JUST WHAT is it that would make someone spend €30,000-plus on a hatchback that comes with winding windows in the rear, a rather pudgy appearance and a 0-100km/h sprint in a rather sedate 11.3 seconds? Aspiration. People follow the star, writes MICHAEL McALEER, Motoring Editor
As motoring hacks, we get to test hundreds of cars every year, from supercars worth €500,000 to superminis worth €50 (at least that’s how we’d value some of them). We tend to approach cars with a clinical, analytical eye. Our task is to rate the car in terms of similarly-priced alternatives. That tends to overcome the childlike excitement most buyers experience when shopping for a car. Of course, we’re not robots: a good-looking Ferrari still sets the pulse racing, but the same can’t be said about family hatchbacks with 2-litre diesel engines.
Yet there are many buyers out there for whom this car will mark the culmination of a life of toil. For them, the format fits its purpose and the engine suits their needs.
For them, the badge dominates. Where we see a rather average engine, they see Mercedes. Where we see an expensive family hatchback, they see Mercedes. That logo has total control over their perception.
The power of the star is phenomenal. We’ve spoken with family and friends for whom owning a Mercedes is a lifelong ambition. It doesn’t matter if it’s not an S-Class or an SLR, they just want a Mercedes. And they won’t hear a bad word said about the brand.
It’s a level of devotion that even its German premium rivals cannot muster. Remember, these are people who have never owned a Mercedes. There was never one in the family. Quiz them further and you’ll find they’ve only been in smelly Mercedes taxis or sat in their boss’s car once for a lift home. Yet they’re brand ambassadors who make the Taliban seem weak-willed. Even in tough times, they aspire to buy one the minute they come into money.
For these people, nothing we write about the B-Class will make a jot of difference. The badge carries with it a heritage that stretches back to when Karl Benz’s three-wheeler was driven into a wall in 1885.
It’s not easy, but we need to take an objective view; remove the Mercedes logo and look at the package in the raw metal.
What you have here is an incredibly spacious hatchback. Images don’t do it justice. Neither does the initial view of the car. For some it’s just a taller, wider and slightly pudgy hatchback. And in many ways that’s what it is. But jump inside and you start to appreciate its Tardis traits. This may be a hatchback, but it has as much room inside as the average family saloon.
Up front there is ample space, while the back seats can cater for three adults – two for a long journey in comfort. There’s plenty of rear legroom, unlike many of its rivals, while the boot is positively enormous.
It offers between 544 and 2,245 litres – bigger than the boot on a VW Passat saloon. Compare it to the VW Golf, with just 350 litres, and you start to appreciate its size. Lower the rear seats and Mercedes claims the B-Class could carry the contents of 18 fully-loaded shopping trolleys.
That’s the attraction – a family hatchback with the cache of a luxury brand, yet can double up as a van. Premium practicality could be its tagline. So we were sold on it? Not quite. For all of its admirable traits, it has several features that let us down.
The car is comfortable and the ride is fine, if not quite as nimble as mainstream rivals like the Ford Focus. It was also caught out on occasion on some of the more challenging routes we pitted it against in Connemara during the week.
It’s also a bit drab in terms of switchgear and layout. Ironically, it’s mainstream models like the Ford Focus or Honda Civic that have more to offer in this segment than the supposedly premium models from Audi, BMW or Mercedes.
Our other criticism would be the 2-litre diesel engine. It’s way too noisy and unsophisticated for a Mercedes. With diesel the only show in town these days, it makes sense for Mercedes to offer the B-Class with a competent rival to the likes of the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series oil burners, but it struggles to deliver.
For a brand that can put forward a strong case for having instigated the momentous changes in global transport of the last century, this engine is not as sharp as we would have hoped.
The seven-speed automatic transmission did its best to get the most out of the engine and is really competent and astute. In town it managed to keep the revs at the right level to maximise response and, even when winding between stone walls in the west of Ireland, it kept up the pace. If only the gruff engine note wasn’t so disturbing, it would have been a good drive.
Help is at hand, however, with other engines on offer, starting with the 1.5-litre petrol – really only suited to urban motoring as this is a big car that needs a decent powertrain. If it’s diesel you desire, opt for the B200 CDI, which has 138bhp 2-litre diesel. It may be €3,000 more, but it’s worth it.
The B-Class is unlikely to appeal to the young, single buyer who opts for the VW Golf or Audi A3. But for those who have always aspired to own a Mercedes, it offers a level of practicality that’s hard to argue with. It’s certainly more family-orientated than its premium rivals.
The downside is a rudimentary diesel engine that offers good fuel consumption but is rough around the edges. We were also disappointed with the specifications. Our test car was the higher-level Sport version, but had manual windows in the rear.
In terms of price, the B180 CDI Sport auto we tested comes in at €37,325 which, for us, is too expensive for its class. For a start, there is better value to be had by setting aside the automatic transmission. That not only reduces the price, but also the motor tax, from €447 to just €156. Our tip would be to consider the B200 CDI with manual transmission, from €33,390.
Many might consider this car a challenge to BMW’s 1 Series or Audi’s A3. Both offer more sporting characteristics and are more active and enjoyable to drive. There is also the Volvo S40, whose 2-litre diesel offers a potent kick – and the brand has premium cache these days.
However, the B-Class takes a more practical approach. It’s less of a stepping stone for buyers hoping to move up to the C- or E-Class; it has its own agenda, serving those who eagerly follow the star but seek everyday practicality. At a time when sales are sluggish, widening its potential target market will only serve Mercedes well.
Factfile
Engine:a four-cylinder inline 1991cc turbodiesel engine putting out 109bhp @ 4,200rpm and 250Nm of torque @ 1,600rpm
Specification:front and side airbags and window bag for driver and front passenger; ABS with brake assist; ESP with hill start assist; radio/CD; brake pad wear indicator; auto climate control; multifunction steering wheel; cruise control. Sports package adds three-louvred radiator grille in silver matt with chrome strips; 16" alloys
L/100km (mpg):urban – 7.3 (38.7); extra-urban – 5.3 (53.3); combined – 6.0 (47.1)
CO2 emissions:158g/km
Tax:automatic is in band D – €447 motor tax, 24 per cent VRT; manual is Band B – €156 motor tax, 16 per cent VRT
Price:€37,325 (€28,980 to €44,140)