Mercedes-Benz B-Class Review 2024

Is the Mercedes B-Class a genuine people carrier or just a slightly bloated version of the Mercedes A-Class hatchback? We're still not sure - but that doesn't really matter, as most buyers will head straight for the SUV section of their nearest dealership when shopping for a new family car.

While the latest Mercedes B-Class isn't as versatile as traditional people carriers like the Volkswagen Touran, it does offer a little more space and a higher seating position than the A-Class. And recent updates mean it's more competitive than ever - although that isn't saying much in a class that pretty much includes it and the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. 

There's plenty of standard kit, including navigation, smartphone integration and the Mercedes MBUX system. This is a voice controlled infotainment assistant which responds to commands when you say 'Hey Mercedes'. Kind of like Alexa but on the move.

With a similar style to the excellent A-Class, it's not just the design that impresses but also the feel of the materials used and the quality of the finish. There's plenty of space too and it feels more roomy inside than you'd expect, making it a proper alternative to a family SUV. 

The B-Class certainly creates a relaxing and serene environment to travel in, with comfortable seats, little wind noise and excellent ride quality. Yet it still handles well with lots of grip, and is surprisingly keen in corners with not much in the way of body lean.  

The boot is usefully large, too, and more than big enough to cope with what a family can throw at it every day. The wide boot opening and low lip mean getting awkward things like pushchairs in the back is easy.

You don't get a huge choice of engines in the B-Class these days... it pretty much comes down to whether you want petrol or diesel power. Most buyers will be better looking at the former, which is a 1.3-litre unit badged the B200. This now has mild-hybrid electrification, although you can't currently buy the B-Class as a 'proper' (or plug-in) hybrid or as a pure-electric vehicle.

The Mercedes B-Class is quite a niche choice, although it looks smart and feels pretty special inside. We reckon the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer feels noticeably fresher, although some buyers will prefer the image (and comfort) provided by the B-Class.

Looking for an older model? You'll want our Mercedes-Benz B-Class (2012-2018) review. 

When it comes to relaxed comfort and effortless progress, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is an ideal choice. It rides well, dealing easily with poorly surfaced roads while at motorway speeds there's very little wind noise for what is an MPV.

While it's no SUV, it does have a slightly raised driving position, especially compared to the A-Class, which means better visibility when driving in town or parking. The near vertical rear helps here although all models come with a reversing camera as standard so you've no excuses...

In fact, the B-Class is very well equipped as standard, which goes some way to justifying the high list prices. This means even the entry-level model has Dynamic Select, which gives you different drive programs with setting options for the engine, transmission and steering.

In reality, we doubt many people are buying a B-Class for its dynamic prowess. It's much happier as a relaxed cruiser where you can enjoy the excellent ride quality. While it's not as fun to drive as a BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, it is a tad more comfortable.

That said, push it into a bend and it handles surprisingly well for an MPV. With good body control and plenty of front end grip, the B-Class will happily tackle corners.

Buy a new Mercedes B-Class today and you'll get a choice of two engines, badged the B200 or B200d.

Despite its name, the B200 is powered by a 1.3-litre petrol engine, now with a small degree of electrical assistance (meaning it's classed as a mild hybrid). It produces a fairly reasonable 163PS, while there's an extra 14PS available for short bursts of acceleration.

The 1.3-litre engine used in the B200 is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This is fine on the move but does feel a bit hesitant at low speeds, which gets frustrating. The Steptronic transmission used in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer feels much smoother.

Although the 1.3-litre engine is quite small for a car of this size, it's generally powerful enough for day-to-day driving. There's enough sound insulation that most of the noise and vibration doesn't make its way into the cabin, although it will sound a little gruff if you work it hard.

The alternative is the Mercedes B200d, which uses a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox. We haven't yet tried this combo but, as with all diesels, we'd only recommend it if you cover a lot of motorway miles (or need the torque of diesel power for towing).

A plug-in hybrid Mercedes B-Class was briefly offered - badged the B250e and pairing the 1.3-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. This sold in small numbers and has now been dropped. You can still buy a plug-in hybrid A-Class, though, so it's not inconceivable that we'll see a return.

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class gets a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with high scores for occupant protection and safety assists. 

Of course you get autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, a driver attention alert and speed limit assist, while further features including blind-spot assist are available. 

The maximum braked towing weight for the Mercedes B-Class is 1,500kg, so it will tow smaller caravans if needed. 

There's plenty of substance go with the style inside, because the Mercedes B-Class fills its brief as a compact MPV perfectly. It feels very spacious inside, more so than you'd expect from a car this size. It's certainly not as cramped as the old BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, and broadly in line with the latest one. 

Even very tall drivers will find a comfortable driving position thanks to lots of adjustment in the seat and steering column - more so than the old model - along with a high roof. The seats are quite flat yet surprisingly supportive and the fronts have an extendable under-thigh cushion.

