Mercedes-Benz has offered an early look at the second-generation GLB, and the clearest preview yet focuses on the interior. The major surprise is that this new GLB will debut first as a fully electric model, effectively replacing the EQB while retaining the familiar GLB nameplate. A full reveal is scheduled for December 8, but what the company has already shown makes one thing certain: this compact luxury SUV is moving deeper into the high-tech era.
Teasing The Next-Generation GLB
Instead of beginning with exterior design sketches or dramatic landscapes, Mercedes has chosen a more unconventional reveal. The prototype GLB is shown undergoing brutal cold-weather testing inside the climatic wind tunnels of the Mercedes Technology Center in Sindelfingen, Germany. Covered in a solid layer of ice, the SUV hides its details deliberately, but its proportions still resemble the outgoing GLB. The silhouette remains upright and boxy with softened edges, suggesting a careful evolution rather than a radical redesign. While much of the vehicle remains frozen over, glimpses of a sizable front grille and L-shaped taillights joined by either a trim bar or a light strip hint at the subtle styling shifts Mercedes will reveal soon.
The Extreme Test Environment
Mercedes’ test facility can swing temperatures from -40 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, simulate blizzards with 124-mph winds, and run a rolling road up to 165 mph. Engineers can also adjust humidity, air pressure, and wind direction, recreating nearly any climate on Earth. These scenarios are meant to refine both electric and combustion powertrains, but for the GLB EV, Mercedes is focusing strongly on winter behavior. Frigid temperatures challenge electric vehicles more than conventional ones, and the company is using this testing to highlight improvements in efficiency, cabin comfort, and thermal management.
A Dashboard Defined By The Superscreen
The interior is the opposite of the icy exterior: warm, open, and dominated by a sweeping digital display called the Superscreen. This optional feature spans almost the entire width of the dashboard, similar to the new GLC EV. Circular air vents anchor each end, while a small row of physical keys underneath handles only the most essential functions. Everything else is handled by the expansive touchscreen interface, presenting a minimalistic and futuristic feel. Mercedes has not yet shown what the dashboard looks like without the Superscreen, but given current design trends, a similarly digital-forward layout is expected.
Redesigned Door Panels & Center Console
The door panels adopt a concave design that positions the grab handle and window switches on a floating surface with a large storage pocket underneath. The center console also floats above an open space, freeing up room for bags or small items. Optional features include a wireless charging cradle and redesigned cupholders. Mercedes’ latest steering wheel design also appears here, featuring the return of two customer-requested controls: a rocker for cruise control and a mechanical roller for volume adjustment.
Space and Seating Improvements
The GLB EV will continue to offer standard five-passenger seating with an optional third row that raises capacity to seven. Mercedes claims increased headroom in the first two rows and an easier-to-access third row. The panoramic roof now includes an optional illuminated star pattern and can switch from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. Second-row legroom has also been improved, which should help the GLB remain one of the roomier compact luxury SUVs available.
Heating Efficiency & Cold-Weather Gains
Mercedes emphasizes that the cabin now warms significantly faster than before. The company claims that at 19 degrees Fahrenheit, the new GLB EV heats its interior twice as quickly as the outgoing model and even faster than a traditional combustion-engine vehicle. More importantly, it consumes only half the energy required by the EQB to reach the same comfort level, which directly boosts available driving range. The climate system prioritizes warming the upper body and hands first and is powered by a new heat pump derived from the Vision EQXX research program. This advanced pump uses waste heat from the electric drivetrain, the battery pack, and the surrounding air to maximize efficiency.
Expected Powertrain Options
Although Mercedes is focusing on the electric version for the launch, the company is expected to introduce internal-combustion and hybrid powertrains later in the model cycle. This mirrors the strategy seen with other newly launched electric-first models within the Mercedes lineup. Full specifications will be shared at the December 8 reveal, including battery sizes, performance figures, charging details, and eventual gas or hybrid engine options.
Conclusion
With a fully modernized interior, a sweeping Superscreen, and significant improvements in winter efficiency, the new GLB EV marks a major step forward in Mercedes-Benz’s electric transition. While much of the exterior remains hidden under ice, the early preview suggests a familiar shape blended with next-generation technology. More comprehensive details will arrive on December 8, but even now it is clear that the second-generation GLB is being positioned as a more refined, more efficient, and significantly more advanced entry in the compact luxury SUV class.
