The new 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB will undergo extreme cold testing ahead of its world debut on December 8 and its Australian launch in the second half of next year.
In a press release issued this morning, Mercedes-Benz also confirmed that – unlike its far more popular GLC midsize luxury SUV – the second-generation GLB will continue to offer up to seven seats in a more “flexible” interior, as well as the option of its MBUX Superscreen infotainment/instrument array.
To prove this, the German automaker has released the first images showing the interior of the new GLB. Previous spy shots from the Nürburgring show will be just as edgy as the original model that first hit the market in 2019.
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More official images of the new GLB undergoing heavy weather testing confirm findings from May’s spy shots, including slimmer headlights than the current model’s rectangular units, new flagpole-style wing mirrors and flush-fitting fold-out door handles.
At the rear there is a striking upper tailgate spoiler, above which are slimmer taillights, which are connected by what appears to be a full-width light bar.
No technical information has been revealed, but the MkII GLB will share its Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) with the third-generation CLA sedan launched earlier this year, providing clues about its mechanical layout.
However, like the new CLA, the new GLB is expected to initially be available with two fully electric powertrains: a single-motor rear-wheel drive with 200 kW of power and 335 Nm of torque, and a dual-motor all-wheel drive with 260 kW and 515 Nm.
In the CLA, both are equipped with an 85 kWh battery pack that offers a WLTP range of between 672 and 792 km. A cheaper variant with a 58 kWh battery will come onto the market later this year.
Unlike the current GLB, there will be no battery-powered EQB sister model, the design of which highlights the electric drive through significant changes.
Instead, electric powertrain options will be part of the regular GLB range and electric variants will carry the clunky “with EQ technology” suffix.
Like the CLA, the next GLB is expected to be available with a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated 20kW electric motor powered by a 1.3kWh 48V lithium-ion battery.
In the CLA, the mild hybrid system will be available in three performance levels: 100 kW/200 Nm, 120 kW/250 Nm and 140 kW/300 Nm. Depending on the model, buyers can choose between front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
For now, Mercedes-Benz says the new GLB’s “completely redesigned” cabin replaces the previous model’s sculptural look with a cleaner, high-tech interior defined by the optional MBUX Superscreen that stretches across the dashboard.
There are round air vents with Silver Shadow details, a floating center console and a more ergonomic steering wheel. Mercedes-Benz has taken customer feedback to heart and has again installed rocker switches for the speed limiter and the Distronic adaptive cruise control as well as a roller for volume control.
The GLB promises more headroom, legroom and versatility. The second row has longer thigh bolsters and a sliding function will be standard on the seven-seaters and optional on the five-seaters.
According to Mercedes-Benz, the optional third-row bench seat is easier to access thanks to a revised easy entry function and folds flat into the floor when not needed.
The panoramic sunroof now features infrared reflective glass and a special coating to efficiently regulate the temperature in both hot and cold conditions.
In a purportedly first segment, the roof’s transparency can be adjusted from clear to dark in milliseconds, while an optional illuminated star pattern connects to ambient lighting to create a personalized “starlight” effect.
Mercedes-Benz’s new MB.OS operating system is paired with the company’s fourth-generation MBUX interface and features redesigned animations, an advanced virtual assistant with generative AI, navigation via Google Maps and the ability to over-the-air software update.
The GLB also benefits from the German automaker’s MB.DRIVE suite of driver assistance technologies, whose hardware includes eight cameras, five radar sensors and twelve ultrasonic sensors.
Mercedes-Benz is also interested in advancing the new GLB’s intensive development program: engineers at the Mercedes Technology Center in Sindelfingen are pushing the SUV to its limits in state-of-the-art climate wind tunnels that can simulate blizzards, desert heat and everything in between.
According to Mercedes-Benz, even in sub-zero temperatures, the new GLB conveys a “welcome home” feeling even under the harshest conditions thanks to clear visibility, constant heating output and occupant comfort.
The SUV will be exposed to temperatures of up to -40°C and an Alpine snowstorm will be recreated using snow cannons and wind speeds of 200 km/h. In each wind tunnel, rolling roads are powered by powerful electric motors, allowing the 4Matic all-wheel drive systems to be realistically tested at speeds of up to 265 km/h.
Engineers can precisely control temperature, humidity and airflow – and repeat the tests at any time of year – and the same equipment is also used to test hot weather performance in a thermal chamber that produces temperatures of up to 60°C.
It is supported by a solar simulation system with 32 lamps to reproduce natural sunlight at up to 1200 W/m² – similar to the conditions in Death Valley.
A “Hot Road” system can also heat the surface beneath the car to 70°C, accurately replicating scorching summer asphalt and allowing Mercedes-Benz to check the proper functioning of the cabin cooling, materials and electronics.
Mercedes-Benz says the GLB’s heating system remained efficient even when tested in frost between -15°C and -20°C, and that the SUV can defrost its windshield at -15°C in just 15 minutes using only the defrost setting.
Inside, a new heat pump from the Vision EQXX program draws heat from three sources – the drive system, the battery and the ambient air – and thus uses around a third of the energy of a conventional additional heater.
MORE: All Mercedes-Benz GLB