There's equally good space in the back, much more so than the A-Class, which is ideal if you have toddlers in car seats or younger children with rear facing car seats. Here the flat seats are very helpful with the base of the child seat able to sit flush with the seat cushion.

You'd struggle to get three people in the back in comfort, the middle seat is narrow and firm while there's also a tunnel in the floor, meaning not much room for your feet.

On the plus side, the boot is usefully large and the low load lip and wide opening makes getting things like pushchairs in a doddle. From mid-2019, most models featured rear seats which can be moved forward and aft by 14cm to vary the Mercedes B Class's boot capacity between 455 and 705 litres. There's plenty of storage up front with big door pockets and a large central cubby between the front seats. 

The Mercedes B-Class's exterior dimensions make it 4,419mm long, 1,796mm wide and 1,562mm tall. Basically, it's exactly the same length and width as an A-Class but around 120mm taller. 

Compared to its main rivals (bar, perhaps, the recently launched new-gen 2 Series Active Tourer), the B-Class feels a step ahead. The interior is modern, well-finished and looks genuinely upmarket. Small MPVs may not be especially interesting, but the interior of the Mercedes makes this feel that little bit special.

It takes many elements from the A-Class including the neat circular air vents and the wide screen that sits across the top of the dash. The materials used all have a quality feel from the soft-touch materials to the piano black trim and the metal buttons (one of our favourite features).

All Mercedes B-Class models now come with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display which sits alongside another 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster on all but the entry-level Sport Executive trim. It really lifts the cabin thanks to its beautifully sharp, bright graphics. Unfortunately, if you buy a lower-spec model without the twin display, you're left with a black plastic panel and two smaller screens (on pre-2023 cars) which looks a bit pathetic.

Unfortunately, the touchpad between the front seats was banished from the B-Class (and A-Class) range as part of the 2023 update. This was never as user-friendly as BMW's rotary controller, although it was easier than having to lean forward and touch the infotainment display (leaving annoying fingerprints in the process).

The way around this is by using the 'Hey Mercedes' voice-activated personal assistant, which works a bit like Amazon's Alexa. This works fairly well, although we find shouting at the car a little awkward - especially when you've got passengers.

With Mercedes B-Class prices starting from around £35,000, you'll pay quite a premium for a B-Class over a conventional family hatchback like the Volkswagen Golf. If you truly need no-nonsense family transport, you might be better off looking at a Dacia Jogger. Amusingly, you can almost get two of those for the price of the most affordable B-Class.

Still, the B-Class is a premium car with a price tag to match. And it's not actually woefully expensive when you compare it with other posh competitors. The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is its closest rival and starts from around £33,500, while a Mercedes GLA SUV is nearly £38,000.

You get a decent amount of kit for your cash, too. Standard equipment on the Mercedes B-Class range now includes a 10.25-inch infotainment display, 18-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera and selectable drive modes. There isn't really any need to blow the budget on a top-end model unless you really want to.

And, of course, you can save money by looking for a used or nearly-new Mercedes B-Class. The latest B-Class has been on sale since 2019 and an early example can now be picked up for as little as £18,000.

Unsurprisingly, the diesel Mercedes B-Class is the most efficient in terms of fuel economy. But the difference between the petrol and diesel models isn't as great as you might think - the Mercedes B200 returns up to 46.3mpg while the diesel B200d manages 55.4mpg (depending on trim level and optional equipment).

Insurance should be fairly affordable, with both B200 and B220d models placed in insurance groups 21 to 23. Shop around for insurance quotes before committing to any new car purchase, especially if you're a young driver or have a less-than-perfect driving record.

One thing to bear in mind when shopping for a new B-Class is whether it has a list price (when new) of more than £40,000. If it does, you'll be stung by an extra £390/year in premium car tax for five years (from the second time the car is taxed).

As of 2023, the Mercedes B-Class line-up is made up of Sport Executive, AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus Night Edition models.

Standard equipment on the Mercedes B-Class Sport Executive includes 18-inch alloy wheels, the Parking package, privacy glass, a 10.25-inch touchscreen media display (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) as well as the Mirror package.

The Mercedes B-Class AMG Line Executive builds on this with 18-inch AMG alloy wheels, AMG exterior bodystyling and a diamond radiator grille. The B-Class AMG Line Executive also adds the Night package, 64-colour ambient lighting, sports seats and a three-spoke sports steering wheel. A 10.25-inch instrument cluster is standard alongside the 10.25-inch media display.

The Mercedes B-Class AMG Line Premium adds keyless entry, a 10.25-inch digital instrument display and illuminated front door sills.

The Mercedes B-Class AMG Line Premium Plus Night Edition features multibeam LED headlights with adaptive highbeam assist, panoramic glass sunroof and traffic sign assist.