Review: Mercedes-Benz W245.I B-Class (2005-08)

Overview

Released in October 2005, the Mercedes-Benz W245 Series I (W245.I) B-Class was a compact, five-seat people mover. Manufactured in Rastatt, Germany, the front-wheel drive W245 B-Class range initially consisted of the B 200 and B 200 Turbo models, but was expanded in June 2006 with the introduction of the B180 CDI. The full range is given in the table below.

Mercedes-Benz W245.I B-Class specifications
	Year	Engine	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
B 180 CDI	2006-08	2.0-litre turbo-diesel I4 (OM640 DE20)	6sp man., 7sp CVT	80 kW at 4200 rpm	250 Nm at 1600-2600 rpm
B 200	2005-08	2.0-litre petrol I4 (M266 E20)	5sp man., 7sp CVT	100 kW at 5750 rpm	185 Nm at 3500-4000 rpm
B 200 Turbo	2005-08	2.0-litre turbo petrol I4 (M266 E20)	6sp man., 7sp CVT	142 kW at 5000 rpm	280 Nm at 1800-4850 rpm

Dimensions and suspension

Compared to the W169 A-Class on which it was based, the W245 B-Class was 387 mm longer (4270 mm), 13 mm wider (1777 mm), 11 mm taller (1604 mm) and had a 210 mm longer wheelbase (2778 mm). Like the W169 A-Class , the B-Class featured Mercedes-Benz’s ‘sandwich’ floor concept which positioned the engine and transmission at an angle so that, in the event of a collision, they would move beneath the passenger cell. In addition to improved occupant protection, the design also contributed to a 200 mm higher seating position.

The W245 B-Class had MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Mercedes-Benz W245 B-Class included dual front airbags (with two-stage deployment), front side airbags (head/thorax), full-length curtain airbags, ABS, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, active front seat head restraints, front and outer rear seatbelt pre-tensioners and front seatbelt force limiters. From August 2007, rear side airbags were fitted as standard.

Euro NCAP crash testing

In Euro NCAP crash testing , the Mercedes-Benz W245 B 180 CDI received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 33.57 out of 37 – this result was achieved prior to the introduction of rear side airbags. In the frontal offset impact test, protection from serious leg injury was marginal for the driver, while there was a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver and passenger.

Features: Mercedes-Benz W245 B-Class

Standard features for the Mercedes-Benz W245 B-Class included 16-inch light-alloy wheels, an Audio 20 sound system with a single in-dash CD player and radio, air conditioning, a cooled glovebox, front and rear fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, 60/40 split and folding removable rear seats (with ski-hatch), a height adjustable load floor, multi-function steering wheel, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, height adjustable front seats, luggage compartment cover, tinted windows, tyre pressure monitoring, trip computer and immobiliser.

August 2007: B-Class update

In August 2007, the B-Class underwent a minor update; in addition to the rear side airbags, the B 200 Turbo was fitted with front and rear parking sensors (‘Parktronic’) and cruise control with speed limiter (‘Speedtronic’).

Review: Mercedes-Benz W245.II B-Class (2008-11)