It's a compact SUV with room for the whole family plus two more, so its no surprise that Mercedes-Benz is excited about bringing the GLB SUV to New Zealand this year.
According to Mercedes-Benz, this seven-seat compact SUV " is set to change the shape of the premium SUV market in New Zealand."
As most brands look to fill the seven-seat SUV segment, larger vehicles are generally the way to go, because of obvious spacial reasons. But the GLB doesn't do that, it makes the most of its small dimensions and maximises boot space.
In terms of power plants, the GLB starts with a 200, which is powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This produces 120kW and 250Nm, which is sent to the front wheels exclusively through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The GLB 250 is the other model offered to be offered by Mercedes-Benz in New Zealand. This uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and sends 165kW/350Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed DCT transmission.
The AMG variant of the GLB has been dubbed the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4 MATIC, and as the name suggests, makes use of the same all-wheel drive system as the 250.
An AMG-tuned turbocharged 2.0-litre engine sends 225kW and 400Nm of torque through a "SPEEDSHIFT" DCT transmission here. This is enough to hit 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.
In terms of pricing, the GLB 200 starts from $78,900, and the GLB 250 4MATIC starts from $92,900. Deliveries for these two vehicles are set to start this month.
The AMG GLB 35 4 MATIC starts from $104,900 when it lands in New Zealand later on this year.
