Guess Which Brand New SUV Hides Under That Thick Layer of Snow
While snow is starting to bury parts of Canada, the same can be said about the interior of the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre in Sindelfingen, Germany, which is currently performing cold-weather tests on an upcoming vehicle.
Which one? You may have recognized the silhouette: it’s the second-generation GLB, due to launch in Canada as a 2027 model.
- Also: Mercedes-Benz Axes EQB, Removes AMG Model From GLB Lineup
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The subcompact luxury SUV, set to follow in the footsteps of the brand new 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC, will be available with a combustion engine and/or hybrid system, as well as with a fully electric powertrain (thus replacing the discontinued EQB).
The automaker is busy testing the latter in wind tunnels at temperatures ranging from -40 to 40 degrees Celsius, with snow cannons and a powerful fan simulating a snowstorm and winds of up to 200 km/h. The vehicle itself is being pushed to a speed of up to 265 km/h thanks to a rolling floor that simulates a road.
While we can't really see the details of the exterior design, it’s fairly safe to expect a massive grille similar to that of the aforementioned GLC. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz is already revealing the interior of the new GLB, completely undisguised. The transformation is radical, starting with the optional Superscreen interface on the dashboard.
The design is cleaner, particularly where the air vents and main controls are concerned. You'll also notice fewer physical buttons. Furthermore, the contrast in colours and materials is more pronounced compared to the outgoing GLB. The doors are a prime example, with designers having clearly defined the controls, handles, grab bars, armrests and storage compartments.
The floating-style centre console enhances versatility while integrating a wireless phone charging pad. Facing the driver, the new steering wheel is modeled after that of the GLC and features more user-friendly buttons.
What else? The company is talking about increased headroom in the first two rows and extra legroom in the second (a third row will remain optional), as well as a panoramic glass roof that optionally can light up like a starry sky (the stars of course imitating the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz logo) or become opaque at the touch of a button.
Oh, a couple more things: at an outside temperature of -7 degrees Celsius, the interior heats up twice as fast—and requires half the energy doing so—as the late EQB. A new heat pump derived from the revolutionary Vision EQXX concept will optimize range at the same time.
The official debut of the new 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLB is scheduled for December 8. Most of the details and a ton of pictures will be shared at that time, so keep following The Car Guide to stay up to date.