Mercedes B-class

20/07/2008 07:24. Unlike some car companies, Mercedes names its cars in a straightforward fashion. The B-class sits between the A-class compact people carrier and the C-class saloon. Mercedes markets it as a “sports tourer” yet its styling suggests that whoever is at the wheel will be spending more time on the school run than at Silverstone.

The engine lineup confirms this: virtually identical to that of the A-class, it is a mix of economically minded four-cylinder diesels and petrols. The hottest, a turbocharged 2 litre petrol, provides a glimmer of sporting prowess, but with a relatively modest 140bhp propelling a not insubstantial mass of 3,020lb, the B-class performs with the reluctance of parents at the school sports day.

And then there’s the interior. Open any of the long doors - designed to... // Times Online