Mercedes-Benz B-Class (2019-2023) Review & Prices

If you like the idea of a car with a high seating position and a flashy interior but don’t want an SUV, then the Mercedes B-Class will be right up your street. Its smooth design is a refreshing alternative to the usual crop of off-road styled SUVs, and it even looks pretty sporty in AMG-Line trim with lowered suspension.

The Mercedes B-Class has a taller body than most small hatchbacks, but its neat curvy styling makes it still looks pretty sleek – it’s certainly not something you’d be embarrassed to park on your driveway in a neighbourhood full of posh compact SUVs.

It’s a similar story in the Mercedes B-Class’s cabin, where a set of neat metal air vents and dual infotainment displays – that come as standard by the way – make it feel a bit more sci-fi blockbuster than the modern yet sober interior you’ll find in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. Especially if you pay extra to have the standard 7.0-inch screen driver display replaced by a huge 10.3-inch item to match the impressive infotainment display.

Also adding to the Mercedes’ futuristic-feeling cabin is 64-colour mood lighting – perfect for bathing its cabin in a particularly lurid shade of orange – and some great big slabs of brushed metal-effect plastic on the dashboard.

It’s not just a pretty face, though – the Mercedes B-Class’ cabin is very easy to live with. There’s absolutely loads of room for you to stretch out in the front if you’re tall – even if the seats are a little flat and unsupportive – and there’s still space left over in the back for a couple of six-footers to get comfy.

The boot’s a decent size too, and you’ll soon be able to get the Mercedes B-Class with some clever sliding rear seats that’ll let you trade some passenger knee room for a bit of extra boot space.

Also helping make the B-Class easy to live with is the standard automatic gearbox that’ll take heavy traffic in its stride, and it’s reasonably comfortable to drive around town and dead easy to see out of. Sure, it isn’t as nimble as the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer but it’s more relaxing to drive and the diesel engine in the B200d models is a real gem – it’s quiet, punchy and still pretty cheap to run.

A couple of options are worth considering, though. These include some advanced driver assistance systems that’ll change lanes for you automatically and even adjust the cruise control settings to slow you down as you approach junctions and tight corners.

Of course, these options don’t come cheap. You can always save yourself some money by comparing offers on our Mercedes B-Class deals page, though. If you want more in-depth info, read our following interior, practicality, driving and specifications review sections, or for our full selection of used Mercedes-Benz models, head over here.

The B-Class is a mix between a hatchback and MPV, making its closest alternative the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.  Prices for both are closely matched, although the BMW is available with a broader range of engine options.

More traditional MPVs like the VW Touran and Ford S-Max start a few thousand pounds higher, and trade some style and luxury for increased interior space and practicality. The best value to be had with the B-Class is in the AMG Line Executive trim, which adds the 10.25-inch instrument display as well as some AMG-style visual updates, making it look far sharper.

The B-Class is great around town and smooth and quiet on the motorway. However, larger bumps can unsettle it, and some alternatives are more fun to drive

In town

The raised driving position in the Mercedes B-Class aids visibility and the light steering takes the work out of parking manoeuvres. Adaptive brake assist with hill start assist also helps to keep you safe in town. The active bonnet which raises 65mm in the case of an impact, helps keep pedestrians safe.

The front seats are comfortable, without plenty of adjustment, although very tall drivers may find they still sit a bit too high even in the lowest setting. The steering wheel can be adjusted to suit, so getting comfortable shouldn’t be a problem. 

The suspension absorbs most bumps without issue, although larger potholes can send a shudder through the cabin – especially on the AMG Line models fitted with lowered suspension and larger 19-inch wheels. 

On the motorway

Aside from some minor wind and road noise, the B-Class is a refined cruiser. Both the petrol and diesel engines have enough power in reserve for overtaking, and the diesel is particularly quiet on the motorway. 

The spacious and airy cabin helps keep back seat passengers happy on longer trips, too. Cruise control is standard on all trims.

On a twisty road

The Mercedes B-Class will gamely tackle a twisty road, with minimal body lean and decent levels of grip. It doesn’t feel quite as sharp as the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, but that isn’t a deal breaker for this sort of car

There’s plenty of space for four to five people in the roomy B-Class, although, shoulder room in the rear can be a bit tight with three adults sitting abreast 

The B-Class doesn’t look particularly large from the outside, but its big windows and airy cabin make it feel a lot roomier than you’d expect. The front seats are higher and slightly flatter than in the similar A-Class, making the B-Class feel more suited to its family car role. 

There’s plenty of seat adjustment, although taller drivers may feel like they’re sitting higher than they’d like. The steering wheel can be adjusted for rake and reach, so it can be set to provide a clear view of the digital driver and infotainment displays.

Storage space in the front comprises a pair of large door bins, a large closable cubby in the centre armrest, and a set of cupholders ahead of the gear lever. You also get a storage tray for your phone – offering wireless charging as part of an optional package. The glovebox is large enough for a few smaller items that you may want to keep out of sight. 

