Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Mercedes GLB review - Reliability & safety

The GLB has a five-star safety rating, but some driver assistance systems are only fitted to the most expensive models

Reliability and safety rating

4.0

How we review cars
RRP
£39,150 £53,870
  • Seven-seat practicality
  • Efficient engines
  • Impressive tech
  • Dull to drive
  • Small boot in seven-seat mode
  • Can get expensive

The GLB didn’t appear in our 2020 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, although Mercedes-Benz finished a disappointing 28th out of 30 manufacturers. Owners complained of high running costs, including expensive servicing and insurance premiums.

There’s better news when it comes to safety, with the GLB awarded a maximum five-star rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2019. The scores were impressive, including 92% for adult occupant protection, 88% for child occupant protection, 78% for vulnerable road users protection and 74% for safety assist technologies.

Advertisement - Article continues below

All GLBs get multiple airbags, active lane-keeping assist, active brake assist, fatigue monitor, cruise control with speed limiter, speed limit assist and rain-sensing wipers. Five-seat models get ISOFIX points on the two outer rear seats, while seven-seat models get an extra pair of ISOFIX points in the third row.

AMG Line Premium Plus and GLB 35 4Matic Premium Plus models also feature a Driving Assistance package. This features an array of safety systems designed to keep you out of trouble. The list includes Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Braking Assist, Active Distance Assist, Active Steering Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, exit warning function, Pre-Safe Plus and route-based speed adjustment.

Warranty 

Every Mercedes-Benz GLB comes with a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty. This is average for the class, but extended warranties are also available. Longer standard warranties are rare in the premium sector, but cheaper rivals from the likes of Hyundai and Kia come with five- and seven-year warranties respectively.

Servicing

Mercedes-Benz offers fixed-price servicing options via a ServiceCare plan. The prices vary, but based on a new GLB and up to 15,500 miles a year, two services could cost £750 if paying up front. Alternatively, the cost can be spread with monthly payments. Three services cost around £1,000, while four services cost £1,500.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    GLB 200 Sport Executive 5dr 7G-Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £39,150

Most Economical

  • Name
    GLB 200d Sport Executive 5dr 8G-Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £39,800

Fastest

  • Name
    GLB 220d 4Matic AMG Line Executive 5dr 8G-Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £47,080

Our latest car deals

Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,710Avg. savings £2,345 off RRP*Compare Offers
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,155Avg. savings £2,485 off RRP*Compare Offers
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £29,735Avg. savings £4,910 off RRP*Compare Offers
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £25,235Avg. savings £1,836 off RRP*Compare Offers
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Cheap electric car finance could be on the cards as government aims to boost sales
Omoda E5 - front tracking

Cheap electric car finance could be on the cards as government aims to boost sales

A newspaper column and whispers suggest that government-backed cheap EV loans could be coming to stimulate market
News
2 Dec 2024
Nissan Qashqai alternatives: cars you could buy instead of Nissan’s big-selling SUV
Nissan Qashqai alternatives - header image

Nissan Qashqai alternatives: cars you could buy instead of Nissan’s big-selling SUV

Nissan’s Qashqai has been a hit since the first generation launched in 2006, but if it’s not quite your cup of tea, we’ve rounded up the best of the r…
Features
1 Dec 2024
New Ford Puma Gen-E arrives to challenge the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Avenger
Ford Puma Gen-E - front studio

New Ford Puma Gen-E arrives to challenge the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Avenger

Despite being based on the petrol car, electric Ford Puma gets bespoke features and a massive boot
News
3 Dec 2024