We say The old B-Class is surprisingly agile and it’s well put together, but it is expensive there are more appealing options.Performance The 1.7- and 1.8-litre petrols have power, but deliver it quickly. Either diesel is worth a look due to their impressive running costs but offer decent performance.Emissions The best-performing 2.0-litre diesel delivers under 140g/km of CO2 emissions and close to 50mpg. However, the petrol engines fall under the BlueEfficiency eco-signature and are relatively cheap to run as well.Driving Not the sportiest car but it is surprisingly agile despite its box-like shape. Mercedes has put a lot of effort into its handling and dampers.Feel The B-Class is usually hushed inside the cabin, unless you're flogging one of the smaller engines. It can get a bit choppy at motorway speeds as well.Space The boot is also big and there's loading space aplenty with the seats folded. The B-Class is one of the more practical cars in the MPV segment and can even be specified with the rear seats taken out if needed.Equipment Electric windows, CD player and aircon are standard. Anything else you want you'll have to pay for.Price The B-Class costs around the £20,000 mark which puts it towards the higher end of compact MPVs. It is expensive but residuals are good.Quality The Mercedes B-Class is a typical Merc in that its quality is impressive despite older versions offering some questionable plastics inside. Despite this it is well put together and should be reliable.Safety Traction control, ABD, airbags everywhere, sandwich floor means the engines won't slam into your knees at 50mph.Pros The Mercedes B-Class is a versatile, spacious and sportier compact MPV which surprises with an impressive ride around the city.Cons It is expensive for what you get and new, more efficient rivals means its running costs are slightly higher. Rivals offer more for the money.Alternatives Nissan Qashqai, Honda FR-V, Ford C-Max