Space in the back seats

The rear seats are impressively spacious for a car of this size. What that means in real terms is that six-footers will fit happily in the outer two seats, with plenty of leg and head room. The centre spot is a bit narrower and firmer but will accommodate an additional passenger on shorter trips. 

ISOFIX mounting points are provided in the outer two seats, they’re easy to locate and fitting a seat is made even easier thanks to the wide-opening rear doors. You get a pair of generous door bins and a storage spot beneath the rear air vents. The centre rear seatback folds down and contains a pair of cup holders.

Boot space

The Mercedes B-Class offers 440 litres of boot space when loaded to the upper edge of the rear seat backrest. Fill it to the roof and you can squeeze in 575 litres. That’s enough to pack in a couple of large suitcases or a smaller bag and a buggy. It’s also more than the 415 litres you get in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.

Fold the rear seats down and you get an almost-flat load bay of 1,540 litres (1,530 for diesels). That’s once again more generous than the 1,405 litres in the BMW. Plus there’s no load lip, so getting heavy items in the back is less of an issue.

On the base Sport Executive trim, you can also move the rear seats back and forth to either increase passenger or boot space. Tie-down hooks are standard as are a pair of netted storage areas on either side of the boot.

A stunning interior design complete with two digital displays comes as standard. Most of the trim is of a high quality, but unfortunately, a few hard plastics and cheap materials let the side down

The Mercedes B-Class may share its interior with the entry-level A-Class, but the look and feel of the dashboard and circular air vents wouldn’t be out of place in a far pricier Mercedes.

The overall design is clean and minimalist, with a 7.0-inch driver display and 10.3-inch infotainment screen standard on the base trim. All other B-Class trims get a 10.3-inch driver display, while the top Premium Plus Night Edition also gets a panoramic glass sunroof as standard.

Optional interior mood lighting further uplifts the cabin, helping distract you from the cheap-feeling plastics around the door bins. It can also distract you from the road ahead too though, as the lighting reflects off the windscreen at night.

The switchgear feels solid, apart from the slightly flimsy gear selector and indicator stalks. Aside from those minor gripes, the interior is superior to any traditional MPV, although it doesn’t feel quite as well made as the recently refreshed BMW Active Tourer’s interior.

The digital screens placed along the dashboard are what catch your attention first as you climb aboard. The base trim gets a 7.0-inch driver display, which looks a little lost in its plastic frame which is intended for the larger 10.3-inch unit fitted to every other trim level. A 10.3-inch infotainment display is standard across the range, it comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing you to choose between Mercedes’ own apps or your own. Wireless charging is available as part of the Advanced Connectivity package.

The multimedia system is relatively intuitive to use after a bit of practice. It can be controlled either via a touchpad or the touchscreen. A voice control feature is also included but can be frustrating to use, not understanding your requests or requiring numerous attempts to guess the correct turn of phrase to get something to happen – a common issue with many systems of this kind.

The B-Class comes with either a 150hp turbodiesel (B200d) or 163hp turbocharged petrol engine (B200). Both are front-wheel-drive, with the diesel getting an eight-speed automatic transmission and the petrol version a seven-speed unit.

Both offer similar acceleration, getting from 0-62mph in just over 8.0-seconds, although the diesel feels punchier when overtaking. It also offers a better overall fuel economy figure of 55mpg and 134g/km of CO2, versus 46mpg and 140g/km of CO2 for the petrol. 

These figures compare favourably to the equivalent engines offered in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, but the BMW can also be had with a more powerful 218hp petrol engine as well as a fuel-efficient 245hp plug-in hybrid model which offers up to 470.8mpg in combined driving. Achieving that figure does rely heavily on you making the most of the 56 miles of electric range.

When it comes to the B-Class, our money would go on the B220d because it’s quieter on the motorway, offers better overtaking power and uses less fuel, although it is a touch more expensive. The eight-speed transmission is also smoother and more responsive than the gearbox offered with the petrol unit. price difference?

The Mercedes B-Class received a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was tested in 2019. It got a 96% adult occupancy score with 90% for child occupants. The 78% vulnerable road user score was also commendable.

The B-Class comes with a decent level of standard active and passive safety equipment. You get cruise control, active parking assist, reversing camera, active lane keeping assist and active braking assist as standard. Keyless start is standard, although keyless entry is not offered on the base trim. An optional Driving Assistance package includes advanced driver aids like adaptive cruise control.

You get a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty as standard, slightly bettering the more common three-year/60,000-mile offerings. You have the option of extending by either 12 or 24 months, or on a monthly basis. Servicing options are also available, pricing depends on the specific model and mileage covered. There have been no recalls in the UK for the current generation Mercedes B-Class.

Owner reviews are generally positive, although some mentioned having experienced issues during the first year of ownership. There were numerous positive comments regarding the interior space and infotainment setup, and the overall scores for the B-Class in most reviews tend to be above average.