MAKES PERFECT SENSE
Mercedes gives the B Class a facelift, some new toys and the supremely economical 2.14L diesel engine. But is it still the least desirable Mercedes?
Honk
investigates
Honestly, I’d hate the job of being a designer at Mercedes. They’ve got so many great looking cars that when the boss walked into the design studio and said ‘ bring that rather vegetarian B Class up to scratch, will you?’, I can only imagine that Hans and Friedrich ( made- up German designer names) may have even allowed a tiny bead of sweat to dribble onto their impossibly thin spectacles. The old B really wasn’t pretty. In fact, it sat in the Merc line- up like Justin Bieber would at Woodstock.
Anyway, the car has been reworked and changes include new lights all around and Merc’s now familiar styling. You can have it in racy red, if you like. And you probably would.
I bet you’d like the interior as well. It’s jet black, with a strip of grey plastic across the dash where you’d normally expect to find wood. It has the look and feel of pinstriped suit. Very elegant. Of course, this being Mercedes, they’ve loaded it to the overflowing with equipment. Great stereo, satnav, electric seats, panoramic sunroof, driving modes, gearshift paddles, but sadly, no Angelina Jolie. Jokes apart, this is a very good interior. In terms of space, you can fit anything this side of a giraffe in the back. The boot is not bad either.
Once you’ve got in, adjusted your electric seat just so and settled down to drive the thing, the first thing you’ll notice is how good the visibility all- round is. And when you’ve turned the key, you’ll honestly believe you’re driving a petrolengined car. In 200 CDI tune, you’re looking at about 135bhp and 300Nm of torque from the 2.14L four- pot diesel working alongside a 7- speed double- clutch autobox.
What’s it like to drive? In one word — relaxing. It’s a quiet car to begin with. But this engine in this tune adds even more calm to the experience. Even that lazy gearbox is suited to this. It blurs changes so perfectly that you often need to consult the rev counter to work out which gear you’re in.
Out on the highway, it cashes it’s ‘ Luxury Tourer’ cheques quite nicely. But this is where we find the apparent lack of power. You see, 200 CDI is the lowest state of this 2.14L diesel engine’s tune. Which means that while this very engine is capable of producing 250bhp and 500Nm of torque, it’s been tuned down for economy. Still, what it lacks in outright power, it makes up for in smooth delivery. There is a moment when you pull out to overtake someone where you think to yourself, ‘ Will I make it?’ By the time you’ve had this thought, you’ll be a few hundred metres ahead of whomever you were trying to overtake. There’s no perceptible urgency, just smooth acceleration.
Of course you want to know what sort of fuel economy it can do. I got about 15kpl while in the city and WELL over 20 cruising on the highway. Here’s something interesting. My test car came to Mumbai from the Merc factory in Pune where it was fuelled up. When it reached me, the fuel needle ( which I checked and worked fine) still read a little more than full. It hadn’t moved in 130km. I’ll leave you with that thought.