Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
23–27 mpgcombined; city 21–24, highway 27–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,910–$17,500U.S. average; Ohio $14,050–$16,490 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 GLB-Class. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
5
0
0
0
Power train
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
3
0
0
0
Unknown or other
2
0
0
0
Carry handle, shell, base
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Other/i am not sure
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2023 GLB-Class over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Latches/locks/linkages: doors
NHTSA campaign 26V481000 · reported Jul 24, 2026 · 310,667 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's door lock, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 18, 2026. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 31, 2026.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 CLA, 2019-2022 A-Class, 2022-2023 C-Class, 2024 CLE, 2020-2026 GLA/GLB, and 2023-2024 GLC vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific model information. The micro-switch in the driver's door lock may corrode and fail to detect an open door, preventing the electronic parking brake or "Auto-Park" feature from engaging automatically. This may result in a vehicle rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 186 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2023 GLB-Class, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (100), structure (18), power train (15), exterior lighting (13), visibility/wiper (13).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2023 GLB-Class.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
AMG GLB35 4matic All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
21 / 27 / 23
GLB250 Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
24 / 32 / 27
GLB250 4matic All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM8)
Premium Gasoline
22 / 30 / 25
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data