Insurance Group: 21
MPG: 62.8
CO2: 120
0-62 Mph: 9.3 secs
BHP: 134 BHP
Range: 691 miles
PROS: Practical and well designed cabin. The diesel engine and gearbox make a good combination. Great visibility and overall good quality finish throughout.
CONS: The sport suspension is too firm and spoils the ride. Compared to rivals its rather expensive. Performance is only mediocre.
This diesel engine in the B-Class B 200 CDI Sport Autotronic produces 140bhp, with acceleration from 0-62mph taking place in 9.7 seconds. Top speed is 121mph but the B-Class doesn't feel quick.
The B-Class lacks refinement and both wind and road noise are evident on the motorway. However, the engine remains hushed even at high engine speeds. You may not get amazing refinement or a great driving experience, but cornering is fun thanks to the nicely weighted steering. The gearshift stands out, too.
The exterior of the B-Class is quite attractive. It has a snouty look thanks to EU regulations that dictate the height of the front of the car but, nevertheless, it looks good.
The interior looks very nice throughout, but some of the interior plastics do feel cheap. Due to large A-pillars, the visibility isn’t great and a shallow rear screen restricts vision out of the back too. The car's on-screen menus are controlled by a dial on the centre console, which may look good, but is too confusing.
This entry level Sports model comes with: stability control, alloys, air-conditioning, four electric windows and front mirrors, cruise control, a CD player, MP3 connectivity and Bluetooth. Optional extras include metallic paint (£375), electric sunroof (£825), rear parking sensors (£575) and sat-nav (£1185).
The B-Class is a highly practical car with plenty of space in both the boot and the cabin. The boot can hold 550 litres with the seats up and 1530 litres with the seats down. Unfortunately the lack of seven seats is a big downside given that other cars in this price range offer this.
Reliability should not be an issue and there is an unlimited mileage warranty, which sould put your mind at rest. The B-Class also comes with a 30-year breakdown and corrosion guarantee - as long as the car has been maintained by a Mercedes-Benz-authorised repairer.
The B-Class has scored a five star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests and you get a good amount of safety kit including electronic stability programme, which helps control the car in a skid, and six airbags are standard. Rear side airbags are optional. The rear seats have Isofix mounting points for child seats.
The B-Class is very expensive. At £25,210 there are better cars around which will be more practical. Ford's S-Max, for example, has seven seats and can be purchased for several thousand pounds less.
Running costs will also be high with Mercedes servicing costing a fair bit. Economy wise, you get 50.4mpg which is pretty decent for a car of this type and CO2 emissions are 165g/km, putting the B-Class in road tax band G.
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