Test drive Mercedes Benz B-class W246 since 2012 Hatchback
Test drive Mercedes-Benz B200: Your first Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz in Russia is an unconditional status, prestige, respect, and in most cases inaccessibility. Many people dream of reaching the three-beam star, and there is a car in the line of the German premium marke that can be your first. For relatively little money.
The most important drawback of almost all test cars of dealerships is the maximum level of equipment. Potential buyers, car dealerships are trying to show all the chic and glossy of their models, boastful of chic leather salons, panoramic hatches, carriers and other electronic gadgets.
Another thing is Mercedes-Benz. The company has long been not necessary to prove anything to anyone. Everyone already knows that if the client wants something like that, then this will certainly be in his car, only pay. Therefore, I was very pleased that the test Mercedes B200 was almost in the basic version, the price of which is the main attracting parameter. And the advantages and disadvantages of the car can be viewed without luxurious equipment veil. But can the buyer of such a car feel all the magic of one of the most coveted car brands?
The Mercedes company positions the current B-Class as a car of a completely new generation, but from a distance, an uninitiated person is unlikely to distinguish it from the previous one. The innovations are pulled more on planned restyling: the same body profile seemed to be a little fat, receiving new adjusting stamping on the sides in the form of compensation. The front and rear lights and the shape of the bumpers and the pattern of cast discs have changed. That, in general, is all.
Despite the external resemblance, the new (left) and the old (right) B-class technically two completely different machines. The 2012 model received a completely new double -floor body design, a new turbo engine, a new robotic transmission and a new rear suspension.
But the main thing that was missing and still lacks the appearance of a Mercedes of the B-class status. Having removed a star from the radiator from the radiator, a typical European single -crew can be glued in its place. Still, unconditional Mercedes in Russia are used to seeing sedans or SUVs.
The same picture was once observed in the cabin. Close the emblem with your palm on the steering wheel in the first generation machine and, except for the impeccable adjustment of the panels, nothing will remind in the interior that you are sitting in a Mercedes. In this regard, the new B-Class is a noticeable step forward: a lot of details are related to the B200 with its older brothers.
Mercedes Find for kinesthetics: it is pleasant to touch the cabin not only to the soft finish of the front panel or doors, but also to any button, and the blowing deflectors rotate with a velvet effort. In addition, the glove compartment from the inside is finished with a soft pile. It is such attention to the most insignificant little things that create the image of an expensive car.
Here is a new sports panel of devices, and radio units in the style of the latest SLK, M -Class or GL, and the central display gives a native picture of the lamp radio, and the transmission lever migrated to the steering column, and - where the left -handed steering switch overloaded with functions.
A clear ergonomic puncture was turned into a tradition: the Mercedes adamantly force customers to include turning point, high beams, wipers and washers of glasses with one single joystick who has now changed places with a cruise control lever. Although you will have to get used to once, few of the owners of the Mercedes are subsequently transplanted to cars of other brands.
The updated body design, which lost a sandwich sex, which German engineers boasted several years ago, allowed it to be more convenient to penetrate the salon: the seats are now put below. Together with a low location of the thresholds and a high roof, even tall people can sit in B-Class, slightly curb their heads. I, a person with a tall 180 cm, do not even need to do this.
Further more. If you look at the most inexpensive Mercedes from the point of view of the interior, then this is no doubt the choice of not major, but one hundred percent pragmatics. A large supply of free space in all directions, an excellent range of adjustments of the front seats, a lot of compartments for fine luggage and a well -thought -out ergonomics up to the intuitive use of the on -board computer interface. All this is flavored with very high -quality finishing materials and excellent assembly. Even hard plastic from which the lower part of the interior is made does not spoil the general impression.
The usual front seats are convenient. The rear is only a little lack of the length of the pillow, but the space is plenty of, however, until a person is in front of two meters in front. In the basic configuration to passengers of the sofa, only a small shelf, an ashtray and a 12-volt outlet are available, even installation of a separate multimedia system is possible in expensive ones.
