Top 5 Things To Know About Mercedes’ Entry-level 7-seater SUVs Launch Tomorrow

Mercedes-Benz India is all set to launch not one, but two of its entry-level seven-seater SUVs in the country. While one is the conventional ICE-powered GLB, the other is a very unique and tempting proposition, the all-electric EQB, which, in fact, is Mercedes’ first seven-seater EV in India. So without further ado, here are the top five things you need to know about the ‘B’ SUVs from Merc.

Exterior Design 

The GLB and EQB aren’t exactly large SUVs, but their upright stance and muscular design touches do look the part for giving them SUV-like vibes. If you do pick the EQB, there are some EV-specific design touches such as the closed-off grille, a LED DRL strip connecting both the lights, aero-specific alloys, and connected LED tail lamps. Which Mercedes SUV’s design do you like? Mention in the comments below. 

Interior Design 

If you’ve been in the GLA or the A-Class, then things are very familiar here as both the SUV’s dashboard design is almost the same. Not a bad thing as it looks modern with the two 10.25-inch floating MBUX screens and the turbine-like AC vents. In the EV, these screens display EV-specific data as well. And when the sun goes down, the streaks of ambient lighting look wicked, especially at night. 

Both are 7-seater SUVs, but the third is best used for pets or short adults for very short journeys. Our editor, Ameya Dandekar, who is 183cm tall, gave it a go, and you can see how much space was in offer in our first drive video review linked below:

Top Features 

In terms of features, the SUVs gets kitted out with Powered front seats, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, connected car tech, and smartphone connectivity. Safety should be taken care of by multiple airbags, electronic stability control, and ADAS features. 

Powertrain Options

In India, we have sampled the GLB and EQB is their 220d and 300 guises respectively. Both these variants drive all four wheels and you can take a look at their detailed specifications in the table below:

In addition to this, we expect the GLB to get the 1.3-litre petrol engine option from the A-Class and GLA as well. There are more variants of the EQB offered in overseas markets, which you can read about here in detail. 

• Mercedes EQB And GLB SUVs To Be Launched In India On December 2, Bookings Underway

• Next-gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class Dashboard Design Leaks Ahead Of Debut

Expected Price And Rivals 

All good until now, but this is where the big caveat lies for both models. They will be brought to India as fully imported models, so they’ll be expensive. The GLB is expected to cost around Rs 65 lakh to Rs 70 lakh (ex-showroom), while the EQB will set you by around Rs 80 lakh (ex-showroom). 

The GLB, at this price, fights it out with SUVs from a segment adobe such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, and BMW X3. Meanwhile, the EQB offers a unique proposition with its positioning.