Report 1

The first time we reviewed the Mercedes-Benz B-Class with PowerDrift, we talked about it as luxury yet value-for-money proposition. Now after using the MPV for over a month and 3,000km, we have a lot more to add.

The practicality it offers makes the B-Class our favourite not just among the bigger hatchbacks and MPVs, but also considering a lot of other premium cars. It is big enough for four people to travel in comfort, small enough to not be much of a hassle in peak city traffic and also plush enough to be taken seriously every time you get out of one.

It has till now played the role of a daily commuter on our torture track and the fuel efficiency for an automatic has been quite outstanding. We easily manage 15kpl, covering close to 60km a day at an average speed of close to just 25kph. That comes to an approximate cost of Rs 250 per day – not a bad number in itself, but now divide it by two since we car-pool and the running cost is not any different from other mass market cars. We did a couple of efficiency runs on our way to PowerDrift office and the onboard computer showed figures over 25kpl; we intend to certify that and also verify the accuracy of the metre with a proper test in the coming weeks.

This is the Edition 1 variant of the B-Class, with few additional features. The front passenger gets a power seat instead of manual adjustment. I personally never though it was a necessity, but everyone around me had winced when Mercedes omitted it in the standard version. So now my colleagues are happy, plus they get a panoramic sunroof. The sporty black interior looks nice, but is not the most ideal option to have in Mumbai weather. The cooling goes for a toss, especially for the passengers sitting on the rear bench.

We still haven’t tested the LCDs at the rear and will put them to good use, when we take the car for a long haul. In cities, this is easily one of the most comfortable premium cars, ride quality is good and with more than decent ground clearance you don’t have to worry about the car getting intimate with every speed breaker.

I did not really like the looks of this Edition 1, the matte silver grille at the front and the scarlet colour create too much of a contrast. Also the body proportions aren’t very sporty and I feel the styling is a little out of place. I would any day prefer the dark metallic grey; it looks lot more sophisticated. Nevertheless, the fact remains that this has a three-pointed-star in the front and with the DRLs it gets enough attention every day.

I will always have problems with the space saver tyres. In a country like India, where getting a puncture is not as rare, the space saver is not the right solution. It restricts the speeds when used and then occupies a lot of space in the boot the rest of the time. Fortunately, we have managed to fit everything in the boot till now, but the things may not be as easy when we go out for more than a weekend.

The B-Class has done close to 15,000km and will go for its first service in December. We are keen on getting the first hand service experience of a premium brand and will report about the same next time around along with more about long journeys in this car.