Mercedes-Benz B-Class

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class is a subcompact executive car manufactured and marketed by Mercedes-Benz since 2005. Based on the A-Class with larger dimensions, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) classifies it as a small MPV.

Mercedes-Benz had presented a concept car Vision B Compact Sports Tourer at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The concept previewed some features that would be available on the production B-Class. The Vision B was based on the layered platform, so that the drivetrain would be placed partly in front of and underneath the passengers.

As of December 20, 2013, delivery of B-Class vehicles reached 1 million since its launch in 2005.

First generation (W245; 2005)
The first generation B-Class was introduced in Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world in spring 2005, and in Canada in autumn 2005. The B-Class uses front-wheel drive with sandwich floor construction, parabolic rear suspension, and a two-box design &mdash; one for the drivetrain and another for the shared passenger and luggage compartment. The B-Class maximises its interior volume via its height. Having derived from the smaller A-Class, it retained that car's sandwich floor concept.

All models included passive automobile safety systems including ESP, ABS, traction control, cornering lights, active lighting system, and headlamp assist. In the event of a frontal impact the engine and transmission slide beneath the passenger compartment.

In 2008, it was updated with a start-stop system and a BlueEFFICIENCY option. A new NGT variant was added, which could burn either gasoline or natural gas.

In 2011, Mercedes-Benz did a world tour with three of its Mercedes-Benz F-Cell vehicles, one of which was the B-Class. The hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle was driven more than 30,000 kilometres in a circumnavigation of the globe, starting and ending in Stuttgart.

Engines
The B160 and B180 conform to Euro V emission standards. The rest of the engines conform to Euro IV emission standards. A diesel particulate filter is available as an option for the diesel units (this reduces about 99% of the particle emissions, without the need for additives).

Second generation (W246; 2011)
The W246 was revealed in August 2011, and made its public debut in September 2011 at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany. It was announced that the B-Class would come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, as well as an optional 7G-Tronic automatic. The start/stop technology was standard on all models.

Mass production of the B-Class started in November 2011 at the Rastatt plant in Germany. Additionally, the B-Class was the first vehicle to use the MFA platform.

Safety features include seven to nine airbags, hill-start assist, driver drowsiness detection, tyre pressure monitoring, Pre-Safe system that will tighten seatbelts, and a system that will automatically close the windows and the sunroof if the systems detect an approaching accident. Other safety systems include anti-lock braking (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and brake assistant (BA).

The B-Class Electric Drive was introduced to the U.S. in December 2013 as an early 2014 model. It is one of the only B-Class models to ever be sold in the U.S. market, as well as being the first Mercedes-Benz vehicle to ever be offered in an electric variant, though it was only available in certain states that required ZEV mandates. It was originally rebadged as the B-Class Electric Drive, but in 2017, it was renamed the B250e.

Third generation (W247; 2019)
The third generation B-Class was launched at the Paris Motor Show on 2 October 2018. At launch, the vehicle was claimed to feature the Intelligent Drive semi-automated driving system borrowed from the S-Class.

The design was improved with a much shorter front overhang. The controversial sculpting on the side part of the vehicle was not carried over to the W247 B-Class. Three infotainment system options is available, with entry-level models getting dual seven-inch displays. A seven-inch display with the larger 10.25-inch display is available, with top-tier models getting a pair of the large displays. It is powered by a full MBUX infotainment system, giving B-Class buyers access to its functions through a standard touchscreen. Features such as intelligent voice control, augmented reality, and a head-up display are optional. The all-electric configuration was removed, but a plug-in hybrid option was introduced. The plug-in hybrid comes with a 10.9 kWh battery which optionally supports DC charging and provides a WLTP combined cycle range of 66 km.

2023 facelift
In 2022, the B-Class had received a facelift for the 2023 model year. With close resemblance to the W177 update, the B-Class includes minor differences to the headlights with significant changes to the taillights, along with a changed interior, and improved infotainment adding the newest iteration of the Mercedes-Benz MBUX system. It also removed the manual transmission, alongside the A-Class and CLA as part of Mercedes-Benz's plan to retire manual transmissions.

Engines
The hatchback has slightly updated models from pre-facelift and facelift. The AWD models uses Mercedes’ four-wheel drive technology called ‘4matic’, and with the facelift, petrol models use a 48-volt mild hybrid system.