Mercedes-Benz B-Class Review 2026

In a world where SUVs have become the family car of choice for most people, it seems the days of the MPV are numbered. But if that's the case, no one has told Mercedes-Benz. Because the B-Class is now in its third generation and it's aimed at a younger market. Our Mercedes-Benz B-Class review will see if it's succeeded. 

In terms of the looks, the Mercedes B-Class is not going to win any style contests, mainly because it looks like a duller A-Class that somebody's stretched upwards. But what the B-Class does have is one of the best interior designs of any MPV. 

Although the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer has caught up in this respect, if you're buying used the old version of the BMW, or other small MPVs like the VW Golf SV and Renault Scenic, can't hold a candle to the Merc's posh cabin. 

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.

The cheapest model is the B 180 petrol, powered by a 1.3-litre engine (yes, Mercedes-Benz badging has reached peak meaninglessness). This four-cylinder unit may seem far too small for a car this size, but with 136PS it actually provides more than enough power to give the B-Class a good turn of pace when needed. Only a hesitant automatic lets it down, but luckily there's a manual available.

There are also diesels, including the B 200 d which has a claimed average economy of more than 50mpg. This is a quiet and refined engine, that also responds eagerly to throttle inputs.

Currently there's no hybrid models, though - Mercedes launched a plug-in hybrid on the A-Class but, presumably due to slower sales, hasn't bothered with the B-Class. 

Want a second opinion? Check out heycar's review of the Mercedes-Benz 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. We think it's more comfortable than the old BMW 2 Series Active Tourer or Volkswagen Golf SV.

That said, push it into a bend and it handles surprisingly well for an MPV, although your children in the back may not be so keen, especially if they're trying to drink a Fruit Shoot. But with good body control and plenty of front end grip, the B-Class will happily tackle corners.

The entry-level model is the B 180 which, despite the badge, is powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. This may seem a very small engine for a car like the B-Class, but with a very respectable 134PS, it's plenty powerful enough.

And although it's a small engine, much of the vibration and noise is filtered out when you're in the cabin thanks to good sound insulation. Work it hard however and you can't escape the not particularly pleasant sound it creates.

The B 200 uses the same engine but with power upped to 161PS and far more torque - up from 200Nm in the B180 to 320Nm. Both have the same claimed fuel economy of more than 50mpg but we think the B 180 has more than adequate performance and pulls with decent gusto when you need it to. 

What lets both down however is the seven-speed automatic. The 7G-DCT is fine on the move but tends to hesitate at low speeds. We think you're better off sticking with the six-speed manual.

It means there's a second or so delay between when you press the accelerator and the power kicks in. When you're trying to pull out of a busy junction or roundabout, this is very frustrating and can be quite dangerous. It's a shame as the rest of the time the gearbox is excellent, with quick and smooth shifts.

You can also opt for the B 250 which has a 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 224PS, if you want warm hatch pace (and thirst) from your family MPV. 

The diesel engines use a different eight-speed automatic which doesn't suffer from the same issues. The B 200 d and B 220 d both use the same 2.0-litre diesel engine. It’s quiet and refined engine with little in the way of tell-tale diesel grumble making its way into the cabin. 

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).

We really like the Mercedes B-Class dashboard, especially when you get the large glass panel with two 10-inch displays - one for the instrument cluster and the other for infotainment. It's beautifully sharp and bright. What we don't like is that it's part of the Premium Package which costs more than £2250 - or standard on higher trims. If you don't go for this you end up with a black plastic panel with two smaller screens. 

However, all models do come with the Mercedes-Benz MBUX system, a kind of built-in version of Amazon's Alexa. You can command it by saying ‘Hey Mercedes’ and asking it turn the air con down or the heated seats on for example. If it doesn't like your accent, though, you can simply use either the touchscreen or the touchpad controller below. 

Prices for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class in 2022 kick off at £31,475 for the B 200 Sport Executive. You'll need another £1,100 for the B 200 d diesel, and £2,300 more for the AMG-Line Executive trim. 

The Premium and Premium Plus packs add a bit more on top of that, with the range topping off at the £37,175 B200 d Premium Plus Night Edition. 

The starting price means this is no budget family carrier like the Dacia Jogger. But it's actually decent value when you consider that the Mercedes GLA - which offers no more space but a more desirable SUV body - is about £5,000 more. 

The diesels are (unsurprisingly) the fuel economy champions, and it's nice to see them still available in 2022. The B 200 d manages 55.4mpg combined on the WLTP cycle, but that reduces slightly with bigger wheels on AMG Line trim. 

The B200 petrol promises 46.4mpg combined, again reducing slightly with bigger wheels. It's a pity there's no plug-in hybrid option like there is in every other A-Class based model, including the GLA and CLA. 

In terms of road tax all models in 2022 fall into the same tax bracket, meaning a £230 first year charge and then £165 a year after that. Happily, all B-Class models are under £40,000 so avoid the 'premium car' tax. Insurance isn't too pricey, either. 

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Sport trim line comes as standard with MBUX multimedia system with ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice activation, seven-inch cockpit display and seven-inch touchscreen media display, reversing camera, 17-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels, hard-disk navigation, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Speed Limit Assist, black grille, silver painted louvre and insert in chrome, DAB radio, Keyless-Go starting function, automatic two-zone climate control, LED high performance headlights and spiral-look trim with Artico and Fléron fabric upholstery.

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class AMG Line has 18-inch five-twin-spoke AMG alloy wheels, three-spoke multifunction sport steering wheel in nappa leather, sports seats, diamond radiator grille with chrome pins and single louvre, AMG bodystyling and carbon-structure trim with Artico and Dinamica microfibre upholstery with red contrast stitching.

The optional Executive equipment line could be added optionally (but is now standard in 2022) and includes a 10.25-inch media display, Parking package including Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC and front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats and mirror package which includes electrically folding exterior mirrors and automatically-dimming driver’s side mirror and rear view mirror.

The £2259 Premium package adds a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, ambient lighting with a choice of 64 colour,  illuminated door sills, Keyless-Entry and a mid-range sound system.

For £3459 customers can opt for the Premium Plus equipment line which, in addition to the Executive and Premium equipment lines, adds electrically-adjustable front memory seats, Multibeam LED headlights with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and a panoramic glass sunroof.