Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class SG Car Choice Edition (Parallel Imported)

I got hold of the GLB180 (C&C) on 1st Nov 2023, and have been driving it for two weeks+. Compare with my previous ride SUV outlander (2015), X Trail (2018) and now the GLB.

This is a marked class above, and compared with what is the available on the market at this price point, consider a value for money. (Honda Fit/Jaza is now $160k+)

The ride is quite perky even though it is running on a 1.3L engine.

The gear change can be better, as it takes time to shift the gear up from gear 1, it can be abit of hesitance when you drive out of the carpark. Ride is quite firm for me. Pick up and changing lane will no be any issue, you can choose between econ, comfort and sports.

There are tons of features in the car, with their MBUX system, lots of upgrade you can do outside.

Third row seat is really small, n good only for small adults of below 1.7m.

In whole - I enjoy driving the GLB, and will recommend this ride for family man, who do not always need a +2 seats, it is a more fun ride, than the usual MPV.

Driven the GLB180 Progressive from C&C for about 6 months and i have to say it's the most well rounded SUV in its class.

One of the best things about the car is the sheer utility with a spacious interior coupled with a humongous boot when in 5 seater mode. Unfortunately the boot size is compromised heavily when the rear seats are folded up but that too is a benefit that the GLB has over its rivals being able to sit 2 additional (albeit small) people in the last row.

Additionally, I would say it's styling is best compared to a brute in a suit with the grills in the front providing the perfect blend of aggression and class that suit a mercedes to the fullest. Let's not forget the stance of the car squating like a lion ready to attack it's prey.

Must say the build quality too has been excellent with soft touch materials throughout the interior coupled with a really incredible attention to detail on the smallest of items such as the signature of gotteb daimler on the windscreen.

Another positive i felt was the sheer customisability in the interior. My car is equipped with the fully automated memory seats and coupled with the driver profiles my father and I are able to set up and switch between profiles that set the car up precisely to our liking wether in may be the mirror position or something as simple as the ambient lighting colour.

The drive too is smooth as you'd expect from a mercedes at highway speed. I must say my only gripe is that at low speed the gearbox does seem to be a bit clunky taking a while to change up especially in slopey areas but that too isn't too bad of a deal as it's still able to easily mount the hill at sheares bridge 🤣

Efficiency wise, coming from an A4 i expected to be visiting the fuel station a lot more often but pleasantly it's about the same giving me about 15km/l on most days although the figure does reduce to about 10km/l on inside roads

Overall, I would say if you are looking for the perfect family car which is both efficient, spacious and makes the child inside u giggle with the multitude of tech and features this is the car for you!

Cycle and Carriage version, GLB180 Progressive. Comfortable and quiet ride. Great having 2 extra seats at 3rd row though only useful for kids and teenagers. Family absolutely loved it coming from a chunky MPV previously. Good for driving around turn and parking in right spaces.

The Mercedes AMG GLB 35 is a unique car as there are no other such cars in its segments providing the perfect blend between family practicality and performance.

The reason the GLB has been very popular in Singapore is because of its unique ability to seat 7 people while in the dimensions of a crossover. This GLB can be either specified with 5 or 7 seats. Although when all 7 seats are up the boot space might be underwhelming, when the last 2 seats are folded, you would be presented with around 570 litres of boot space, which is bigger than the similarly priced GLC 300. The room in the third row is too little for adults to sit for long, but with the adjustable second row, it can be adjusted for adults to sit there for a short 30-minute trip. It is best left for kids for longer journeys. The space in the second row is spacious and can hold 3 adults easily.

The infotainment system is the same in the A and B classes, as such the experience is similar. It performs without any lag and the touchscreen is responsive.

The engine is the same engine you would find in an A35, with 302 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Although AMG enthusiasts might argue this engine is not a true blue AMG engine as it is not handbuilt and heavily turbocharged, the engine is very fun and punchy. The exhaust note is loud enough for you to ooh and ahh to, with occasional pops. The steering is very responsive with lots of feedback, which would be one thing expected from an AMG car.

Ride quality is better than the normal GLB as the suspension is lowered to make the car height almost the same as an A-class and it comes with adaptive dampers to balance the sportier suspension. Although it cannot be compared with that of an E class, it does the job by soaking up bumps in the road very well. Body-roll is inevitable as it is a boxy-shaped car, but better than the normal GLB due to its lowered height.

The styling makes the car look more ferocious with 20-inch AMG multispoke wheels and a Panamericana grille and black chrome around the car. It would definitely stand out from the crowd as an AMG due to the number of badges around the car.

Overall the GLB 35 is the perfect balance for a family person who craves a sportier performance yet has to fulfill his or her family responsibilities in a family-friendly manner.

Owned this C&C AMG line unit for almost 4mths.

Good for family use.

Exterior & interior superbly done with little complaints, handling was reasonable good for a compact sized SUV.

However, do not expect too much performance from a 1.332L turbo engine.

Tested the GLB200, at 1.3L Turbocharge and 161 bhp, the engine performance and power is excellent. The ride is comfortable enough and road bumps are not too noticeable. Exteriorly, this is unmistakably Mercedes, grand and majestic. Interior is posh especially with the optional 10 inch cockpit and spacious.

After driving owning the vehicle for nearly 3 weeks at around 800+ mileage now, I can say it is really really a good car. Mercedes GLB really performs way way better than all the other car I had owned or driven before, including the likes of Lexus and BMW. MBUX system adds additional options to your everyday driving. Savings on road tax with 1.3T engine also doesn't mean it's slow on pick up or anything like that. It's drive is comparable to a 1.8L pick up. Here is the summary.......

Went to C&C to test drive this 7 seater SUV.

First looks, nice curves for a compact SUV meant to have 7 seats. Looking like a Land Rover Defender.

Inside, interior is a new look whereby the "Glass" Dashboard, with MBUX incorporated in it. Front seats kinda uptight and back not as spacious comparing with other 7 seater like Audi Q7 or Skoda Kodiaq or even a 5 seater SUV like Subaru Forester.

The Drive, moving off in COMFORT mode was ok but somehow gearshifts were a little slow in engagement. Then in SPORTS mode, the pushy is not there at all and tends to be noisy when revved hard.

There is no lane departure assist fitted too which is pretty essential in the city roads we have here and somehow is already a norm in many out there.

Otherwise, the full auto parking (reverse only) is a good to have where you do not even need your hands to engage gears or your foot on the brake. This car does it all the moment you engage the feature, got a lot and engage to R. Strange is does not come with parallel parking.

Overall, if you are not that particular in the drive and only want a Mercedes, this can be considerable, else for a fitting 7 seating SUV, there are others that serves better and lower price tag too.