Enough space in the trunk, the volume of which is 486 liters. And having folded the rear seats, from a Mercedes, you can even make a premium truck van. But there are two drawbacks: small and large. The first is that when folding the sofa, a noticeable step is formed, from which, however, you can get rid of, the second B-Class does not have a spare wheel: hope only for impenetrable Runflat tires and a repair kit.
Nevertheless, the essence of any car with a three-beam star manifests itself in motion. While Mercedes is in the showroom, despite all his pathos, it is difficult to understand in absentia what many millions of rubles are asking for. After all, in the end, this is also just a car. But it is worth driving a couple of kilometers, then a day or two and in a week you understand that you don’t want to drive something else.
Such I remember my feelings from the Mercedes-Benz E200, which last year was on our long test.
The current B-Class gives similar feelings. Despite the fact that our test Mercedes also flaunts the number 200, the engine here with a volume of 1.6 liter, which, using turbocharged, produces 156 horsepower. Compactwane is enough for this power to be easily accelerated with at least 50 km/h, at least with 100 km/h. True, Mercedes sprint exercises do with noble smoothness.
The measured movement and very specific settings of the accelerator are also echoed. The first third of the gas pedal is virtually empty. Intensive acceleration begins to develop smoothly only when the right leg is not far from the floor. Very unusual. The feeling that B-Class is touched by the second gear. But this is in the economical transmission mode, which Mercedes activates by default after each engine start. The button on the front panel can be turned on two more: manual and sports.
The first with the help of steering wheel petals, you can only play for the sake of interest. We did not have any complaints to the new seven-speed premissive transmission 7G-DCT (analogue of the Volkswagen DSG). Switching is smooth and timely, without a characteristic duck. True, the mode of movement for the day of the test cannot be called too aggressive.
The sports regime is what is needed. No, no nervousness in B-Class behavior appears. Just against the background of a melancholy eco, in sports the car behaves as, in our opinion, it should behave in the usual: the accelerator responses are more linear, and the acceleration is more predicted.
The second virtue of b-Class smoothness. May the owners of the Mercedes be forgiven for comparison, but according to this parameter, the Stuttgart compactiven will give the Renault Logan head start. The updated independent front suspension and a completely new multi-link from the back made B200 non-consuming to any irregularities of the road neither blows, no shaking, nor swings. For senior Mercedes, this behavior is norm. For B -class - another step forward.
But the fact that even on a icy and snowy highway, the car will stand as a glove, we did not doubt it. Even on a curved winter house with a surface in the style of a washing board on the Mercedes-Benz B200, we drove 70 km/h without fear, without even experiencing that the car could get out of control.
The only thing that was slightly embarrassed throughout the test was a distinct rumble of tires in the cabin, to which, after 100 km/h, unobtrusive howl of wind in the area of \u200b\u200bthe front racks was added. After the dealer center, we were admitted that against the backdrop of other Mercedes, B-Class is really noisy.
In general, if I were offered to describe the new Mercedes-Benz B200 in one sentence, I would say that this is a car with which it is always easy and comfortable. It is easy and comfortable to sit in it, it is easy and comfortable to get in it, it is easy and comfortable to ride it and it is easy and comfortable to manage it. And to say a real Mercedes now! But something prevented me from doing this, and the end of the test I realized that.
The basic configuration of the B200 with a gloomy dark salon does not have enough Mercedes comfort. There would be a light-beige interior of the most delicate leather flowing from under the panels to warm lights, helpful electric drives and caring climate control. All this can be selected from the list of options, but the price will then jump over one and a half million rubles. Still, Mercedes-Benz and savings are incompatible things
High brunette in gray compactwane
About Mercedes-Benz B-Class from the point of view of a tall person
Not high, but long! - Napoleon Bonaparte would correct me, and, I must say, this remark would be very much even in the subject. Since the main reason why a person with a meter of ninety and above is difficult to get a job behind modern machines, not the lack of a reserve of space in the salon in height, but an insufficient range of longitudinal adjustment of the seat.
