[surgvij]

I do own a B class. Bought it last June. But it's a petrol motor as diesel was not available then. The car is a daily drive for my parents. We live in a small town and the distance from my house to hospital is about 2 kms. The car has clocked about 4000 kms till now. Now about the car, positives first,
1. A true Merc. Brilliant interiors. Love the air con cents.
2. Interior is very roomy.
3. Getting in and getting out of the car is not back breaking.
4. Stylish DRL'S
5. The gear selector mounted to the steering frees up space in the middle and is so easy to use.
6. Good visibility for city commute.
7. Panoramic sun roof

Negatives
1. Pretty boring to drive. The engine is a bit sluggish in D mode. In S mode and manual mode ( using paddles) the engine response improves noticeably but still leaves some thing to be desired.
2. Ride is quite harsh. It may be because the petrol version comes with 17 inch low profile tyres. I believe the diesel version comes with 16 inchers hence better ride quality.
3. A space saver spare sits in the boot exposed and eats up into storage space. If u need boot space leave the spare at home. Not a great idea in my region.
4. The rear seats have very short under thigh support.
5.The local Merc dealer can't hold a candle to the local Audi dealer who takes care of my Audi A6.

To conclude I would say the B class would be the ideal city run about for your grandpa but will not impress a driving enthusiast like you. Thanks.

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by Wanderers

Hi Adi,

I thought of suggesting to try X1 as well as I feel its comparable to B Class.
But I found B-class seating comfort much better than X1 and this could be a big differentiator for your Grandpa.

For a driver, I feel that X1 is certainly a better car than B-Class.

Hi Wanderers, the X1 is already a part of the family along with two other BMWs which is why I'm more tilting towards the Merc and other alternatives. And as you said the B kinda rides better and is a tad more comfortable than the X1.

Originally Posted by mp417

I had a chance to drive B-Class yesterday. The ingress and egress is very easy in B-class. As you have already mentioned that your grandma faced difficulty in A-Class. IMO this is an important factor.
I also liked the seat height and position. Not very low as sedans and not too high as SUVs. This helps getting out of the car very easy and ensures there less pressure on your knees. Found the power of B-Class acceptable. Passenger leg room and head room is excellent. Paddle shifts are very useful. I would recommend B-Class for sure. Also the triple star will give a lot of satisfaction to your grandpa

"The ingress and egress is very easy in B-class.", "seat height and position", "Passenger leg room and head room is excellent" = These are playing the important part in the decision making... I haven't driven the Mini yet so as people suggested I'll check it once and make the final decision.

[the_skyliner]

Get the B. As already said by someone, ingress and egress is very easy and that matters for grandparents. The driving position is also excellent for our road conditions especially in monsoon.

When I had seen this car first time I too didn't like it but after driving it I found it quite a comfortable car for city driving.

A is very uncomfortable to drive and neither does it give driving pleasure. Then better go for 1-series than A.

I heard there are some good offers going on for B.

[AdiSinghV12]

Ok guys so I did check out the Cooper D... It felt much slower then the B Class and even lacked space so it's out of the list now... The 1 series lacks equipment until it's a sport plus which isn't that VFM... How bout throwing in the Q3 Quattro? Or will it be a bit too big for daily use by him?

@skyliner: sadly only 75k cash on 'ex showroom + insurance' on MY14.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

Ok guys so I did check out the Cooper D... It felt much slower then the B Class and even lacked space so it's out of the list now... The 1 series lacks equipment until it's a sport plus which isn't that VFM... How bout throwing in the Q3 Quattro? Or will it be a bit too big for daily use by him?

@skyliner: sadly only 75k cash on 'ex showroom + insurance' on MY14.

Just for the kicks, please have them test drive the Polo TSI. It is not in the same "premium" league as the cars you are considering, but I was very impressed with it. To be honest, none of the cars you listed evoke excitement. Mercedes B class looks like a mini-Innova with after market DRLs. If you really want to buy one from this segment, I would think fully loaded 1-series probably works out to be a good choice.

[Naman_Ferrari]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

Ok guys so I did check out the Cooper D... It felt much slower then the B Class and even lacked space so it's out of the list now... The 1 series lacks equipment until it's a sport plus which isn't that VFM... How bout throwing in the Q3 Quattro? Or will it be a bit too big for daily use by him?

