now, they are housed under the same name, differentiated by numerical model suffixes.
The GLB follows in the footsteps of the recently launched CLA sedan – it’s available in either battery-electric or hybrid propulsion system form. Certain clues give away which system the SUV is equipped with, most notably the grille. However, there aren’t many differences between the two types of models, a strategy that is part of Mercedes-Benz’s larger vehicle lineup plans.
The electric GLB’s grille was controversial when it was in development. “We had some discussions in the beginning: Should we do this? Should we not? And now, everybody who sees the CLA driving around at night thinks it is interesting and cool. It really looks different, and it’s something that you remember, and something that you can really differentiate from other brands as well,” Lešnik said.
The GLB also carries over many of the front-end attributes of the CLA, including its body-width lightbar and star-shaped headlights.
At the rear, the GLB has a completely different treatment than the other models in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, sporting a handlebar mustache-like taillight structure that houses light signatures that evolve the look of the CLA and GLC models into a fresh appearance.
Between the front and rear, the car’s broad shoulders are a carryover attribute linking the GLB to the GLC. It’s a space often overlooked, said Lešnik, but an area where the dynamism of paint flop and sculpture shine through.
While design links to the GLB to the larger, full-size GLS SUV, a model set for a heavy refresh in 2026, technology is the thread that ties the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup together, whether it’s a panoramic roof with infrared-reflecting technology or the new-generation MB.OS infotainment system that utilizes artificial intelligence for a personalized behind-the-wheel experience.