Car: Mercedes B-Class range
Prices: £18,424 - £23,460 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 7E-14E
Emissions: 146-197g/km
Performance: [B170] Max Speed 114mph / 0-62mph 11s
Fuel Consumption: [B180 CDI] (urban) 39.2mpg / (extra urban) 61.4mpg / (combined) 50.4mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags / ABS / ESP
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height 4270/1777/1604mm
B-Class: Luxury Rule Breaker
Our Rating: No Rating Available
In the world we live in people always want to put things in little boxes and categories so they can be relatable. But what happens when something is put out in the market that defies true categorization does the world end, do dogs start falling from the sky? Of course none of that happens, but what does happen is that thing that can't be put into a box gets lots of attention. And attention is a good thing when it comes to cars. This is exactly what happened when Mercedes-Benz launched the B-Class.
It seems that once again Mercedes is taking the lead on creating an entirely new class. Many people will try to say that the cars in the Benz B-Class belong in either the compact executive estate class or the family hatch class. The fact of the matter is that the B-class is a car that belongs in a category all of its own. From the exterior it appears to be of the compact family hatch variety, but once you get inside it feels more like a mini-luxury estate. Maybe it is it should be considered a combo car that seamlessly melds together a family hatch and a mini luxury estate. Mercedes is calling this line-up a ?Sports Tourer?.
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class is being offered with four engine choice under the bonnet. There are two petrol engines and two diesel options. The entry level petrol is found under the bonnet of the B150 and produces 95bhp. Mercedes steps up the horsepower to 115bhp in the B170. While both engines are decent most people looking for cars in this class will have the money to spend on a diesel powered machine.
Diesel power comes under the bonnet of the B180 CDI with power production at 109bhp and also can be found in the B200 CDI with 140bhp. The major plus in the diesel choices is that they offer excellent fuel consumption numbers while still driving with decent power. All models come standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but a cool little Autotronic CVT transmission is available as an upgrade.
The Mercedes-Benz B-class comes with a nifty power steering configuration that is termed electro-mechanical which is designed to keep the car going in the proper direction. Some people complain that it feels odd at first, but once they get used to how it feels they love it. The car maker has also fitted the B-class with a decent stability control that may be too much for such a little car, but one can never be too safe we suppose.
Of course this being a luxury car maker Mercedes has included an impressive array of standard features that will please even the most discerning driver. Some of these excellent appointments include; heated front mirrors, rear fog lamps, alarm system with immobilizer, air-conditioning, power front windows, and a Mercedes-Benz Audio 20 stereo system.
Mercedes is also offering the B150 and B170 options with what they call BlueEFFICIENCY that includes an ECO start/stop function. The company claims that this system will make the fuel consumption nine percent better because it shuts the engine off when stopped in traffic and turns it back on when the foot is removed from the clutch or brake.
Maybe the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is truly a sports tourer, but at the end of the day it does not matter it is just a true delight to drive. Leave it to Mercedes to break the mold once again.
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