@skyliner: sadly only 75k cash on 'ex showroom + insurance' on MY14.

I think that it is a good idea to consider the Audi.
Audi is known for their SUV's and I think the Q3 is a great looking car.
It is bigger than the B but I think it would be manageable.
So do check it out

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by androdev

Just for the kicks, please have them test drive the Polo TSI. It is not in the same "premium" league as the cars you are considering, but I was very impressed with it. To be honest, none of the cars you listed evoke excitement. Mercedes B class looks like a mini-Innova with after market DRLs. If you really want to buy one from this segment, I would think fully loaded 1-series probably works out to be a good choice.

Ah yes the Merc might look a little boxy but the reason I'm considering it is because it has the best interior around and is probably the best hatchback we have on sale when it comes to interiors... The DCT is lightening quick so it makes it very usable in traffic. No turbo lag whatsoever and the refinement level is good as well. The 1 series is a bit overpriced and there are already three other Bimmers in the family which he can take out whenever he wants (though he very rarely does that)...

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

I think that it is a good idea to consider the Audi.
Audi is known for their SUV's and I think the Q3 is a great looking car.
It is bigger than the B but I think it would be manageable.
So do check it out

Yup... Now it's like the Merc B-Class or Audi Q3 or the Volvo. The Mini is out of consideration thanks to the cramped interiors...

[Naman_Ferrari]

The Volvo V40 seems to be a really nice car and looks the best of the lot in my opinion.
However, just read the link below if you haven't as the prices of Volvo's are likely to fall as they are starting local assembly.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...bly-india.html

[AdiSinghV12]

After driving, seeing and analysing all other options the final decision taken is the B-Class MY14. I'm planning to show him both the diesel and petrol variants this weekend and closing the deal.

[RohanDheman]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

After driving, seeing and analysing all other options the final decision taken is the B-Class MY14. I'm planning to show him both the diesel and petrol variants this weekend and closing the deal.

Excellent decision!
Did the leads in Delhi help?

Rohan

[aseemsood]

Originally Posted by veedub89

What timing!
I am in the process of writing my ownership review of the Merc B Class which I picked up last month.

Hi,
I am seriously considering the B180 CDI and may purchase it in the next 2 days. I am keenly waiting for your review. By when do you think you will be able to add it? Look forward. Thanks!

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by RohanDheman

Excellent decision!
Did the leads in Delhi help?

Rohan

Ah yes bro! I called him and he told me that you have briefed about me and my requirement...but he never got back to me with details despite sending him a couple of reminders so in touch with a friend from Mumbai who's working as a manager with one of the dealers... However, I'm in Delhi and will be showing the car to grandparents this weekend at T&T... Lined it up for Saturday! Thanks for everything!

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

After driving, seeing and analysing all other options the final decision taken is the B-Class MY14. I'm planning to show him both the diesel and petrol variants this weekend and closing the deal.

How did your experience with the Volvo V40 go? I know you have made your decision but just interested in your experience with the V40 and its comparison with the B class.

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

How did your experience with the Volvo V40 go? I know you have made your decision but just interested in your experience with the V40 and its comparison with the B class.

Honestly speaking after showing them the Mini they were like no more test drives please so couldn't really show them the V40... There are lots of bells and whistles attached when it comes to the lil swedish boy but the B Class just suits the purpose in this case. It's a simple hatchback or as they say a Luxury Tourer which is good for city use, the ingress and egress is easy, the 7G-DCT gearbox is awesome and always eager to shift and I loved their brake assist thing...and the overall brake feel... Personally I kinda liked the brakes of the B180 more than that of my 320d ///M Sports (Yeah my baby will be ///M Sports when I get her back from the service centre) and even the engine feels a bit more refined (Though I love the F30 the way it is)

[IshaanIan]

My friend was in the luxury hatchback segment and she was absolutely pleased with the V40. I would really recommend it to your parents. One last test drive wouldn't hurt now would it The B-Class stands out as the only really practical car amongst the Krauts and I would still congratulate you on the car BUT the Volvo is the only other car that can compete with it and it just doesn't sit well with me knowing that you couldn't give it a chance. It strikes a perfect balance between practical and desireable IMO.

Still believe the B180 was a solid decision so wish your parents several trouble free kilometers in that thing if you're still sticking with it

Cheers!