Upscale fuel sipper still fits the bill

Since its North American introduction in 2006, the Mercedes B-Class has been one of those vehicles that defies description. Some call it a crossover model, others consider it to be a cut-down minivan. Mercedes classes it as a "sport tourer" and it's based on the company's A-class hatchback that was sold in Europe.

However you categorized it, the B200 came with a perfect sense of timing. Four years ago, the North American car market was ripe for an upscale, space-efficient fuel sipper, and this little people-carrier fit the bill nicely. It still does.

Power was delivered by a transversely mounted, 2.0-litre, overhead-camshaft four-cylinder with two valves per cylinder and 134 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 136 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. In these days of multi-valve, multi-cam engines, that was a little unusual, and Mercedes appeared to going for durability as opposed to performance.

That said, you could also order a turbocharged version of this engine, which bumped the power up substantially - to more than 190 horsepower, putting the 1,270-kilogram B200T close to the "pocket rocket" category.

Three transmissions were available: five-speed manual, CVT and, with the Turbo, a six-speed manual option. This was one of those rare times when the automatic was almost as good a choice as the manual gearbox, as Mercedes engineers incorporated "ghost" gearing into the CVT, so that it actually mimicked a conventional geared transmission - in this case, a seven-speed - with shift points and a discernible kick-down for overtaking.

Fuel economy was also a big part of the equation. In town, an '06 B200 delivered 9.2 L/100 km and 6.7 L/100 km on the highway. These were decent numbers, but not the best in this category. Interestingly, the Turbo version with the CVT has about the same fuel consumption as the non-turbo, while the manual six-speed seems to be a little thirstier. However, both versions require premium fuel, which is a bit of a drawback.

Then, as now, the B200 was all about practicality. In Europe, they were pressed into service as taxi-cabs, and the combination of a high roofline and sensibly placed seats provided for plenty of interior elbow room, although, because the floor is raised a little, getting in and out of the vehicle could be a little complicated for some people. That said, tall folks are treated to all kinds of front-seat legroom once they're aboard.

All occupants, regardless of their size, will feel like they're in a Mercedes. The B200 may have been the company's entry-level model, but interior ambience didn't suffer and was equal to almost anything else the company built.For its $30,950 base price, the B200 came fully equipped. Things like power windows and door locks, keyless entry, air conditioning, steering-wheel-mounted controls for the stereo and cellphone, and even an air-conditioned glove box were standard issue with the base model and you could order leather interior and a huge sunroof, among other things.

The Turbo version was $4,000 pricier than its normally aspirated stable-mate and both versions offered decent storage space. Fold down the back seats and you got 1,140 litres of room.

A word about safety. Because of its so-called "sandwich" body design, laser-welded cross-beams, anti-locking brakes and traction and stability control systems, the B200 was also as safe as most of Mercedes' full-size offerings. In the event of a front-end accident, the entire drivetrain is designed to slide under the vehicle, and, theoretically at least, spare front seat occupants from serious injury. It also had ABS as standard equipment.

Because the B200 is a Canada-only vehicle, there is no data from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety regarding crash-test worthiness, but the European NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) gives this vintage of the B200 five stars - its top rating - for front and side impact safety.

This is reflected in Transport Canada's safety recall list for 2006. There are just two, comparatively minor, contretemps to report. One is for a possibly defective windshield wiper motor (front and back), the other for inaccurate instructions in the owner's manual regarding fastening child restraints. There is also a small computer glitch for '07 and '08 models, which affects dashboard functions, fuel pump and other electrical accessories, but the 2006 model is exempt from this.

Because the B200 has not been sold in the United States to this point, the U.S. NHTSA has no reliability info or projections on the B200. Nor does Consumer Reports or market research firm J.D. Power.

In terms of resale value, a four-year-old B200 seems to be worth anywhere from $15,000 to $17,000, with the Turbo version running about $2,000 higher than the base model.

2006 Mercedes-Benz B200

Original Base Price: $30,950-$34,950; Black Book Value: $15,825-$17,400; Red Book Value: $15,000-$17,150

Engine: Normally aspirated and turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder

Horsepower/Torque:

• 134 hp/136 lb-ft for normally aspirated
• 193 hp/206 lb-ft for turbocharged

Transmission: Five- and six-speed manual/CVT automatic

Drive: Front-wheel-drive

Fuel Economy (litres/100 km): 9.2 city/6.7 highway (non-turbo with CVT); premium gas

Alternatives: Toyota Yaris, Smart fortwo, Volkswagen Golf, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Chevrolet Aveo, Mazda3

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