Compare the2023 Mercedes GLBVS 2023 Volkswagen Atlas

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 Volkswagen Atlas 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 Atlas doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Mercedes GLB has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Atlas doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLB’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Atlas doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLB and the Atlas have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The GLB’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Atlas’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the GLB has a standard 800-amp battery. The Atlas’ 680-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 41 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 22 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mercedes 4 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mercedes GLB is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas V6:

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLB higher (5 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas (3 to 5). This means the GLB produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas every 15,000 miles.

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 Atlas doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The GLB stops much shorter than the Atlas:

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 Atlas’ standard 60 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 Atlas doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The GLB has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

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 Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLB 250 4MATIC handles at .89 G’s, while the Atlas SEL R-Line Black 4Motion pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GLB 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Atlas SEL 4Motion (27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GLB’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (38.4 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

For greater off-road capability the GLB has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas 2.0T (7.9 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the GLB to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The GLB’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the Atlas V6 (7.9 vs. 7.5 inches).

The Mercedes GLB may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 700 pounds less than the Volkswagen Atlas.

The GLB is 1 foot, 6.3 inches shorter than the Atlas, making the GLB easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The design of the Mercedes GLB amounts to more than styling. The GLB has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Atlas (.34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLB get better fuel mileage.

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 Atlas’ liftover is 29.7 inches.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Atlas SEL, 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.

The GLB’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Atlas doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Atlas has 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 Atlas.

The GLB’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Atlas SEL Premium’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.