2022 Mercedes Benz GLB: A ‘Compact’ Bear Luxury Crossover

If there is such a thing as a luxury crossover SUV for Bears that’s affordable, the 2022 Mercedes Benz GLB-Class is it.  (Spoiler Alert: the backseats pinch a bit for men of size.)

Starting at $38,600 US, mileage is 24 city / 32 highway, so at least you aren’t totally eating it once you pay your auto broker. 

Easy to drive, easy to park, and as you can see, it’s a cute little cub car. Carbuzz.com says this model “brings a lot to the table, especially in terms of practicality and style.” And indeed, it does, because it does look just a tad bit more stylish (a lot more, really) than the other solid, rugged little SUVs in the parking lot at the gay bars.

This little gem gets some high marks all around the World Wide Web.  It keeps company with the BMW X3 and the Acura RDX, so if you are seriously considering a Bear Compact SUV, do your homework, grab your buddies (make sure to feed them first) and go shopping.

Just so you know, the most exotic exterior colors you can get are Galaxy Blue Metallic and Patagonia Red Metallic. But if you know some butch Bears who work at a paint shop, hey…

I have never been a fan of how car companies use letters and numbers to name their cars, but in this case, Mercedes does make it easy to identify which is which: the GLB is slotted right in between the GLA (“the one is too small”) and the GLC (haven’t driven this one yet but this may be even a better fit for bears).

I test the GLB250 4Matic.  One fun little car, yes sir. 2.0-liter, inline-4 turbo. 221 horsepower. 258 torque. 8-speed automatic transmission. All-Wheel Drive (4Matic is MB’s code for AWD). Eco Stop/Start, which is still kind of a pain because it thinks for you, and, well, sometimes when you have a car this powerful, you really do want to do your own thinking.

Of course, if you want added luxuries (and who wouldn’t?) like heated front seats and snazzier-looking exterior appointments, well, those will cost extra. 

Of note: there is a third row of seats, but yeah, I would only use those in an emergency…

Also: it does seem like MB’s technology is getting easier to use.  Or I am getting smarter? Hard to say which is which.  

(I’ll go with Mercedes improving.)