Compare the2024 Mercedes GLBVS 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLB and the Tiguan 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, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

Warranty

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the GLB has a standard 800-amp battery. The Tiguan’s 360-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 35 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 49 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Volkswagen.

Engine

The GLB’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 37 more horsepower (221 vs. 184) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLB is faster than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

	GLB	Tiguan
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	8.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.1 MPH	83.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
GLB
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
Tiguan
	FWD	S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/31 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
		R-Line 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the GLB’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

The GLB stops shorter than the Tiguan:

	GLB	Tiguan
60 to 0 MPH	130 feet	134 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLB has larger tires than the Tiguan (235/55R18 vs. 215/65R17).

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 Tiguan S’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLB has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Tiguan S.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The GLB has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Tiguan’s 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 Tiguan’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 Tiguan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLB’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the Tiguan (111.4 inches vs. 109.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLB is 1 inch wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Tiguan.

The GLB 250 4MATIC handles at .83 G’s, while the Tiguan 4Motion® pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLB 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Tiguan 4Motion® (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GLB has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tiguan (7.9 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the GLB to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The GLB is 3.7 inches shorter than the Tiguan, making the GLB easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Tiguan (.34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLB get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The GLB has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1 inch more third row headroom and 1.2 inches more third row legroom than the Tiguan.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLB. The Tiguan doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Tiguan SEL R-Line, 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 and exit feature glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Tiguan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GLB offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Tiguan can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

The GLB’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access standard on the Tiguan doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The GLB’s standard 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 Tiguan has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The GLB has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Tiguan SE/SEL.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLB has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Tiguan SE/SEL offers wireless charging.

The GLB offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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

Economic Advantages

The GLB will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GLB will retain 61.32% of its original price after five years, while the Tiguan only retains 48.29% to 50.45%.