Mercedes’ B-Class MPV gets a ‘b’ for being pricey
These holes have been unwittingly created by rival companies when one of their innovative new cars became a niche market and appealed to a surprising number of people.
Nissan is a case in point: its Qashqai created the crossover market, which is now de rigueur. The thing was, though, that Qashqai was a real shot in the dark for Nissan and its success a complete — if very welcome — surprise.
Now, every car-maker is delighted to have a crossover.
It was the same with the MPV — Chrysler had the idea, the French and the Japanese hijacked it, and now everyone has one, or ten. Indeed, once something becomes a success, then the idea is chopped up, sub-divided and grown accordingly.
Thus, we now have small, medium and large MPVs, and ditto with the crossover.
Some companies (Audi especially) do niche just for laughs (A5, A7 et al), while others only react to market demand and successful competition.
Several manufacturers were late to the table with MPVs; hence that unseemly dash to make up lost ground. Mercedes was one of them.
The A-Class and the B-Class (not to mention the unsuccessful and discontinued R-Class) were examples of the Stuttgart giant’s reaction to the initial MPV surge, and both have sold in enough quantities to warrant a second generation.
Late last year, the latest, face-lifted version of the B-Class was brought to the market and I drove it recently.
Good-looking and with a beautifully presented interior, the car is swish inside and out.
The standard kit includes collision-prevention assist, attention assist, Bluetooth with audio-streaming, air-conditioning, auto headlamps, USB connectivity and a multi-function steering wheel.
Stuff on the test car, such as the reversing camera, faux leather upholstery, LED headlamps and Black Ash wood trim adds several grand to the cost.
The tester was fitted with the 1,461 cc turbodiesel engine, which outputs 80 kW (109 bhp) and 260 Nm of torque.
It will clock in an 11.9 second, 0-100kph time and has a top speed of 190kph. If both those figures seem impressive, don’t get carried away. With the amount of metal this unit has to haul around, progress is never startling and even the seven-speed automatic gearbox did not spark things up.
Still, the 4.2 l/100 km (66.6 mpg) consumption rate over the combined cycle, and the 111 g/km CO2 emissions, make for a frugal car that fits into tax band A4, with a €200 annual road tax bill, which will please many.
Roomy inside, with a pleasingly lofty driving position, the B-Class is decent on the road, with good grip levels, little tendency to lean, and admirable handling, even if there’s a deal of understeer when you press on.
One down side — particularly for rural owners — is the TIREFIT tyre-repair system, which is about as useful as a torch with no batteries. There is no spare — not even a bicycle tyre — so if you get a puncture in the back of beyond, you’re goosed.
I quite liked the new B-Class, but I did wonder how many of these Mercedes would sell here in Ireland. With competition from much cheaper options — the Golf SV or the Focus C-Max, and from Toyota, Renault, Opel, Peugeot, Seat, Skoda — I doubt many people will feel the need for a three-pointed star on the grille, not to mention the €35,000 price for the entry model.
Sure, it is a lot better than what went before, but I’m still not convinced that the B-Class has enough to challenge those non-premium brands whose contenders in the medium MPV class offer way more practicality.
COLLEY’S VERDICT
From €35,535 - €39,738, as tested.
A nice, small turbodiesel from an excellent stable.
Well-built and beautifully presented, the B-Class comes with a decent amount of kit, but, as ever with premium brands, add-ons come at a big price.
There’s a lot out there that’s cheaper and more practical.
