I drove a $51,000 Mercedes GLB250 to find out if this compact SUV is a worthy addition to the carmaker's lineup - here's the verdict

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I drove a $51,000 Mercedes GLB250 to find out if this compact SUV is a worthy addition to the carmaker's lineup - here's the verdict
Mercedes GLC

Matthew DeBord/Insider

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Good, not great.

In the past three years or so, I haven't found anything to dislike about the numerous Mercedes-Benz vehicles I've tested. The new 2020 GLB compact crossover SUV, however, initially challenged my enthusiasm.

The challenge didn't last long - I ended up liking the ute, in GLB250 trim with Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, quite a lot.

My test vehicle started at $38,600, but more than $10,000 in options raised the sticker to $51,405. Some of the extras were appealing, some you could take a pass on. It would not be impossible to get a well-equipped GLB250 for something in the mid-$40,000s.

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Read on to find why I altered my initial impressions of this modest-of-scale but mighty-of-temperament Merc:

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Behold! The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB250, in a "Polar White" paint job.

Behold! The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB250, in a "Polar White" paint job.

The styling didn't excite me. I want my Mercs to look like Mercs. The GLB reminded me of a Volkswagen Tiguan. The 19-inch wheels, a $700 extra, struck me as being a little undersized.

The styling didn't excite me. I want my Mercs to look like Mercs. The GLB reminded me of a Volkswagen Tiguan. The 19-inch wheels, a $700 extra, struck me as being a little undersized.
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Of all the Mercedes I've driven lately, the GLB has the least Benz-y presence. For some buyers, that could be a plus.

Of all the Mercedes I've driven lately, the GLB has the least Benz-y presence. For some buyers, that could be a plus.

Unsurprisingly, the GLB250's front end is its best angle. The Mercedes tri-star badge fits nicely into the perforated horizontal grille bars. The LED headlights are spectacularly effective at night.

Unsurprisingly, the GLB250's front end is its best angle. The Mercedes tri-star badge fits nicely into the perforated horizontal grille bars. The LED headlights are spectacularly effective at night.
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The rear is, I'm sorry to say, completely boring.

The rear is, I'm sorry to say, completely boring.

And by completely boring, I mean REALLY REALLY COMPLETELY BORING.

And by completely boring, I mean REALLY REALLY COMPLETELY BORING.
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The GLB has a respectable 20 cubic feet of cargo space under the unexciting hatch, however.

The GLB has a respectable 20 cubic feet of cargo space under the unexciting hatch, however.

The GLB is a "B" class SUV, sitting between the GLA and GLC in the Mercedes lineup.

The GLB is a "B" class SUV, sitting between the GLA and GLC in the Mercedes lineup.
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"4Matic" is Benz-speak for all-wheel-drive. I drove on one rather wet day, the system performed quite capably.

"4Matic" is Benz-speak for all-wheel-drive. I drove on one rather wet day, the system performed quite capably.

The interior was "Black MB-Tex," and it was an odd mashup of minimalism and the sort of premium appointments I've come to expect from Mercedes. The front seats were heated.

The interior was "Black MB-Tex," and it was an odd mashup of minimalism and the sort of premium appointments I've come to expect from Mercedes. The front seats were heated.
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The rear seats were roomier than I expected.

The rear seats were roomier than I expected.

No problems with my not-tall frame.

No problems with my not-tall frame.
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And space to stretch out.

And space to stretch out.

The dual-pane, panoramic sunroof is a $1,500 option.

The dual-pane, panoramic sunroof is a $1,500 option.
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It's pretty awesome!

It's pretty awesome!

I had some hangups with the interior, which in total failed to deliver the high-luxe vibe I'm used to from Mercedes.

I had some hangups with the interior, which in total failed to deliver the high-luxe vibe I'm used to from Mercedes.
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Under the hood we had a 221-horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, offering 250 pound-feet of torque that was readily accessible with the Merc's eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Under the hood we had a 221-horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, offering 250 pound-feet of torque that was readily accessible with the Merc's eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Fuel economy is decent at 23 mpg city/31 highway/31 combined. The 0-60 mph time is in the 6 to 7-second ballpark.

The GLB enjoys a 10.25 instrument cluster continuously joined to a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, plus some too-subdued-for-my taste "Black Linden" wood trim.

The GLB enjoys a 10.25 instrument cluster continuously joined to a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, plus some too-subdued-for-my taste "Black Linden" wood trim.
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The instrument cluster half of the set-up can be customized using the small thumb pads on the heated, multifunction steering wheel.

The instrument cluster half of the set-up can be customized using the small thumb pads on the heated, multifunction steering wheel.

Mercedes infotainment system is solid enough. The touchscreen is responsive and renders visuals with crisp resolution ...

Mercedes infotainment system is solid enough. The touchscreen is responsive and renders visuals with crisp resolution ...
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... And it handled everything you'd expect quite capably, from GPS navigation to Bluetooth pairing to USB-port device connectivity. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ae also available, but my test vehicle lacked wireless charging.

... And it handled everything you'd expect quite capably, from GPS navigation to Bluetooth pairing to USB-port device connectivity. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ae also available, but my test vehicle lacked wireless charging.

The system can also be operated using this buttons-and-trackpad configuration. This is also where you can toggle among the GLB's driver modes: Comfort, Sport, Eco, and Individual (the last allows from some blending of modes).

The system can also be operated using this buttons-and-trackpad configuration. This is also where you can toggle among the GLB's driver modes: Comfort, Sport, Eco, and Individual (the last allows from some blending of modes).
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So what's the verdict?

So what's the verdict?

I was all set to declare that the GLB was the first Mercedes in a while that didn't do it for me. And then I had to execute a sharp maneuver on the highway — sharper than usual — and in seconds, the GLB quit being a sort of boring crossover and became a proper Mercedes-Benz.

Composed. Sure-footed. Confidence-inspiring. After I zigged and zagged, I wanted to pat the GLB on the dashboard, praise its capabilities, and apologize for underestimating the vehicle.

That doesn't mean I still didn't have a few issues with the GLB. The interior, while nice, wasn't as premium as I would have liked. It straddled that line between exceptional mid-market and not-quite luxe, although it was cool to watch the ambient lighting run through its change protocol when the sun went down.

The exterior styling also left me with the blahs — the SUV might have looked better in a color other than Polar White — and aspects of the climate-control and infotainment system were challenging to figure out.

The Driver Assist Package, at $2,250 as an extra, made up for my qualms. The system is as effective as any advanced-cruise-control-plus-steering-assist I've tested in the past few years.

In the end, the GLB250 was at its best when it was being driven rather hard, which surprised me. When I was simply tooling around in it on suburban-family duty, I thought it was not that much more impressive than any of a number of less expensive compact crossovers.

The thing is that the GLB is still a Mercedes. It doesn't embrace that identity as much as it could, but it does when it matters.

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