MERCEDES' MARKETING MATERIAL for the new B-Class describes it as, "an innovative car concept with a high level of spacious comfort and an exciting design for dynamic driving pleasure." I'm not sure what to glean from this exactly, save for the niggling thought that the car company doth protest too much.

If you build a car that's slightly larger than an otherwise identical car in your lineup, cynics will have a field day. Which is why Mercedes has gone to all the trouble of properly establishing some context for the new B-Class.

You do get the impression however, that the car doesn't need quite such a hefty leg up from the marketing department, as on paper it more than easily stands as a perfectly competent vehicle in its own right.

The fact is, however, that the Multi-Purpose Vehicle or MPV segment is getting more popular by the second, and if you can gain a competitive edge by forcibly differentiating the segment, then why not?

The B-Class, therefore, is part of a new range within a range, the Mercedes Sports Tourers. The other vehicle that comprises this new range is the upmarket R-Class six-seater and the two closely share stylistic elements. With its deep side creases and pronouncedly flared front wheel arches, you won't be mistaking this car for an A-Class.

Based on the latter, the B-Class benefits from a sandwich-floor chassis design that allows for a flat floor in the cabin. This design also offers a safety benefit as the engine is designed to slide under the passenger compartment in the event of a prang, and as occupants sit higher due to the sandwich floor, they're further away from typical impact zones.

There's a lot of tech available too. For example, the electro-mechanical power steering works with the stability control programs to apply corrective steering lock in emergency situations, and electronic dampers automatically adjust their stiffness, moderating body roll in corners.

DRIVING IT

CarBuyer sampled Mercedes' newly-developed turbocharged in-line four cylinder engine in both manual and automatic guises, the unit develops 193bhp and 280Nm of torque. Progress is expectedly brisk and there's plenty of grunt to make overtaking an easy affair.

The new continuously variable transmission is smooth and gearshifts can be effected via paddles behind the wheel, the system is very responsive too. The only tradeoff is a slight blunting of outright performance.

The best things about the drive are the ride and refinement. The cabin is extremely well insulated, which helps a long way to making long journeys seem short and the suspension does a limousine's job of filtering out road imperfections.

The B-Class is available with a Sports package that comprises stiffer suspension and sticky Continental Sport Contact 2 tyres. The higher levels of grip are undeniable but the sportier suspension and the sticky tyres seem to amplify steering inputs a fraction of a second after you make them, which means constantly having to moderate the amount of lock, even in smooth corners with constant radii.

The electric power steering in the standard setup feels considerably more linear. However, the fact that you sit fairly high up, while great for visibility means that the sensation of body roll is magnified. Drive the B-Class with a modicum of hooliganism and you'll quickly make your passengers ill. Remarkably though, ride quality and refinement were nigh on identical with both Sports and standard setups.

INSIDE IT

There's more space inside the B-Class than there would appear to be from the outside. The boot is generous for a car this size and should comfortably swallow family luggage for a weekend getaway.

You can liberate more space by folding the rear seats forward. Removing the rear seats completely is a fairly easy task and by doing so, you essentially get a van.

You can opt to have the front passenger seat removable as well, leaving just the driver's seat. This leaves you with a load area that looks more than long enough to accommodate a surf board.

The dashboard architecture is similar to that of the A-Class'. The materials used are generally of high quality while fit and finish are also superb. The panoramic sunroof is a neat option as it makes the cabin pleasantly light and airy, it's tinted so most of the heat, even from the fierce Spanish sun, is kept out.

One essential option is the park assist system. As the B-Class' bonnet slopes away dramatically, you can't actually see where the nose begins.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

At the time of writing, Mercedes-Benz had yet to release any information on a specific date for a local launch, let alone details on prices and trim levels. Specs are still undecided too. Mercedes only launches the new A-Class here on May 13th so that makes it slightly difficult to suggest a relative ballpark figure.

If the price of the new A-Class gets bumped up by 10 percent over the old, it might be fair to say that the B-Class might be priced an additional 10 percent on top of that. Which should put the entry-level B-Class round about the $125,000 to $130,000 mark. Expect the car tested here to be considerably more.

VERDICT

Apart from the badge cachet, the B-Class is comfortable, roomy, has as versatile an interior as any car and it looks good too.

It's also probably safe to say that people aren't going to be abandoning other MPV brands in droves simply because of the B-Class' expected premium pricing, but that said, Mercedes does intend for this car to spearhead take-up for a whole new market segment.

It will be interesting to see from exactly where these new customers will come from.

NEED TO KNOW

Model Mercedes-Benz B 200 Turbo
Engine 2,034cc 8V in-line 4
Max Power 193bhp at 5,000rpm
Max Torque 280Nm at 1,800rpm
Gearbox 6-speed manual
Top Speed 225km/h
0-100 km/h 7.6 seconds
Price To be announced
Warranty To be announced
Contact Cycle & Carriage at 6298-1818

SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN

Renault Scenic $85,888 with COE

Renault's compact MPV doesn't have quite as versatile an interior as the B-Class' but it's attractively styled both inside and out, and it's hard to argue with the price. The 2.0-litre Grand scenic seats seven.

Volkswagen Golf Plus $TBA

Like the Golf, but bigger. Volkswagen's plus-sized Golf (hence the name) seems very similar on paper to the B-Class and rumour has it that there are plans afoot to offer this variant locally.