Compare the2024 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Mercedes GLB

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Ascent are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLB doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Ascent has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The GLB doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Ascent (except Base) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The GLB doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ascent. But it costs extra on the GLB.

The Ascent’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLB.

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

The Subaru Ascent weighs 530 to 952 pounds more than the Mercedes GLB. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Ascent its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLB has not been tested, yet.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Ascent 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLB. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLB ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 65 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ascent’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Ascent’s reliability 14 points higher than the GLB.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 17 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (260 vs. 221) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 258) than the GLB’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Mercedes GLB:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The GLB doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Ascent uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLB requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Ascent has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLB (19.3 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Ascent has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The GLB doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Ascent’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the GLB are solid, not vented.

The Ascent stops shorter than the GLB:

For better traction, the Ascent has larger tires than the GLB (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R18).

The Ascent has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the GLB; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the GLB don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ascent’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the GLB (113.8 inches vs. 111.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Ascent is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than on the GLB.

The Ascent’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54.2% to 45.8%) than the GLB’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Ascent more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a greater minimum ground clearance than the GLB (8.7 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Ascent has standard seating for 8 passengers; the GLB can only carry up to 7.

The Ascent has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, 5.2 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, .5 inches more rear legroom, 5.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.4 inches more third row headroom, 2.6 inches more third row legroom and 13.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the GLB.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ascent’s middle and third row seats recline. The GLB’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Ascent’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLB.

The Ascent’s cargo area is larger than the GLB’s in almost every dimension:

The Ascent has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The GLB has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Ascent uses the Vehicle Dynamics Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The GLB doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the Ascent is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the GLB. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Ascent Base). The GLB doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Ascent has a standard rear speed-sensitive intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLB only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Ascent’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the GLB’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Ascent has standard extendable sun visors. The GLB doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Ascent to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The GLB doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Ascent and the GLB offer available heated front seats. The Ascent Limited/Touring also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the GLB.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Ascent, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLB isn't recommended.

The Subaru Ascent outsold the Mercedes GLB by almost three to one during 2022.