Comfort reigns over all else with the 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC SUV. That, and affordability. At a total price of $71,500 CAD, for the media vehicle we drove, there’s a lot to unpack there, when talking value for your money.
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Starting at a base price of $59,300 CAD you then build from there. If you’re shopping for a luxury SUV, especially in a recessionary economy, ask yourself what you really need. Do you need a more compact SUV, since you live in an urban centre and parking is tight? Do you still need storage space, whether it’s a back row for kids, or luggage space in the back, for the hockey bag, or grocery bags? And does gas mileage factor into the equation, in the U.S. and Canada, as it does for most people, even those blessed with higher means.
2022 Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC SUV – more than enough luxury touch points for the money
Let’s look at the Mercedes SUV then, all the add-ons off that base price. 360 Camera is $650. Advanced sound system is $400. AMG Multi-Spoke 21-inch wheels in matte black is $1,250. The big, bright, bold Patagonia red paint job is $1,400. Navigation package, $800, technology package, $1,600; premium package (including Sirius XM Radio), $3,100. Night package, adding high-gloss accents to the vehicle, $1,000. AMG Driver’s package, $2,000.
The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC SUV comes with a boosted engine – powerful 2.0L inline 4 cylinder, 302 horsepower, 295 ft-lb of torque – and a sporty suspension – superior handling whether it’s on city streets or on a race track (Comfort, Sport, Sport+ modes). Again, the GLB 35 is not spectacular, but it doesn’t have to be. From a luxury SUV perspective, it was fine. The interior is spacious enough. Maybe you are looking for more practicality, and you want to stay at higher five figures for an SUV.
AMG-specific grille with AMG lettering
Gas mileage? The Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC SUV comes in at 12.7L/100 km in the city, and 9.4L/100 km on the highways, on premium-grade fuel. The interior was a big selling point. We’re heading into winter so features like heated front seats, dual climate zones, and upscale options include a heated steering wheel become more of a priority. It comes with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and microfiber and leather upholstery. Very nice. The Panoramic sunroof seems standard in this class of luxury SUV these days.
Technology is meant to create a seamless, simplified driving experience. Mercedes’s new MBUX infotainment software allows for voice recognition. There’s touchpad and gesture-controlled interactions as well. Make a lane change by tapping a turn signal. Adaptive cruise can help steer, slow for exits, or stop-and-go in traffic. Advanced sensors can alert you to cross-traffic in your path.
Again, it was fun to drive. Powerful, and handling was very sharp. The dual-clutch 8-speed can be an easygoing automatic or paddle-shifted fun, if you want to go that route. You’d compare it to something like a BMW X2 or a Volvo XC40 (non-electrified version), knowing the Mercedes subcompact is a little larger and little more pricy. but not much. If I was to choose between this Mercedes and a Lincoln Corsair hybrid SUV, reviewed here, at around the same price, I am going Lincoln. There’s just much more for the money. Never thought I would admit that, but I guess for me, electrified has arrived.
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I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
