2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB teased – 7-seater EV SUV, MBUX Superscreen, MB.OS, debuts December 8

While one of Mercedes-Benz’s renewed compact models has already been revealed, another is waiting in the wings. Stuttgart has released the first teaser images of the all-new, fully-electric GLB ahead of its world premiere on December 8, including the completely overhauled seven-seater cabin.

The replacement for both the original GLB and the related EQB remains an important niche player for the Three-pointed Star, given the scarcity of smaller three-row electric SUVs. Based on the same Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) as the new CLA, it will likely be offered with the same powertrains and technologies as its four-door coupé sibling.

That much is apparent in the interior, which has been revealed in full and features an identical dashboard to the CLA. That means a flat fascia optionally available with the full-width MBUX Superscreen, equipped with a 10.25-inch digital instrument display and twin 14-inch touchscreens, including one for the passenger. All this runs on the latest Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) with built-in generative AI.

Bookending the screens are circular air vents with neat fluted surrounds and a nozzle with a “flat, state-of-the-art body” (whatever that means), while the concave door panels feature large storage recesses and a “floating” door grab handle.

Meanwhile, the steering wheel now comes with a physical volume scroll wheel and cruise control speed toggle “in response to numerous customer requests,” although the rest of the controls are still frustratingly touch operated. The ditching of seat memory buttons and discrete rear window buttons echoes the CLA.

The GLB comes as standard with a panoramic glass roof, which combines with the raised roofline to offer more headroom for the first two rows. The glass features an infrared-reflective coating on the outside and a low-emissive (low-e) coating on the inside to cut down on heat, and can be optioned with an electrochromic frosting function and even tiny illuminated stars.

Moving rearward, the GLB offers more second-row legroom and thigh support, while the one-touch tilt-and-slide feature pushes the seats further forward to aid third-row entry and egress. As before, a sliding and reclining second row is optional on five-seater models and standard with the seven-seater.

As for the exterior, not much has been revealed, with the car still being covered in copious amounts of camouflage, as well as plenty of snow from cold-weather wind tunnel testing. Still, we can see that the GLB will feature the same general boxy shape as before, albeit with sleeker, slimmer headlights.

Just like the CLA, expect these lamps to be joined by a full-width illuminated strip over the trapezoidal grille (which looks to be massive) and incorporate Merc’s gaudy tristar graphics. The rear end looks set to gain inverted L-shaped taillights linked by a slim bar, with the corners curving to frame the tailgate.

Not much has been revealed about the car’s mechanicals, but expect the GLB to launch with the same motor options as the CLA, including a 272 PS/335 Nm rear motor and 354 PS/515 Nm dual motors. Both should feature a Porsche Taycan-aping two-speed gearbox on the rear axle.

Also likely is an 85 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that delivers 792 km of WLTP-range on the CLA250+ and 771 km on the CLA350 4Matic; expect significantly lower figures on the larger, less aerodynamic equivalent GLB models.

A 58 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) option should also be offered, as should a 48-volt hybrid powertrain consisting of a new 1.5 litre M252 Atkinson-cycle turbocharged four-cylinder engine – rumoured to be developed by Geely and Renault’s Horse Powertrain subsidiary – and an electric motor housed within the eight-speed 8F-eDCT dual-clutch transmission.

The use of the MMA platform means that the electric GLB will almost certainly inherit the CLA’s 800-volt electrical architecture, enabling up to 320 kW of DC fast charging. Hopefully, Mercedes-Benz has learnt its lesson and allow users to charge at 400-volt stations…

The GLB will soon be joined by the third-generation GLA, completing a trifecta of compact models. Unfortunately, the popular A-Class won’t see a replacement with the move to the MMA platform and will be dropped in 2028, in a bid to reduce complexity in product development.

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