Entering into the small-family class, Mercedes Benz has jumped into the ring with their B-Class. Larger than the A-Class, the Mercedes B180 CDI offers a few surprising differences. Considerable more room in the boot/trunk area make the B180 a capable day trip machine. And dropping the kids off to school or to sports practice is a breeze. The cabin is modern and boasts a crisp interior design that will appeal to a wide range of people. Textures and colours are tasteful to both the eye and to touch. Good looks are not only skin deep; so with the B180, they venture inside as well. There are no cheap and nasty textiles in a Merc cabin!

The Mercedes Benz B180 CDI is larger than the contemporary A-class but comes with all the bells and whistles, such as electromechanical power steering, electronic stability and a selective damping system that adapts the shocks to the current conditions of the road. The stereo system is as classy as the car it’s in, and electric windows and air-conditioning are standard items.

The turbo-diesel engine is a 4-cylinder 2-litre engine that is willing and very, very quiet. The performance levels are brisk for an 80 kW engine, with the 0-100 km/h sprint being dispatched in a little over eleven seconds. Fuel economy is simply outstanding. A combined average of around 6 litres/100 km illustrates the small Merc’s ability, especially when you consider the rises in fuel costs that have occured over the last couple of years.

The interior is surprisingly roomy and is designed with the passenger in mind. The seats are therefore hugging and pleasant to sit in. The cargo area can be adapted to haul 5 people and luggage or adjusted to be able to haul a massive load of gear with the rear seats folded forward. The interior is spacious, to say the least, and as with other Mercedes Benz vehicles, no stone was left unturned as far as passenger comfort was concerned. Mercedes went another step further to set aside the B180 CDI from other cars in its class by what they term “The Sandwich Concept”, which literally means (no, not bread, lettuce or tomato) placing the engine and transmission just in front and beneath the passenger area. This provides an enormous space saving feature which, in turn, means more head, leg and shoulder room for all occupants.

The stable handling and crisp steering is a joy to behold. The 250 Nm of maximum torque is perhaps a more telling illustration of how useful this engine actually is in covering the miles around town or on the open road. You can enjoy a five speed manual transmission or the very smooth CVT option.

One needs to recommend a good buy every now and then. Consider the Mercedes Benz B180 CDI a highly-recommended! So if you need a small vehicle that is superbly engineered and built, is functional, frugal and a pleasure to drive, look no further. The Mercedes Benz B180 CDI does the trick.

Current model series include:

• Mercedes Benz B180 CDI 2.0

For any more information on the Mercedes Benz B180, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Mercedes dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

Back to Mercedes Benz Car Reviews