Mercedes-Benz will announce prices for not one but two new SUVs in India on December 2, 2022. The three-row GLB and its EV sibling, the EQB, will be launched on the same day and bookings for both have begun for a token amount of Rs 1.5 lakh.
- GLB is expected to get three powertrain options in India
- EQB SUV will be sold only in one variant in India
- Both SUVs will be sold here as full imports
Mercedes GLB to get three powertrain options in India
Both GLB and the EQB SUVs are based on the same MFA2 platform. The GLB in India will come in three variants – the entry-level GLB 200, the mid-spec GLB 220d and the top-of-the-line GLB 220d 4Matic. The GLB 200 petrol will come with a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine good for 163hp, with a seven-speed automatic, while the GLB 220d siblings get a 2.0-litre 190hp powerplant mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The GLB 200 will be sold in a single Progressive Line exterior package that gets a dual slat grille, a faux skid plate, chrome trim on the exterior and 18-inch alloy wheels. The GLB 220d will come with the AMG Line package that gets a sharper-looking bumper, single-slat AMG-themed grille and 19-inch AMG five-spoke alloy wheels.
On the inside, both models get a centrally mounted touchscreen and a 10.25-inch instrument cluster. Five exterior and three interior shade options will be on offer on the GLB SUV in India.
EQB to be Merc’s third EV model this year
The EQB – the first 7-seater EV in India – will be Mercedes’ third electric offering in India, after the EQC SUV and the EQS sedan.
It shares most of its body panels and overall look with its ICE counterpart, the GLB, but gets a few EQ-specific styling differences like a blanked-off front grille and unique headlight design, among other tweaks. On the inside too, except for a splash of gold paint on the turbine-like vents, the EQB’s interior looks identical to the GLB.
Mercedes-Benz EQB: battery, powertrain and range
The EQB EV SUV will be sold in India in the entry-level EQB 300 guise. It makes 228hp and comes with a 66.5kWh battery that offers the claimed range of up to 419km (WLTP).
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Suraj Viswanathan
Hormazd Sorabjee
