This new Mercedes-Benz B-Class puts the emphasis on sport with the Sports Tourer. It looks more dynamic than its predecessor and is more agile on the road while offering greater comfort and space. The transverse-mounted version of the 2-litre OM 654 diesel engine model series with 110 kW and 140 kW celebrates a clean debut: It is the first engine to fulfil the Euro 6d norm, which is only mandatory for new models as of 2020. The 8-speed dual-clutch transmission also makes its début.

The avant-garde interior of the B-Class ensures a unique feeling of spaciousness with the distinctive design of the instrument panel. The intuitive user interface of the adaptive MBUX multimedia system is ground-breaking. Its strengths include brilliant graphics, “Hey Mercedes” voice control, a standard touch screen and functions such as MBUX Augmented Reality. State-of-the-art driving assistance systems give the B-Class one of the highest standards of active safety in the segment with functions carried over from the S-Class. Interior design: Revolution, the second

The interior of the B-Class is as avant-garde as the much-praised revolutionary interior architecture of the new A-Class, yet distinctive: while the instrument panel of the sister model is split into two horizontal basic bodies, that of the B-Class has a single basic volume, which drops away towards the occupants and has cut-outs in the area of the driver and front passenger. The cut-out in front of the driver houses the fully free-standing display unit, which comes in three different versions: with two 7-inch displays (17.78 cm), with one 7- and one 10.25-inch display (26 cm) and, in the Widescreen version, with two 10.25-inch displays. A head-up display is optionally available.

The five round air vents feature a high-grade turbine look with finely styled air ducts, inspired by the world of aviation. In the Style equipment line, the vent surround is colour-accentuated in the depth of the vent geometry to give the impression of an afterburner. The centre console with touch-based control and input system comes with a black panel look similar to the E-Class. The ambience lighting with 64 colours and ten colour worlds, a unique selling point in this segment, allows individual adjustments, even to suit the mood.

The seats offer a flatter and, therefore, more comfortable seating position as well as a larger adjustment range, which also increases the maximum headroom. There is also more space in the width: at 1456 millimetres (plus 33 mm), the front elbow width now has the dimensions of a mid-range vehicle. The interior has been fine-tuned in many places: the improved entry aperture to the centre tunnel in the rear makes for a more accessible middle seat. The rear seat backrest comes as standard with a 40:20:40 split. Depending on version, from mid-2019 it will be possible for the rear seats to be moved by 14 centimetres and for the backrest to be folded into a steeper position to vary the capacity of the luggage compartment behind the rear seats between 455 and 705 litres. Although the capacity is roughly the same as in the previous model, the luggage compartment can be more efficiently used thanks to the improvements.

With the rear seat folded down and luggage loaded to the roof, the luggage compartment, which is flat thanks to the adjustable load compartment floor, can accommodate up to 1540 litres behind the front seats.

Start of European sales for the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class is 3 December 2018, with delivery due to begin in February 2019. Malaysian introduction is yet to be confirmed.

MERCEDES B-CLASS: SPECIFICATIONS