Riding on an upgraded platform from the previous generation, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz B-Class is right around the corner. Scheduled to premiere next week at the Paris Motor Show, the purpose of the family-friendly hatchback is to steal sales from the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.
Taking inspiration from the A-Class both inside and out, the B-Class ships with MBUX infotainment. Range-topping configurations come with two 10.25-inch displays, one for the infotainment system and the other serving as an all-digital instrument cluster.
The video preview for the W247 showcases the individual folding seats (40:20:40), bringing the point home in regard to practicality. Even with the seats in their normal position, the trunk appears massive for the compact segment, let alone a multi-purpose vehicle. Even though there’s no ski and snowboard hatch, there’s no problem in folding the center seat down to get your gear inside the B-Class.
On closer inspection, the car in the clip also features turbine-styled illuminated air vents and full-LED lighting technology. Mercedes-Benz is working on an all-electric powertrain for EVA II platform-based vehicles, but the EQB won’t serve as a replacement for the B-Class Electric Drive. The lesser brother of the EQC will share most of its components with the GLB-Class, which will premiere in 2019 for the 2020 model year.
As a redesign of the previous generation, the W247 won’t surprise anyone as far as the engine range is concerned. Four-cylinder turbo options will do the talking, and if we take the W177 at face value, then the 1.3-liter engine co-developed with Renault should be available in the B-Class too.
The OM608 and M260 powerplants are also expected, along with the choice between six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There's talk of a rear-mounted electric motor for two plug-in hybrid variants, but nothing is official at this point.
After it premieres on October 2nd in Paris, the third generation of the B-Class will go on sale in December 2018. The first examples, therefore, will arrive at dealers no later than February 2019.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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