Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Summary

Mercedes-Benz is a German auto maker, headquartered in Germany. Mercedes-Benz B-Class was launched in India in 2012. It is an over-sized hatchback that comes in both petrol and diesel versions. The petrol variant features a 1.6-litre engine having a displacement of 1595 cc and the diesel variant comes with a 1.6-litre engine having a displacement of 2143 cc.

Further to this, read Mercedes Benz B Class Road Test details by our expert.

Exterior

To the Indian customer, a Mercedes-Benz logo means a big size luxury car, but Mercedes-Benz B Class is a compact MPV hatchbackthat does not have the appeal a normal Mercedes-Benz. The hood of the car combined with the windshield gives a look of Mercedes-BenzR-class. The oversized grille with Mercedes logo and the lower bumper embedded with LED lights give it a distinctive look. The side view of B-Class has a sporty appearance. The sports variant of the car comes with 18-inch rims thatare more appealing than the normal variant of the car.

Interior

B class has a decent sized boot space that can easily hold a couple of suitcases. The rear seats are very comfortable and have curves to give extra thigh support to the passengers. There is ample legroom in both rear and front for the driver and passengers. The interiors of a B class offer the qualities of a Mercedes E class. The black coloured interiors with smart dashboard design give a sporty feel. The air conditioning vents are very well designed whichis a concepttaken from Mercedes-Benz SLS. The only odd thing about the interiors of this car is the command display screen embedded on the top of the dashboard thatparticularly looks like a tablet stuck at the top of the dashboard. Apart from this screen, everything else about the interior of the car is great.

Engine and Transmission

Mercedes-Benz B-Class comes with both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine of B-Class 180 Sport has a displacement of 1595 cc that produces a maximum power of 90 kW with a peak torque of 200 Nm. The B200 CDI Sports engine that runs on diesel has a displacement of 2143 cc and produces maximum power of 100 kW and maximum torque of 300 Nm. Both the variants come with a 7G Dual Clutch Transmission system that has two sub-transmission systems. The manual gearshift feature comes with steering wheel shift pedals giving an easy and smooth gear shift options to the driver. But for the traditional drivers who like their one hand on the transmission panel, there will be a difficulty in the starting to understand the gears.

Performance and Handling

The performance of Mercedes Benz B Class is as good as the other Mercedes cars. The top speed of Petrol variant is 200 km/h and for diesel variant it is 210 km/h that is acceptable for a small compact car. The mileage of the Petrol variant is 11.9 kmpl on highway and 7.9 kmpl in the city. The diesel variant gives a mileage of 15 kmpl on highway and 11.5 kmpl in the city. Well, the mileage is not as good as it should be but considering the other luxurious interiors a customer gets, it is quite acceptable.

Braking System

Mercedes Benz B class braking system aims at stopping the car safely and quickly to provide driving comfort. The anti-lock braking system is present in the car with other features like Brake Assist (BAS). The rear wheels of the B-Class have disc brakes while the front wheels have internally ventilated disc brakes.

Mileage

The 2143 cc Diesel - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 19 kmpl in city and 21 kmpl on highways, while the Petrol variant offers a mileage of 13 kmpl on urban roads and 15 kmpl and freeways, respectively.

Safety Features

Mercedes Benz B Class has an integral safety system that is designed to avoid accidents and provide ideal protection for the driver and passenger on the road. It has a drowsiness detection system that observes the movement of the driver on the steering wheel and monitors its details to detect signs of loss of concentration on the road, especially in the night time. In case of a high collision impact, the security system triggers special airbags in two different stages. The front airbags for the driver and passenger are first triggered accompanied by the side airbags for front and rear passengers and knee airbags for the front driver and passenger to avoid collision of the knee joint with the dashboard.

Verdict

Apart from its mileage, the other features are exceptional which make this car worth buying. Although, it is a small and a compact car as compared to the other Mercedes-Benz models, still it has been able to make its place in the market. So if you are looking for a mini SUV hatchback family car with a big trunk space to take you luggage on long tourholidays, then it is a must buy car for you.

Competition

Mercedes Benz B Class has many competitors in the small-car segment. BMW i3, which has a startling design, gives good competition to B-Class. Nissan Leaf is another car that threatens the market of Mercedes-BenzB-Class. Though, Nissan Leaf interiors do not have the class that Mercedes Benz’s interiors have. Cars like Chevrolet Volt and Ford C-max energy also stand neck in neck with Mercedes-Benz with a little lower price.

Pros

1. Good Mileage with Diesel engine
2. Flexible and adaptable seating

Cons

1. Very Expensive
2. Lacks in looks