Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £18,424 to £22,070
Premium-brand badge, spacious and flexible interior, a usable and practical family car.
Price premium unjustified beyond presence of Mercedes badge, uninspiring dynamics, dull styling inside and out, poor mechanical refinement, characterless.
Not really worth the price premium over mainstream compact MPVs and large hatches; how much are buyers prepared to pay for that German badge?
The top-spec petrol and diesel models we tried claim competitive economy figures at a combined 35.8mpg for the B200 Turbo, 39.2mpg for the B200 and 50.5mpg for the B200 CDi. Insurance groupings are reasonable, though Mercedes parts prices keep premiums on the high side compared to more mainstream rivals. First-time Mercedes buyers beware: labour rates and servicing are expensive, too.
Depreciation is hard to predict; there hasn't been a premium midi-MPV before. Much depends on how buyers take to the B-Class and what reputation they develop for reliability. Neither the A- nor C-Class have particularly strong residuals by Mercedes standards, at best keeping around 55 percent of their value after three years when the better performers in the range keep well over 60 percent. Used buyers may also be bemused as to why a B-Class is demanding such a premium over a similarly specified C-MAX or Scenic, while offering too few tangible benefits. A diesel C-Class estate keeps more of its value than any other combination, and a diesel B-Class could well match it.
