Used Mercedes-Benz B-Class review: 2005-2012

The Mercedes B-Class is an exceptionally practical vehicle built on a stretched version of the Mercedes A-Class platform. The release of an all-new model in March 2012 has generated added interest to those on the used-car market.

A taller than average five-door hatchback, the B-Class has a huge amount of interior space, with almost as much legroom in the rear as in the big S-Class Mercedes. The B-Class’s front seats are large and well shaped and provide good support. There's plenty of space for two big Aussie males in the rear and three children will have stretch out room.

The boot is bigger and more useable than that of many much larger cars. Not only is it huge, the luggage area is very versatile, and you can even create an almost van-like interior by removing every seat but the driver’s. The removable seats are an extra-cost option so may not be fitted to the one you’re examining.

We wouldn’t go as far as to call the B-Class a ‘sports tourer’, as Mercedes has tagged it at times, but it does have a reasonably sleek style in its class.

Petrol, turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines are all on offer, with the turbo-petrol units providing performance that can be called sporting without using too much imagination.

The manual gearbox comes as a five or six-speed unit, but isn’t particularly common. Mercedes also gives you the choice of a continuously variable transmission that has seven manually-selectable preset ratios for use in specific driving conditions.

There's a solid, quiet, refined feel in the new Benz B-Class that belies it size. It’s not quite as quiet and smooth to ride in as the larger Merc sedans, but it comes impressively close.

Handling in the B-Class is very good for a mid-sized front-wheel-drive car, with decent balance, and minimal understeer at normal speeds. Backed up by Mercedes' inbuilt electronic stability program, this is one of the safest cars in its class size.

These aren't cheap cars in absolute terms, but you do get some excellent engineering and there are a host of luxury and safety features. Of course, you do pay several thousand extra dollars for the privilege of sitting behind that three-pointed star, but many think it’s worth the money.

Mercedes-Benz is well represented in almost all areas of areas of Australia, even in the far outback as diesel Mercedes have been a favourite with Aussie farmers for generations.

This isn’t really the sort of car you should attempt to work on yourself, though a good home handyperson can do some of the routine service work. It’s common for owners to get all their work done at authorised Mercedes-Benz dealerships and these cars generally fetch higher prices than cars serviced elsewhere. You may pay more in the first place, but recoup your cash when it comes time to trade in your ‘serviced by Mercedes’ car.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A correctly driven and maintained Mercedes B-Class is unlikely to have any faults, but it’s still best to have one inspected by a senior engineer at your motoring club.

Take a good walk around the car checking for signs of damage to the bumper corners, the wheel rims (the front left is the one that generally suffers at the hands of poor parkers), and the door panels at their widest sections.

If you find what appears to have been major repairs to the body either pass it up altogether or book it in for an after-crash inspection at a reputable panel repairer.

Check the interior, particularly the rear seats and the boot for evidence of harsh use.

Before going for your test drive try and arrange for the engine to be completely cold, after an overnight stop is ideal. Make sure the engine starts easily and idles smoothly within a few seconds of kicking over.

Check the engine pulls easily and strongly even on hills and with a load on board. And that it never shows any signs of hesitation.

CAR BUYING TIP

Cars with prestigious badges can be driven just as badly as those from the lowliest on the image stakes. Don’t fall for the fancy badge, have it fully inspected.