Mercedes-Benz has made up its mind about how many compact cars it wants: eight. We think the B-Class should be credited with starting this whole thing because at 4,270mm, the original from 2005 was right-sized for its segment.
Daimler tried many things over the years, including chopping off the rear of the C-Class to make it a RWD compact. Nowadays, people want crossovers, and the Germans are understandably going to focus on that, but there's still a place for the B-Class.
That's why this all-new 2019 B-Class is currently undergoing testing in Germany. And by "all-new," we mean a big redesign of the older generation.
Everybody knows that tourers aren't as popular as they used to be. Volkswagen is cutting pretty much all of them from the roster, as will Ford and probably a few of the French automakers. That's why Mercedes-Benz didn't feel it's necessary to invest in a brand new chassis for a car that's only really going to sell in a few European countries.
But all the technology being stuffed into the 2019 B-Class is new, so it's like one of those delicious leftover turkey sandwiches. The engine range should go from 95 HP base 1.5-liter diesel to 224 HP 2.0-liter turbo. Along the way, Mercedes will sprinkle nearly all versions with its 7-speed gearbox.
We were hoping that a new 2.0-liter diesel would be taken from the E-Class and made to work on a FWD platform. But diesel car sales are dropping in all major European markets, as big cities are looking to ban them from their centers.
The 2019 B-Class will look most improved on the inside, where the current model still has as many buttons as an old Nokia communicator phone. Who remembers those? Anyway, the dual screen configurations (there's more than one) will be pulled straight out of the new A-Class.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News