Mercedes-Benz Shows Next GLB’s Interior and Teases Exterior Ahead of Official Debut Next Month

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  A new generation of the GLB will be unveiled on December 8^th.

• The interior shows three large screens and seating for up to seven.

• We can expect the next GLB to share its electric and hybrid powertrains with the new CLA.

Mercedes-Benz is putting the finishing touches on a new generation of the GLB, its boxy small crossover built on the same platform as the CLA sedan.

While the new model’s official launch will only take place at the start of next month, the automaker published earlier today multiple clear photos of the interior along with additional details about the vehicle and the testing it is still undergoing.

We also got a glimpse at the next GLB’s exterior design, but those pictures were taken inside the climatic chamber, with snow and ice obscuring most details.

From what we can see, the overall shape of the GLB will stay broadly the same, perhaps with a curvier front end. There seems to be a large oval grille similar to that used on the new CLA, and we expect to see front and rear lightbars that complement star-shaped headlamps and taillamps, as this seems to be a recurring theme on the brand’s new products.

The vertical rear glass, characteristic of the GLB (and the EQB, which the new model also replaces), will allow the new model to keep offering an optional third row, making it one of the smallest vehicles to seat seven passengers in North America.

The automaker says this upcoming SUV will feature more headroom for first and second-row passengers than the current model, as well as additional legroom and thigh support for the second row.

Owners of the current model should be familiar with the new GLB’s interior, as it doesn’t stray too far away from its predecessor in terms of design, but its tech package is entirely new.

Indeed, the dashboard can feature the optional MBUX Superscreen, a combination of three large screens that take up almost the entirety of the vertical surface, framed by a circular air vent at each end.

These screens are running the new MB.OS operating system launched in the 2026 CLA EQ, which means they feature the latest generation of the Mercedes personal assistant, which uses both Microsoft and Google-derived generative artificial intelligence.

The automaker says this system is an “intelligent companion that thinks, learns, and evolves with the driver”.

Driver assistance technologies also benefit from the new operating system, and we know now that the upcoming GLB will feature 10 cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a water-cooled supercomputer.

The center console is more conventional in appearance, and a large open space under the floating cupholders provides additional storage to supplement the bin under the armrest.

Other features found inside include the panoramic sunroof, which can be ordered with an illuminated star pattern and an electrochromic system that makes it possible to switch the glass from transparent to opaque via the center infotainment screen.

As standard, the glass panel is fitted with an infrared reflective coating that keeps heat out in summer and in during winter, improving passenger comfort and increasing the efficiency of the climate control system.

Speaking of which, the heating and air conditioning systems of the next GLB have received particular attention, with the electric version of the SUV making use of a new heat pump design that can harness waste heat from the battery, from the motors, and from ambient air.

This component reportedly uses a third less energy than an equivalent auxiliary heater would require, and offers significant advantages over the current system used in the EQB.

As part of cold-weather testing that is still taking place at Mercedes-Benz’s climatic chambers in Sindelfingen, Germany, engineers have made sure that snow and ice can’t block the cabin’s air intake, even during a blizzard.

They have also determined that the windshield defrosting system can clear the glass for safe driving in 15 minutes at an outside temperature of -15 degrees Celsius, without any other driver input.

To ensure greater passenger comfort, the new GLB EQ will begin warming the cabin as soon as someone enters the vehicle, and tests have shown that during a 20-minute drive at an ambient temperature of -7 degrees Celsius, the next GLB’s climate control can heat the interior twice as fast as the current EQB, while using about half as much electricity.

No details have been revealed about the powertrain of the next GLB, but since it will be built on the same platform as the new CLA, we can expect it to share the same powertrains.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA: The Entry-Level Benz is Now Hybrid or Electric

This means that the electric version is likely to arrive first in North America, possibly with a choice of either single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive versions.

The first is expected to deliver 268 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque, while the second could achieve figures of 349 horsepower and 380 lb-ft, like in the CLA 250+ and CLA 350 4Matic, respectively.

We could also see the same 85 kWh battery installed in the GLB EQ, but range figures should be significantly lower, due to the SUV’s less aerodynamic shape.

Charging times could be similar to the CLA and therefore some of the quickest on the market, thanks to an 800-volt architecture that could allow rates up to 320 kW and thus a 10 to 80% time of only 22 minutes.

Europe is also treated to hybrid versions of the 2026 CLA that should make their way to North America shortly, suggesting similar variants of the GLB are on the way.

We will know more on December 8^th, when the next generation of the Mercedes-Benz GLB is officially launched.