Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 review: On terror firma

Singapore

WITH the GLB 35 4Matic, the division that makes Mercedes-Benz cars go a bit too fast has finally gone a bit too far. Ludicrously, it's a tall, butch and boxy sport utility vehicle (SUV) that thinks it's a sportscar. What's even more ridiculous is that the GLB 35 soon has you thinking it, too.

It bounds to 100km/h in only 5.2 seconds, which means it could handily leave most of the Ferraris I lusted for in my boyhood in the dust, or at least in its mirrors. It barrels around corners at a pace that would make a brave man gasp.

That's Mercedes-AMG for you. If the GLB 35 proves anything, it's that the engineers there can take anything and make it fast and rowdy, because the essentials of this car are as far from sporty as it's possible to be. It's shaped like its mother was a 4x4 and its father, a cupboard. It even has seven seats inside, which makes it more bus than car.

But driving the GLB 35 is a rush. Give it the beans, and you're not merely pinned to your seat, but your ears are treated to the sound of an almighty whoosh as the engine hoovers up great gobs of air.

Sure enough, when you lift the bonnet you're greeted by the sight of a hefty turbocharger. It might be bolted to a fairly modest engine, but together they crank out 306 horsepower, which is a formidable amount of muscle. Just as well there are big brakes, stiffer suspension, a reinforced chassis and an all-wheel drive system to cope.

At some point, precision and composure do give way, overwhelmed by the GLB 35's height and tall centre of gravity, but by then you'll have put your licence in serious jeopardy, so it's unlikely you would ever take things that far, and it would be unwise to do so on public roads.

The real heroes of the story are the wide Michelin tyres. They cling to tarmac like Trump tried to cling to power, and help the Mercedes straddle that line between being a thrilling or terrifying experience.

In the midst of all that, it's easy to forget that the GLB is a horribly practical car. The third row chairs fold up and down in a jiffy, while the middle row seats slide and tilt so everyone back there can bicker and jockey for space among themselves.

If you draw the short straw and end up in the very rear, you'll find that room for feet is tight and rue the fact that the Mercedes has no rear air-con vents whatsoever. But then you'll grudgingly marvel at how there's a surprisingly habitable amount of headroom, even for an adult. Just brace yourself for a bouncy ride, as the third row occupants of any car ought to do, and you should be fine.

Even if you only ever use those third row seats occasionally (say, once every time a new US president is sworn in), they give the Mercedes something of a checkmate feature. The Mini John Cooper Works Countryman is the only other bonkers baby SUV I can think of, with an identical power output but alas, only five seats.

In fact, the GLB 35's layout lends itself to some compelling math: at S$246,888 with Certificate Of Entitlement, it costs S$115 per seat per horsepower. On that basis, the Mercedes-AMG is one of the best buys on the market. Crunch the numbers on, say, a Toyota Vios, and you'll see what I mean. If you think a compact seven-seat SUV with sportscar performance is a ridiculous idea, the GLB 35 shows that it can also be ridiculous value for money.

MERCEDES-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC

Engine 1,991cc, inline 4, turbocharged Power 306hp at 5800-6100rpm Torque 400Nm at 3000-4000rpm Gearbox 8-speed dual-clutch 0-100km/h 5.2 seconds Top Speed 250km/h Fuel Efficiency 7.9L/100km Agent Cycle & Carriage Industries Price S$246,888 with COE Available Now