Compare the2023 Mercedes GLBVS 2023 Kia Telluride

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLB have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Telluride doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The GLB’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Telluride doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the GLB and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The GLB’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Telluride runs out after 100,000 miles.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mercedes GLB is faster than the Kia Telluride:

On the EPA test cycle the GLB gets better mileage than the Telluride:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the GLB’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Telluride doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The GLB offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Telluride doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The GLB stops much shorter than the Telluride:

The GLB’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Telluride LX/X-Pro’s standard 60 series tires. The GLB’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Telluride S/EX/SX’s 50 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the GLB can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Telluride doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The GLB offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Telluride’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLB’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Telluride doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The GLB 250 4MATIC handles at .89 G’s, while the Telluride SX 4x4 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GLB 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The Mercedes GLB may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 550 pounds less than the Kia Telluride.

The GLB is 1 foot, 2.5 inches shorter than the Telluride, making the GLB easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLB is 6.1 inches narrower than the Telluride, making the GLB easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The front step up height for the GLB is 2.5 inches lower than the Telluride (17” vs. 19.5”). The GLB’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the Telluride’s (17.5” vs. 19.3”).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the GLB easier. The GLB’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.5 inches, while the Telluride’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Telluride SX, the GLB has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, suspension setting, power steering assist, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

If the windows are left open on the GLB the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Telluride can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLB’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Telluride’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The GLB’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Telluride’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLB offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLB also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The GLB’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Telluride offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The GLB offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Telluride.

The GLB’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Telluride doesn’t offer an automated parking system.