mReview: Mercedes-AMG GLB35 – The Goldilocks Zone

The GLB35 AMG is an all-wheel-drive Mercedes machine that propels itself through corners so quickly, the notion that you're still piloting a compact family SUV takes a while to catch up to you.

The Mercedes-AMG GLB35 is very much an old-school AMG car, and I know that may be a controversial thing to say for a model that some people may not even consider to be a "true" AMG. But think about classic AMGs like the R129-generation Mercedes-Benz SL60 AMG - they're virtually indistinguishable from the "normal" versions of the SL-Class, until you start driving the car, that is.

Along the same lines, the GLB35 AMG doesn't appear all that different from your run-off-the-mill GLB180. Although it is slightly longer, wider and lower than the non-AMG GLB, there aren't any crazy fender flares that attract attention towards the car, nor an excessive smattering of AMG badges all over the exterior. 

In that sense, the GLB35 is quite the traditional AMG "sleeper" car, with not much hinting at its Affalterbach affiliations apart from a different grille, sportier-looking rims, and AMG-branded brakes. Until you start driving the car, that is.

GLB35 is a comfortable cruiser, with properly sporty handling in Sport+ mode.

The drive

Upon moving off, one notices the immediacy of the 8-speed AMG SpeedShift DCT transmission in how it shifts, which feels markedly different from the standard GLB's 7G-DCT. Mated to an all-wheel-drive 4MATIC drivetrain, the car feels extremely surefooted, giving the driver plenty of confidence plowing through big puddles during this rainy season.

If you've driven the regular Mercedes-Benz GLB, you wouldn't expect much from the ride and handling of this family SUV, which is very much comfort-oriented and without much sporting intent. But the GLB35 AMG throws all of those assumptions away once you turn the dial on the steering wheel from Comfort to Sport+.

Turbocharged 2-litre powerhouse under GLB35 bonnet produces 302bhp and 400Nm.

The exhaust burbles and crackles ever so faintly during gearshifts, and one begins to feel the adaptive dampers working their magic, with firm yet compliant suspension making the car feel surprisingly sharp through the corners. One can feel an immense difference in how much of the road can be perceived between the different drive modes - smaller road imperfections are ironed out in Comfort, whereas Sport+ allows the driver to feel each bump and undulation without unsettling the car.

The end result is a driving experience that makes one feel like he's in a more compact and tight sports car, rather than a tall and hefty seven-seater SUV. This is also complemented by the well-bolstered and supportive front seats.

To add on to the experience, the 4MATIC drivetrain's torque vectoring system guarantees you a crisp turn-in and a level of mechanical grip through the bends that one simply wouldn't expect from a 1.8-tonne seven-seater SUV.

The brakes are firm and provide a confident bite, while the steering is also markedly weightier than that of most other modern cars, which I enjoy, although I doubt this would suit all drivers. It remains consistently heavy even at traffic speeds and only truly lightens up when one is parking the car.

At lower speeds, too, the car's 6.25m turning radius also makes it feel a lot less manoeuvrable in carparks (compared to 5.85m in the non-4MATIC, non-AMG model), and the SpeedShift transmission may find itself struggling to choose the appropriate gear in crawling traffic.

Overall, though, this is an excellent and surprisingly fun car to drive around, and not just because the 2-litre turbo four-pot churns out 302bhp and 400Nm for you to accelerate to 100km/h in a straight line in 5.3 seconds, but also because it offers a level of driving engagement through the twisties that one should not be wont to belittle.

AMG elements clearly put the "sports" in this sports utility vehicle.

Here's how to convince your spouse to choose this car

Well, it is a practical three-row SUV with copious amounts of headroom, and very generous legroom in the second row, along with rear air-con vents. This same practicality extends into the boot, with 570 litres of space available with the third row folded down, going up to 1,805 litres if you fold the second row down too.

There are USB-C charging ports all over the cabin, even for the third-row seats, although I would recommend them mainly for children, or adults that you don't like.

Passenger space in this nominal seven-seater is good in the second row (above), but tight in the third row (below).The MBUX infotainment system is also very advanced, featuring an augmented reality (AR) navigation system that overlays navigational arrows onto a live camera feed to prevent you from taking the wrong exit.

I am, however, quite a Luddite, and found the MBUX system slightly overwhelming to use. I wasn't able to find Power98 FM on the preset radio channel list, and could only tune to it by politely asking the car to switch to the correct frequency using the "Hey Mercedes" voice assistant function. I suppose there's an argument to be made there about the efficacy of Mercedes' virtual cockpit assistant!

All in all, this is a car that hits all the spots in terms of practicality and features for families looking to buy a seven-seater. The performance potential of the GLB35 AMG doesn't translate into compromises in ride comfort, which is a crucial point to note. In Comfort mode, this still is a feature-packed and comfortable family SUV for five plus two.

GLB35 AMG in the Goldilocks zone

I think there's a strong case to be made for the Mercedes-AMG GLB35 being the "Goldilocks" car for what is a compact performance family SUV.

It's not a full-sized seven-seater, but it was never made to be one anyway. It's also not a full-out AMG car in the way a CLE53 AMG is, but it isn't meant to be one too. The GLB35 doesn't pretend to be any of these things. What it is, is a good, capable performer that can surprise with its point-and-squirt power and surefooted handling, with a great suspension setup that has convinced me that it isn't merely riding on the AMG brand name as a marketing exercise for better sales. 

Furthermore, virtually nothing is sacrificed in terms of practicality compared to the non-AMG GLB family hauler in converting this to a more performance-oriented vehicle.

The "sleeper" looks of the car also guarantee that you won't attract the attention of boyracer young punks, who'd probably drive past you and your family without challenging you, and there's something to be said about having the capability to humble the loud crowd if challenged, but gracefully electing not to.

The GLB35 AMG is just happy to be where it is - the Goldilocks zone.

Read More: mReview: Mercedes-Benz GLB200 - What's In A Name?

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