- pricing for mercedes-benz's new glb-class compact suv will start at $37,595.
- the cost to add the optional third row, which lets the glb seat seven, has not yet been announced.
- look for the 2020 glb-class to go on sale late this year.
mercedes-benz has released pricing for its all-new compact crossover, the glb-class, and at $37,595, it's taking straight aim at the competition from bmw, lexus, and yes, even mercedes-benz itself. most important, the glb offers an optional third row of seating, a feature neither bmw's x1 nor the lexus nx offers.
for $37,595, you get a glb with two rows of seating and room for five. the sole engine choice is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that makes 221 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic is the only transmission; front-wheel drive is standard, and 4matic all-wheel drive is optional, adding $2000 to the price.
on the outside, led headlamps and 18-inch wheels are standard. on the inside, there's a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster and the latest version of benz's infotainment system, mbux, featuring a 7.0-inch touchscreen with voice control and apple carplay and android auto integration. standard driver-assistance technology includes active-safety features such as brake assist, automated emergency braking, attention assist, and crosswind assist. the optional driver assistance package ($2250) enables semi-autonomous driving.
so how does the glb-class compare with its competition? at $36,195, the bmw x1 is $1400 cheaper and offers a 228-hp four-cylinder and front-wheel drive, but the all-wheel-drive x1 costs $1400 more than the 4matic glb-class. the lexus nx300 costs a mere $150 more than the glb-class, with a more powerful engine (245 horsepower) but fewer gears in its transmission (six). the all-wheel-drive version of the nx is actually $450 more than the 4matic glb.
as we predicted, the glb's pricing slots it between the gla-class and the glc-class. the starting price for the gla-class is $35,245, while the glc-class is priced at $43,495. neither of these two, however, offer a third row of seating. casting that net a little wider for more plebeian alternatives that do offer more room, the honda pilot ($32,645) has room for eight, as does the chevrolet traverse ($30,995), while the volkswagen atlas ($31,890 for a 2019 model; 2020 pricing not available) has room for seven. the glb-class goes on sale in late 2019.