"KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs" (kusabisensei)
09/14/2013 at 11:15 Filed to: Oppo Review, Rentalopnik
1
5|
"KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs" (kusabisensei)
09/14/2013 at 11:15 Filed to: Oppo Review, Rentalopnik | 1
| 5 |
In the United States, Mercedes is known for expensive luxo-barges that rarely see the type of conditions that a normal, European car would encounter (say, 120+ on the Autobahn), due to traffic on the morning drive to the office.
Elsewhere, Mercedes has a product lineup from Smarts to Actros and everything in between. Whether or not it is "Das Beste oder nichts", well, we'll find out.
What we have here is the W246 B Class. A replacement for the W245 B Class, the look has moved away slightly from the "Honey-I-Shrunk-The-R-Class/Honey-I-Blew-Up-The-A-Class" look with something that looks a bit closer to...I'm not exactly sure actually.
Exterior
The body has some lines reminiscent of other family members (I specifically see the CLS), but I will give it points for being more interesting that a simple box on wheels (Because why not buy a 80 or 90s Volvo if you want that?)
But if you expect a swank body and something to be a bit more utilitarian, there are better choices.
Interior
May the late model US M-B owners get their smelling salts out now, because this B Class has a cloth interior. Yes, kiddos, you heard that right. Black. Cloth.
However, it works well. Granted it would have to be changed to MB-Tex vinyl at the *minimum* to be acceptable in the US Market, and vinyl tends to hold up well too. For a utilitarian runabout, I'd be okay with cloth, though.
The seats fold mostly flat, and the rear seats also slide fore and aft. Some of the manual seat controls can be difficult for someone with limited mobility to reach (specifically the backrest recline knob).
The build quality is excellent, and feels as if it could stand up to daily use.
Powertrain
Power in the B180 comes from a 1.4L inline-4 Turbodiesel with a whopping 109 brake horsepower to play with, and 192 torques. This motivates the B Class from 0-62 in about the time it takes you to realize that trying to do a 0-62 sprint is not a particularly sound idea (11.2 seconds for those of you who like numbers) and on to a top speed of 118MPH.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of the speedometer, but I did get the B180 CDI up to an indicated 122MPH on the A48 outside Koblenz.
The six-speed manual gearbox isn't anything to write home about, but it does integrate with the engine electronics to prompt for upshifts which will improve fuel economy. Oh, and it will also feed the engine more fuel to stop it from stalling, should you be a twit and not have the footwork right.
The power is, to use the Rolls-Royce term, "adequate". Not adequate as in Rolls-Royce adequate, but more as in not a liability as you pull out onto a main road, and need to get going. Less planning ahead is required than in, say, an old 240D.
I've only needed to put in one 50L tankful of diesel since I got the car, and that tank, with mixed driving on French autoroutes, and French backroads, yielded approximately 43MPG (A little more than 5L/100km), which is below the estimated figures, but still quite good (to an American who wishes we could have something like this).
Gizmos
Yup, it's got those too. iPod/Bluetooth/USB/CD/Radio, it's all there. Comes with optional satnav, and rear backup camera. The instruments also have a speed limiter integrated with the cruise control as well.
Power windows and locks, and power folding exterior mirrors. Those come in quite handy when parking on say, the streets of Bruges, Belgium.
The car also has a start-stop function, and the car will ask you to shift to Neutral after coming to a stop, and will shut off the engine. Depressing the clutch will restart the motor, and you can set off again. It's weird the first few times it does it, but it works unobtrusively otherwise.
Ride and Handling
The test car didn't have the sport suspension pack, and there is a little float in the suspension at extremely high speeds with lateral forces (Think speeds which would get your license revoked in the US), but it's compliant on Belgian cobblestone, smooth on most autoroutes/autobahns, and decently damped and controlled.
You aren't going to sling this around the way you would a Lotus Elise (for instance), but it is decent and going around a corner, and with only a hint of understeer. It's enough to keep you happy, and not enough to be completely boring.
Review
Prices start about around 26,000 Euros (France incl TVA). Removing the French VAT, this brings the price to about 21,500 Euros. At current exchange rates, this is about US$28,500. That may be for a premium car, but would have a tough time with competitors like the Ford C-Max, and possibly the BMW X1. The saving grace is that the Ford (in the US) is only available with a hybrid powertrain (which keeps its price up near the Benz and the BMW), and the BMW is equipped with one of the more powerful engine options in BMW's stable.
The real thing here is that Mercedes doesn't sell the B Class in the US, and doesn't sell this diesel powertrain in North America at all (The B Class is sold with a CNG engine in Mexico). Good fuel economy, good space, easy to drive and park, and capable all add up to a good solid car.
Like the Mercedes-Benzes of yore.
The B Class is worthy of wearing the three pointed star.
7/10 - Might not be the best car you could get, but you can't go wrong and won't be upset if you did get it.
duurtlang
> KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
09/14/2013 at 11:47 |
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Converting currency doesn't work when it comes to new cars, simply because even before taxes US market cars are cheaper than identical cars in Europe.
Where I live the B-class 180 (gasoline) costs, before taxes, about 700 less than a Mini Countryman Cooper (24k after taxes in France, $22k in the US). The 160 CDI adds about 3k, the 180 CDI another 650 or so.
So, this car with a slightly more powerful gasoline engine (122 hp) would cost about $21k in the US.
Frank Grimes
> KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
09/14/2013 at 13:34 |
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What does this even mean?
"In the United States, Mercedes is known for expensive luxo-barges that rarely see the type of conditions that either a normal car would encounter, or couldn't, due to traffic on the morning drive to the office."
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KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
> Frank Grimes
09/14/2013 at 14:31 |
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Generally speaking, someone who buys a Mercedes is going to keep it in a garage, take reasonable care of it, as opposed to "It's a car" type purchasers, who generally appear to not take as much care of a car as one would think.
Not to say there aren't Benz owners in the US who buy and then trash their cars, but if someone is able to afford to lease or purchase a Benz in the US, generally speaking, they know the value of a dollar, and don't want to abuse it.
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KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
> duurtlang
09/14/2013 at 14:33 |
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Which would even be a bigger bonus for the US. The OTR price in France I was quoted was 25.800,00 EUR TTC for the B180.
If they could get the pricing right in the US, then it would be a good companion car to the CLA in the lineup.
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KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
> Frank Grimes
09/14/2013 at 14:39 |
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Also, being in Köln means I'm perpetually drunk, too. So there might be some of that creeping in.