Volkswagen Id.5 vs Mercedes-Benz GLB

What's the difference?

At long last, Volkswagen’s electric mid-size SUV duo has landed in Australia.

The appeal of the ID.4 as an electric family SUV alternative to the likes of the Tiguan is obvious, but where does the more coupe-styled ID.5 fit?

It comes in a single GTX trim for now, taking aim at some of the more performance-oriented EV SUVs on the Australian market, of which there are now quite a few. But now it’s arriving later than many of its rivals.

Has VW done enough with the ID.5 GTX for it to justify a spot on your test-drive list? We went to its Australian launch to 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.