For example, my height is 1m 93 cm. But the machines in which I can comfortably sit down, taking the right landing, and when transferring my right leg from the pedal to the pedal not to prop up the trunk, there are very few in the Russian market. Even the seeming huge SUV Audi Q7 is openly inconvenient for me. Ford Focus II in terms of ease of landing is much better! Knowing all this, I did not expect any revelations from the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class. However, sitting behind the wheel and out of habit, pushing the seat to the stop, at first I thought that I had drove off too far. The first impression turned out to be deceptive: for the legs the place was really enough, but when turning the steering wheel, the hand was stuck between the rim and the thigh. So in the end I still had to move to the last click.
And, nevertheless, the range of longitudinal adjustment of the chair in the new B-Class is more than sufficient. I accepted the correct landing without problems, while I did not change the position of the steering column at all, nor was there any need to touch the lever for adjusting the seat in the height of necessity.
In general, I personally put the five with confidence for the ergonomics of the B-class: this is one of the few cars, imprisoned not only under the average meter of eighty. It seems that even Michael Jordan, with his 2 m 03 cm, would be quite conveniently settled at the wheel of a Mercedes compact.
True, with the driver's seat in the rear seat, it is impossible to sit even with a medium -sized person on the left seat (we checked). But this, as was said by the classics, is already a very, very different story
Mercedes-Benz B-Class price in the Russian market
The Stuttgart compact is delivered to Russia in two performance: B180 and B200. Versions differ only by the power of a gasoline turbo engine 1.6. In the first case, its return will be 122 horsepower, in the second 156. According to the tradition, Mercedes is offered with a fixed equipment package of a special series, including a 7G-DCT robot, air conditioning, heating of the seats, anti-solid discs, metallic color and many other less significant options .
The cost of the Mercedes B200 from 1,170,000 rubles, Mercedes B180 from 1 050,000 rubles. True, for the latter, a special series is not yet available, B-Class with a less powerful engine will have to be completed manually, choosing from an endless list of options consisting of six small font pages. Naturally, B200 can be formed for yourself by driving the price of a car at two million rubles.
The choice of the portal kolesa.ru
The choice between the 122- and 156-horsepower versions of the B-Class, without rolling on the first, is difficult to do. In absentia, B180 loses B200 mainly due to the worst acceleration to hundreds (10.2 seconds against 8.4). Nevertheless, the unspoken law of any premium car is more powerful, the better.
As for the level of equipment, the conclusion made at the end of the article remains in force. Without a leather salon with an electric seal, two-zone climate control, xenon headlights and an advanced Mercedes multimedia station, it does not look entirely full. But this is a subjective opinion. In the end, B-Class will not go worse from a smaller number of options.
Competitors Mercedes-Benz B-Class in the Russian market
Another of the cases when the tested car simply does not have direct rivals. None of the premium brands have yet made compacting this class. Nevertheless, you can find similar cars similar in terms of functionality, however, from the point of view of prestige, none of the competitors of Mercedes, of course, is not even.
Volkswagen Touran
For 1,172,000 rubles, you can choose a Volkswagen compactiven with a 1.4 engine (140 hp) and a DSG box. And having paid another 107,000 rubles with a motor of 170 horsepower. The speed characteristics are similar to the B200, and in terms of comfort, Turan is inferior to few. And thanks to the cubic shape and slightly large sizes, cargo -passenger capabilities are noticeably wider.
Citroen C4 Picasso
The flaw of prestige is more than compensates for charm. The external data of the C4 Picasso make this car one of the brightest in the classroom. And most importantly, the unusual body does not prevent Citroen from being a very functional compactwhen. For 957,000 rubles, you can purchase a well-equipped 150-horsepower version, however, with not the most successful robotic transmission.
Opel Meriva
The measure has two main features: the rear doors and an economical diesel engine opening against the move. The spacious salon pleases with all kinds of transformation methods, and the price of its extreme attractiveness. Opel Meriva, equipped with a tie, only a little steps over a millionth line. The price of the top version is 1 041 000 rubles.
Source: Wheel magazine [January 2013]
