First Drive: The B-Class Becomes Cool
The B-Class has been viewed as being the car for old people but in recent years Mercedes has tried to change that image. And they might have succeeded...
The B-Class, it's been the go-to Mercedes for the elderly but it's now time for a makeover. With the 2-Series Active Tourer stepping in the MPV segment aiming towards a younger crowd, Mercedes can't be the one to trail behind.
Total makeover
Well to get the elephant out of the room first. Not a single car in the MPV segment is what I would call beautiful. But where the previous B-Class generations the design was arguably quite dull. The new one is very refreshing and good looking. The AMG-line makes it actually look quite tough. The lower and bigger air intakes give it the look a young father might be looking for together with the side skirts and AMG wheels.
Towards the back, the rear bumper has 2 vertical air extractors which make the back look wider and lower.
The lights are so good as well. Audi has always been the king of lights but recently Mercedes has been playing catch-up and these days. It's very close. The Multibeam is still one of the must-have gadgets on any Mercedes. For one, it looks cool and secondly, it improves safety at night dramatically.
The only thing that bothers me is the way the boot is shaped. It has this slightly awkward slope that I can't quite describe how or where it's going. Sometimes it looked okay, other times I freaked out because people told me there was a dent in it. Thankfully there wasn't.
But apart from that, I am confident saying that as far as MPV's go in being pretty. This is the best looking one on the market today.
Starting to feel like home
After testing the A 200, A 35 and other recent Mercedes'es the interior starts feeling like home. And that's a good feeling. You're greeted with the dual-cockpit screens when you get in.
Also talking about getting into the car. The B-Class just feels like you're sliding in. No climbing in or letting yourself fall down here. It's all about making the B-Class as practical as possible.
The center screen has been upgraded with touch functionality which is a massive upgrade to using the finicky touchpad. I loved the old round selector knob and I feel like this is finally a worthy replacement that also accentuates how mature this infotainment system has become. More and more features and gizmos are added every time but you never have to actually start digging for them. You find them where you think you'll find them and it's not a maze of menus and subfolders.
But if you ever do get lost, just say "Hey Mercedes" and let the car do it for you.
Smooth but... exciting?
It's no surprise if I say that the B-Class is comfortable. You'd expect this from where this car is aimed at comfort and making family life as easy as possible. However, that doesn't mean it drives dull or lame. The B 220 d comes standard with a multilink rear axle which really lives up the car's potential. That with the 2.0L diesel engine with 190 hp and 400 Nm's provides some nippy performance for your day to day business. So just like in the visual department. You also don't have to be worried about a fun driving experience when becoming a dad.
On speedbumps, however, it was less fun. It tended to hit it at speeds lower than certain sportscars would. Very peculiar.
Ready to start a family?
So Mercedes actually did it. They managed to transform the B-Class into a cool looking, spacious minivan that's nice to drive as well. Along with the luxurious interior and one of the best infotainment systems on the market, it's hard to find faults in current Mercedes products. Maybe the only remark is that certain buttons feel cheaper than its price tag. But then again the technology overload makes up for this.
Looking for a minivan but you don't want it to be boring? Than the B-Class is the best and coolest option to date.
