2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 revealed with three rows of seats available

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250, the only trim of the GLB-Class available for now, has finally been revealed. And in the Edition 1 trim shown above, it looks virtually identical to the concept shown a few months ago. The only changes are a slightly different lower grille insert, chunky tires and a beefier looking roof rack. Otherwise, the lights are the same, as is the soft boxy shape. It's a handsome design that should be quite successful. It's also just as big as the concept, at only about an inch and a half shorter than the GLC-Class in both wheelbase and overall length. Like most modern Mercedes models, there's a more road-oriented body style, too, as shown by the blue example below.

The interior is also very similar to the concept, with all the dash and door shapes the same. Of course the upholstery has been toned way down. But it's still modern and luxurious like all current Mercs with large screens for instruments and infotainment and loads of ambient lighting. Helping distinguish it from the A-Class and CLA-Class interior are chunky, tubular-looking aluminum trim pieces on the dashboard and door pulls. The most noteworthy interior features regard carrying capacity, though. The GLB can be optioned with a third-row seat for a maximum occupancy of seven people. Cargo capacity for the two-row model is also 20 to 62 cubic feet depending on which seats are raised. The three-row model's cargo capacity hasn't been announced yet.

The GLB 250's powertrain also comes from the concept and the CLA-Class. It's a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four making 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Power goes through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and either a front-wheel- or all-wheel-drive system. The default torque split for the all-wheel-drive system is 80% front and 20% rear. The sport mode changes the ratio to 70:30, and the off-road mode sets it to 50:50 and adjusts throttle and ABS settings for low-grip surfaces. The all-wheel-drive model comes with a standard off-road package that, in addition to the drive mode mentioned, also adds hill descent control.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 will go on sale toward the end of this year. Pricing and fuel economy have not yet been announced.