New Mercedes GLA and GLB revealed: mid-life facelift for baby SUVs
March 16, 2023 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
The Mercedes GLA has been given a mid-life facelift, as has the boxy Mercedes GLB. These two small SUVs get some styling tweaks, as well as new interior technology. Read on for all you need to know.
- New Mercedes GLA and GLB revealed
- Tweaked styling and interior
- More range for plug-in hybrid GLA
- All engines are now mild hybrid
- Sporty AMG GLA 35 and GLB 35 also updated
- Same 306hp 2.0-litre engine as before
- On sale in the UK soon
Mercedes has given its two smallest SUVs a facelift for 2023. The new GLA and GLB have refreshed styling and tweaked interiors.
The sporty AMG variants of both of these cars have also been updated with mild-hybrid technology and more aggressive styling than before.
New Mercedes GLA and GLB design
Both the new Mercedes GLA and GLB have been given subtle styling tweaks to keep them looking modern in 2023.
Up front, the Mercedes GLA has a new bumper with larger and more aggressive-looking air intakes for the AMG-Line models. The headlights have also been given a new LED signature.
The side profile remains the same as before with a swoopy sloping roofline. You get 17-inch alloys as standard, and 18 or 20-inch wheels are available as options.
Looking at the rear and some tweaked tail lights are the only real change here. The lower bumper looks pretty much the same as before.
The new Mercedes GLB gets similar styling changes. It’s the more boxy-looking of the two cars, but the lower front bumper gets a similar air vent design to the GLA, and the headlights have been tweaked in a similar way as well.
The GLB is available with the same 17,18 or 20-inch wheels as the GLA, and the rear lights are more sleek-looking than before.
New Mercedes GLA and GLB interior and infotainment
Both the new Mercedes GLA and GLB get the same cabin design, and it’s received a few updates for 2023.
You now get a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard. A 7.0-inch digital drivers display is also included, but this can be upgraded to a 10.25-inch screen. There are now minigames for the infotainment system to keep your passengers amused while you’re parked, and the central touchpad from the old car has gone.
All cars get faux-leather comfort seats as standard, as well as a leather steering wheel. A vegan leather option is also available. AMG-Line models get half leather seats with suede-like inserts.
New Mercedes GLA and GLB engines
The engines offered in the new Mercedes GLA and GLB are the same as before. There are two 1.3-litre petrols with either 136hp or 163hp, or a 2.0-litre petrol with 224hp.
Those looking for a diesel have three options, all of them 2.0-litre units. You can choose between 116hp, 150hp or 190hp. Both the petrol and diesel models are available with either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, and all versions come with an automatic gearbox.
The Mercedes GLA also offers a plug-in hybrid version. It uses the 1.3-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor to make 218hp. The electric-only range has been improved slightly over the last GLA plug-in hybrid, with 43 miles of range on offer.
New Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 and GLB 35
The Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 has also been updated, as has the GLB 35. Both of these sporty SUVs get more aggressive styling than the standard cars.
The new GLA 35 has a redesigned front bumper with some big air intakes, as well as an AMG-specific grille with vertical slats. The GLB 35 has a similar grille, as well as the sporty lower bumper.
Both cars are available with either 19 or 20-inch alloy wheels, and they both get a roof spoiler and twin tailpipes.
Step inside and you get an AMG-specific steering wheel, as well as some sports seats. You can also now specify open-pore wood trim for the first time on an AMG 35 model.
As for the engines, both the AMG GLA and GLB use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit, which now has mild-hybrid assistance for added efficiency. It has exactly the same power as before, with 306hp and 400Nm of torque on tap.
The slightly smaller GLA will do 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds, while the GLB will complete the sprint in 5.5 seconds.
When can I buy the new Mercedes GLA and GLB?
The new Mercedes GLA and GLB will be available to order in the next few weeks, with first deliveries likely to start towards the Autumn.
Pricing hasn’t been announced for these cars yet, however you can expect a slight rise over the current cars. Expect a price tag of cose to £40,000 for the GLA and £42,000 for the GLB.
As for the AMG versions, the GLA 35 currently starts from £47,955, so expect the new one to touch £50,000. The GLB 35 currently costs £53,295, so the new one may wear a £55,000 price tag.
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