Mercedes B-Class review - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

Unlike some of its rivals – most notably the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer – there’s no plug-in hybrid version of the B-Class available in the UK, which means you’re restricted to one traditional diesel engine and one mild-hybrid petrol engine. Not that this means anything other than impressive levels of fuel economy.

The diesel B 220 d uses a 2.0-litre engine and will return up to 55.4mpg while emitting 135-145g/km of CO2. Predictably, the petrol-powered B 200 isn’t as efficient, but Mercedes says you can expect fuel economy of up to 45.6mpg, with CO2 emissions standing at between 138 and 147g/km, depending on the trim level. 

Entry-level versions of the B-Class will cost £180 per year in road tax, but go easy on the options if you want to avoid creeping through the £40,000 barrier, which would result in a £390 annual surcharge, bringing your total VED bill to £570. For company drivers, the B-Class attracts a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rate of between 32 and 34 per cent, compared with the plug-in hybrid BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, which sits in the much lower 8 per cent band.

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Insurance groups

Both the petrol B 200 and diesel B 220 d fall into insurance groups 22 to 24, depending on your exact specification, which is a close match for the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer in insurance groups 22 to 33.

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Depreciation

The previous Mercedes B-Class held its value better than the majority of its mainstream rivals, and our latest expert data suggests the recently facelifted MPV should retain around 53 per cent of its original value after three years and 36,000 miles of ownership.

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