Mercedes-Benz is set to debut an all-new version of its GLB crossover next month and its expected to offer buyers a wide range of electrified drivetrain options, everything from mild hybrid to pure EV. Ahead of that official launch, Headlight.News got hold of some new pics showing the 2027 GLB undergoing cold weather testing at temps as low as -40 Fahrenheit – that includes a first look at the optional new MBUX Superscreen.
The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLB undergoes testing at temps as low as -40 Fahrenheit.
An all-new version of the Mercedes-Benz GLB is set to make its world premiere on December 8, and we’ve got images of the compact model undergoing cold weather testing at the Mercedes engineering center in Sindelfingen.
The crossover is one in an assortment of new products based on the German automaker’s new MMA platform, a flexible new architecture first used from the 2026 Mercedes CLA.
Set to reach showrooms early next year, the 2027 Mercedes GLB will move a bit more up-market, giving a bit more room between it and the entry-luxury GLA. And it will be offered with a wide range of new powertrains: from mild hybrids up to an all-electric package.
What’s new
The 2027 GLB will continue offering a third-row option.
The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLB is an all-new take on the compact crossover first brought to market for the 2020 model year. While officials details are scarce, it’s expected to retain its position as the most affordable three-row package in the automaker’s line-up.
In its new form, the 2027 GLB won’t stray far from the shape of the boxy original, but it grows slightly longer and is based on the all-new MMA architecture first launched last March underpinning the redesigned Mercedes CLA. It will be followed by several other products, including the smaller GLA crossover.
An assortment of new powertrains will be offered with the 2027 GLB, depending upon the market, including internal combustion and hybrid packages. With Mercedes abandoning the current EQ naming strategy for its EV models, there’ll also be an all-electric version of the GLB.
Mercedes also is expected to introduce a new version of the 2027 GLB targeted at off-roaders, picking up on a trend we’ve seen manufacturers as diverse as Ford, Mazda, Hyundai and Toyota all dial into.
New design
The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLB will offer an option tri-star lit headliner, as well as the new Superscreen.
While these latest images reveal a frost-covered version of the 2027 GLB undergoing cold weather testing in Sindelfingen, we’ve had a chance to check out earlier spy shots of the new crossover. They clearly reveal that the new model grows several inches in length, something buyers who opt for the three-row package should appreciate. It also gets a wee bit wider than the current model.
Mercedes has a clear fixation on its tri-star logo and will make that abundantly clear with the new GLB’s star-shaped daytime running lights. There’s also what we assume to be an optional interior lighting package with a field of lit tri-stars on its headliner, as you can see in these pics.
The overall feel of the second-generation GLB is more up-market, Mercedes trying to better differentiate its line-up of small crossovers – which includes the GLA and GLC, as well. And the GLB adds some intriguing new technologies, such as the Superscreen, a new take on the Hyperscreen system first launched on the latest S-Class generation.
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Powertrain options
Expect a mix of powertrains, including mild hybrid and all-electric packages.
Expect the 2027 Mercedes GLB to offer a wide variety of powertrain alternatives – though what’s available will vary depending upon market. It’s been reported that the base version of the crossover will use a mild-hybrid package derived from a Geely-Renault joint venture making as little as 134 horsepower.
Don’t expect that version in the States, though it appears American packages all will use some sort of fuel-saving electrification, including mild and conventional hybrids.
The 2027 GLB also will be available with a pure battery-electric drive options, Mercedes no longer differentiating this option by calling it the EQB. The EV package will migrate to a more powerful – and faster-charging – 800-volt electrical architecture. Single-motor rear-wheel-drive and twin-motor all-wheel-drive layouts will be available. In some markets, sources indicate, Mercedes also will offer standard and long-range battery packs. The latter may be used exclusively in the U.S.
Mercedes has indicated the EV version of the 2027 GLB may be the first to roll out of the factory. We hope to confirm that and other details during next month’s debut.
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