2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class European-market model
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class will be first front-wheel-drive vehicle in the brand's U.S. lineup. The European-market 2012 B-Class is shown. See pictures of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Mercedes-Benz issues a new tall-body compact car that’s big on interior space, fuel-efficiency, and upscale features. The B-Class is the first front-drive Benz to be sold in America, but others are coming as the tristar brand seeks to oust BMW as premium-class sales leader.

What It Is

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class is a compact 5-passenger hatchback that will be the first-ever front-wheel-drive model in the brand’s U.S. lineup. Mercedes says the tall-body 4-door will go on sale in calendar 2013, suggesting a probable 2014-model designation. Pricing is still far from decided, but European versions (launching in late 2011) start around $35,000 at current exchange rates, so this will be another “premium economy car” a la the Audi A3, BMW-built Mini Cooper, and Lexus CT 200h, to name a few.

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America will be receiving a second-generation B-Class. The original, which debuted in March 2005 and was updated a few years ago, has been available in Canada and Mexico, as well as in Europe. It was designed for federal safety and emissions standards, and almost came to U.S. dealers in 2006. But the automaker’s American branch finally said nein, danke in the face of a weakening dollar that threatened to price the B-Class out of its intended bracket to the likely detriment of sales and profits. Things are different now. Not only are more and more Americans flocking to upscale small cars, Mercedes must meet the same escalating mpg mandates as every other automaker. The fuel-efficient B-Class will help with that. It’s also part of Mercedes’ plan to oust archrival BMW as the world’s top-selling premium vehicle brand. (See “Why It’s Coming To America” on page 3.)

Design and Dimensions

Though U.S.-model specifications are still being finalized, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class should be much like the European versions in most major respects. The second-generation replaces the original’s wedgy, stub-nose look with a boxier profile marked by a longer hood, a flatter roofline, and two prominent body-side “feature” lines, the lower of which echoes the old “Saturn swoosh” of that now-defunct General Motors brand. Announced by a typical Mercedes grille with large tristar emblem, the redesign grows the B-Class by 3.1 inches in wheelbase, 3.5 inches in overall length, and a marginal amount in width. Even with those gains, however, it’s several inches shorter than the Mazda 5 midsize car in both wheelbase and length, though it’s slightly wider and 2.3 inches lower. The B also differs from the 5 in having conventional rear doors instead of sliders, but aims just as much to provide big-car interior space and versatility in a compact envelope. Indeed, Mercedes claims the B has more rear-seat legroom than its S-Class premium-large sedan.

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class is claimed to better the original for interior design and execution, with higher-quality materials and a new instrument panel sporting five circular air vents, as on Mercedes’ SLS AMG supercar. Gauges and controls are similar to those in other Mercedes, but the B-Class adds a trendy touch with a fixed infotainment screen that appears to “float” above the center dash vents and is styled unabashedly like an Apple iPad. U.S.-bound Bs should have the display as standard in a 5.75-inch-diagonal size, with a 7.0-incher available. Though European buyers can choose from four interior trims (called Chrome, Sports, Exclusive, and Night Package), U.S. customers will probably be limited to Luxury and Sport models, mirroring the C-Class premium-compact-car line.

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