Mercedes-Benz GLB is refreshed, electrified for 2023

Back in 2019, Mercedes-Benz stepped into the 7-seater compact crossover arena with the GLB. It's the first time the German carmaker has made a small SUV that's designed for versatility while retaining the premium features we've come to know from cars wearing the Silver Arrows.

But now that the GLB is close to turning four years old, Mercedes-Benz decided it's time to give its baby 7-seater some new features and a dose of electrification from its updated powertrain.

This being a minor model refresh, Mercedes-Benz made very subtle changes from the GLB's boxy and upright design. In front, the crossover was made to look more rugged as Mercedes-Benz surrounded the lower bumper intakes with black cladding.

The same treatment has been done to the rear end, where the chrome cladding at the diffuser has been replaced with black plastic. Meanwhile, the LED taillights have a new horizontal pattern but the slim, wraparound look has been retained. To cap off the exterior update, there's a new two-tone design for the GLB's 20-inch multi-spoke wheels.

Inside, the GLB likewise retained its dashboard design, but Mercedes-Benz updated the colors and materials of the cabin. As a standard feature, the double screen consists of a 7-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch display for infotainment. However, there's a new option that could give customers a twin 10.25-inch display. The three-spoke steering wheel is new for 2023 and features a piano black finish for the horizontal spoke. The vertical spoke however is finished in silver, just like the pre-refresh model.

There's an additional USB-C charging port inside, and all of the USB ports are now illuminated. The GLB's infotainment system has also been updated and features the latest MBUX system that allows intelligent voice assistance. For more clarity and depth for the sound system, there's an optional Burmester sound system with Dolby Atmos technology.

As mentioned earlier, the refreshed GLB gets electrified powertrains for all its gas-powered variants. The whole petrol lineup uses a 48-volt electrical system for the belt-driven starter generator, which provides a brief 10 kW boost in power for agile starting and faster acceleration. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz still retained the diesel-powered variants of the GLB for those who prefer turbodiesel power.

Currently, the GLB is available in the Philippines with the GLB200 Progressive and AMG-Line variants, which use a 1.3-liter gasoline turbo engine. Now that Mercedes-Benz has given the GLB a mild hybrid system for the 2023 model year, we can expect the local units to get the same updates but at a much later date.