Redesigned all the
way, it seems as if the boffins down in Germany have outdone themselves—yet
again.
The previous B
Class turned me off. Honestly, those large rounded headlamps, and the almost
vertical bum just spelled out the words “awkward”. With this second-generation
model, the terms cute and cuddly have been thrown out the window, with new
terms such as avant-garde, sporty and stylish walking through the door. From
the front, the large Mercedes emblem stands proudly on the front face, as sharp
LED’s flank both sides graciously. Of course, daytime running lights come as
standard. From the side, a range of 16 to 19inch wheels are available, the
latter clearly providing a more imposing feel and sporty touch to the vehicle.
A deeply carved aerodynamic sweep hitches up the back door, but still manages
to make the B Class seem like something you’d park on Jay Leno’s driveway. From
the rear, a simplistic design does the job well, incorporating LED’s, and other
“in” technological devices. Note how the overall size of the Merc has
increased, so that it measure 4395mm x 1786mm x 1558mm (LxWxH). Though the
B-Class faces off against competition such as the new Golf, the Volvo V40, and
the such, it has a more mini-MPV stance and character to it.
Mercedes-Benz has always
been synonymous with luxury, style and comfort. With the B-Class, all the above
are surpassed with flying colours. Take a view from the driver’s perspective,
and one will immediately notice how the new sport-grip steering wheel, coupled
with interactive buttons and the high riding position inspire confidence, and a
clear view of the road up ahead. Furthermore, the gearshift stalk is simple and
easy to use, clearing up the space where a conventional gearbox would be for a
slick sweeping panel of entertainment and comfort instead. Instead of a C-Class
or E-Class styled infotainment system, the B-Class takes a spin off an iPad
like display, containing a telephony system, GPS, and the expected gizmos that
come with the “star shaped brand”. Unfortunately, the screen does not stow
away, meaning that it stays there all the time. Air vents are airline like, and
share roughly the same components with the 2013 A Class. Being the top of the
range B200, this variant comes with 3 presets for both the driver and passenger seats—truly helpful if the B-Class is
shared between drivers. At the rear, details such as visible colour-blending
stitching on the side door panels are present, as well as a tray table (cup
holder included) for younger children to use. Unfortunately, rear
air-conditioning is not and option on
any variant of the B-Class, and does not even come as an option. Still, the
Merc is blessed with a plethora of safety devices, such as a lane-departure
system that alerts the driver if he/she is straying off the lane, an active
DISTRONIC cruise control system that slows the vehicle down or speeds it back
up depending on the varying road situation. Sweet.
At the heart of
the B200 is a 1.6-liter turbocharged BlueEfficiency engine that churns out 156
BHP, resulting in a century sprint time of 8.6 seconds. Mated to a variant of
Mercedes’s buttery smooth 7-GTronic transmission setup, the B-Class is blessed
with a 7-speed DCT gearbox instead. Despite its height and dimensions, body
roll is not much of an issue around corners, with the well-weighted steering
wheel keeping things in order at all times. On the down side, the taut
suspension does not do well over bumpy and potholed surfaces. Nevertheless,
road and wind noise are adequate, allowing passengers to relax and enjoy their
journey for the most part.
Improved and futuristic
looks, great interior comfort. No rear air-conditioning though. On the plus
side, it’s a more environmental friendly vehicle and extremely safe vehicle,
due to its intelligent safety and technological systems.
o Pictures from:
*Not just yet, however.
Featuring a 1.0-liter engine, the lifestyle plug-in hybrid coupe achieves 0.9 litres of petrol/100km, making it the most efficient production vehicle planned to be mass produced.
Originally unveiled at the 2011 Qatar Motor Show, let's hope this car of the future makes it to the showrooms soon.
