MG Im6 vs Mercedes-Benz GLB

What's the difference?

Meet the IM6 Performance, “presented by MG”. And that last bit’s important, because while it’s marketed and sold by the Chinese mainstream player, it really is unlike any other MG going around.

Think of it as like a Lexus to Toyota, or an Audi to Volkswagen, with the Chinese brand going premium, and seemingly making a direct play for Tesla’s fan base. How so? Well, there’s only two models in IM line-up (sound familiar?) with the IM6 a rival for the Model Y, and the IM5 (which we’ve also tested) a competitor to the Model 3.

The IM6 is spacious, pretty sumptuous and ridiculously fast. And it offers up some features I’ve only ever really seen in high-end German metal. But it’s also got some quirks.

So, can MG run with the big dogs of the premium car world with the IM6 Performance? And should Tesla be worried? Let’s find out.

A new-generation Mercedes-Benz GLB is just around the corner, so the current model is now on its farewell tour.

When it launched in 2019 it stood out from the crowd as a premium small-to-medium SUV with the flexibility of seven seats. Even now no other premium carmaker offers a car that’s a direct rival to this. You need to look at mainstream options instead that are slightly larger.

A mid-life update that arrived in 2023 brought some minor tweaks including different exterior and interior styling, along with mild-hybrid power for certain variants.

On test here is the entry-level GLB200 which didn’t receive mild-hybrid assistance. Read along to find out whether it’s the pick of the line-up.