This week's B 200 Turbo is endowed with a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that delivers 193 hp and 206 lb.-ft of torque. Though not astronomical numbers by any standards, that's enough power to propel the 1,430-kg (3,152-lb) B 200T from 0 to 100 km/h in about 7.6 seconds. That's unlikely to impress the car’s targeted demographic, but what will is that the B 200 Turbo is quick enough to go where you want to put it. Its size makes it the ideal urban runabout, easy to manoeuvre and a cinch to park downtown.
A base B 200 has a sticker price of $29,900, while the Turbo rings in at $32,400.
My tester came equipped with the optional $2,500 Avantgarde package which added fancy 17-inch alloys, 10-way adjustable front seats and a nifty keyfob operated, sectional panoramic sunroof.
The cabin is well-crafted; there's nothing remarkable about it, but materials are of good quality and plastics are soft to the touch. Aluminum trim adds a bit of brightwork to the all-over black and gray colour scheme. There's all the requisite niceties expected of a premium brand: Bluetooth, rain-sensing wipers, smart key, iPod, USB connect and one-touch up/down windows.
I heard someone I know refer to the B 200 as a "wife car". Cringe-worthy I know, but what he was referring to was its utility, ease of use and, ahem, cuteness, all wrapped up in a very safe package.
Visibility is good thanks to the raised, upright seating position – which is a by-product of the B 200's innovative safety feature, the "sandwich floor". In case of a full frontal impact, the engine and transmission can slide beneath the floor of the passenger cell.
The flat floor adds to useable cabin space, which increases from 544 litres to 1,530 with the rear seats folded down. The rear seat bottoms can flip forward and out of the way to accommodate large items. And of course, there's Mercedes-Benz's patented ESP traction control system.
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| The cabin is well-crafted; there's nothing remarkable about it, but materials are of good quality and plastics are soft to the touch. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |
A base B 200 has a sticker price of $29,900, while the Turbo rings in at $32,400.
My tester came equipped with the optional $2,500 Avantgarde package which added fancy 17-inch alloys, 10-way adjustable front seats and a nifty keyfob operated, sectional panoramic sunroof.
The cabin is well-crafted; there's nothing remarkable about it, but materials are of good quality and plastics are soft to the touch. Aluminum trim adds a bit of brightwork to the all-over black and gray colour scheme. There's all the requisite niceties expected of a premium brand: Bluetooth, rain-sensing wipers, smart key, iPod, USB connect and one-touch up/down windows.
I heard someone I know refer to the B 200 as a "wife car". Cringe-worthy I know, but what he was referring to was its utility, ease of use and, ahem, cuteness, all wrapped up in a very safe package.
Visibility is good thanks to the raised, upright seating position – which is a by-product of the B 200's innovative safety feature, the "sandwich floor". In case of a full frontal impact, the engine and transmission can slide beneath the floor of the passenger cell.
The flat floor adds to useable cabin space, which increases from 544 litres to 1,530 with the rear seats folded down. The rear seat bottoms can flip forward and out of the way to accommodate large items. And of course, there's Mercedes-Benz's patented ESP traction control system.
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| The flat floor adds to useable cabin space, which increases from 544 litres to 1,530 with the rear seats folded down. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |