It fits into the range ahead of the A-Class.
The model likely to account for the bulk of B-Class sales is the 109bhp entry level B180 CDI priced at €29,330 with road tax of €160 a year. A second diesel with common rail, direct-injection, is a 2.0 with 136bhp whose price will be announced later.
The first petrol version to go on sale is the 122bhp B180 Blue EFFICIENCY selling at €29,890 with a yearly road tax of €255. A 2.0 156bhp BlueEFFICIENCY version will be added to the range at a later date.
Driving the new B-Class is a new 6-speed manual transmission. A 7G dual clutch transmission system is also available.
The new B-Class comes with a vastly improved range of standard specifications and an entry-level price that the brand say is 11 percent lower than the model it replaces. It features a reduced height, and lower centre of gravity.
Ciaran Allen of Mercedes-Benz said the new car 'ticks all the boxes' with its lower price, reduced running costs, interior spaciousness and high range of comfort. Safety features on board include adaptive headlamp, blind spot, lane keeping and speed limit assist systems along with parking assist, hill hold brake function, reversing camera and distance control.
A world-first in the compact segment is the provision of a new radar-based collision prevention warning with adaptive brake assist as standard to reduce the risk of rear-end collisions.
