The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Sports Tourer gets a diesel heart and wins ours as well
MERCEDES-BENZ HAVE finally introduced a smarter variant of the B-Class hatchback in India, powered by a much-awaited diesel motor, which is clearly a more favoured option in our country. Its 180 CDI badge on the boot can be misleading, for it does not come with a 1.8-litre motor, but a much larger 2,143-cc unit borrowed from the C-Class. The oil-burner churns out 109 PS of peak power, which might appear to be comparatively low, but there’s 250 Nm of torque available right from 1,400 revolutions per minute, making smooth and linear power
delivery in typical Mercedes fashion. While the larger displacement erases any hint of turbo lag, there’s enough surge as soon as I feed the throttle.
The four-cylinder motor is transversely installed and mated to a superb seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission, which delivers power to the front wheels and is lighting quick to select the perfect ratio throughout the power band. It offers three driving modes – ‘Economy’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Manual’ – which can be selected through a button on the centre console. ‘Economy’ is ideal for cruising in the city and with the help of the ECO Start/Spot system returned a decent 11.5 km/l, with an impressive average
efficiency of 12.87 km/l.
Testing the car in the more dynamic ‘Sport’ mode offered better throttle response and quicker shifts. We managed to make this 1.5-tonne hatchback sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just under 11 seconds and hit the quarter mile in 17.88 seconds, which, considering the weight of this solidly built car, is reasonably strong performance. It won’t make you scream in excitement, but does
offer what you need for practical driving – a really good mid-range and even the top speed of 190 km/h is more than adequate for our country. But the engine is surprisingly noisy, more so towards the end. The brakes are good, too, with the right amount of pedal-feel and strong bite to bring the car to halt confidently.
I kept the ‘Manual’ mode for last. Using the paddle shifters I found it perfect on the curvy roads of the hills, as I could hold on to the gears for a little longer and do multiple down-shifts before cornering. The compact size and strong current of torque makes it a captivating drive and the car’s body composure is equally impressive. It’s based on the same MFA platform, which also
underpins the A-Class. The rigid chassis of the B-Class along with the McPherson strut in front and fourlink suspension at the rear tuned towards the stiffer side, which offer great composure during dynamic driving, though it compromises comfort to certain extent. An aspect I noticed when I was in the mood for a leisurely drive back to office after a really long day of shooting and testing. Although the ride is on the firmer side, the standard 16-inch wheels (205/55 R16) on the diesel model with taller 55-profile tyres (compared to the petrol’s larger and
lower 225/45 R17) help to soak in more road undulations, allowing only the sharper bumps to infiltrate the cabin. Keeping to Mercedes DNA, it also handles well. The speed-sensitive steering is electrically assisted, but still feels pretty direct and fetches good feedback from the road.
It’s a solid car built with similar care and attention as its bigger sibling. The German firm terms the B-Class as a Luxury Tourer, but it seems more like a large hatchback thanks to its 4,359 mm overall length and a significantly long 2,699 mm wheelbase. The exterior design looks smart, though a bit understated. The three-slat grille holding the large tristar, complemented by the bi-xenon headlamps with daytime running LEDs add to the style quotient. The smooth flowing lines on the side and sloping roof have faint reminiscences of the R-Class. Although the 17-inch
wheels would do better justice to the overall design, my back prefers the squatter 16-inch ones, which are better suited to India.
The cabin is gorgeously carved out with abundant room. The interior is a lot more sporty, especially the fabulous AMG style multi-function steering wheel and air-conditioning vents. The gear-selector is positioned on the steering column to make more room around the centreconsole. Due to this the indicator and wiper have to be operated through a single lever, under which
is another lever for cruise control. This arrangement took a while for my hands to get used to. The dark wood trim and black leather combination look youthful and are very well executed.
When compared to competition like the BMW X1 or even the newly launched Volvo V40, the Mercedes offers a lot more knee- and headroom for rear passengers. The split rear seats are surprisingly large and comfortable and can be folded. Thankfully, passengers here needn’t feel cramped and can stretch out, thus justifying the Luxury Tourer tag. The useful 486 litres of 
boot space can be expanded to a vast 1,565 litres by toppling the rear seats over. There’s even a space-saver, but the spare wheel takes up a lot of the boot space as it’s oddly strapped on the boot floor.
Since the B 180 CDI is only offered in mid-level Style trim, unlike the petrol variant, which comes in the top-of-the-line Sport trim, it loses out on features like the sunroof, navigation system and vital Parktronic system. However, you do get electrically powered driver’s seat, fine leather upholstery, seven airbags, COMAND integration and a host of safety features such
as ABS, ASR, ESP and BAS. At the same time, the diesel undercuts the petrol B-Class price very aggressively at Rs 27.70 lakh (OTR, Mumbai).
The B-Class is a very impressive luxury hatchback with excellent space, build quality and fantastic interior – more so in the diesel avatar, which is sublime to drive – offers better ride and is also a lot more economical to run.
‘ECONOMY’ IS IDEAL FOR CRUISING IN THE CITY AND WITH THE HELP OF THE ECO START/SPOT SYSTEM RETURNED A DECENT 11.5 KM/L’
The compact size and strong current of torque makes it a captivating drive and the car’s body composure is equally impressive
Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
