Because of its minivan nature, the B-Class might not be among the top five of important debuts scheduled for next week’s Paris Motor Show, but it’s still a relevant car for a well-established segment of the market. It’s for those in need of a small, yet roomy vehicle perfect for the family without having to hop on the crossover craze. With Mercedes phasing out the CLA Shooting Brake and not considering an A-Class Estate, this will be the company’s most practical compact model.
As you may recall, a spy video we published earlier this month depicting a nearly camo-free prototype showed us the exterior design of the revamped B-Class. Now, Mercedes is allowing us to have a look inside the cabin by showing off the voluminous cargo area expandable by folding down the rear bench.
The Mercedes of minivans is coming:
In the background, you can see most of the dashboard design. To the surprise of no one, it’s largely inherited from the regular A-Class hatchback. The more expensive versions of the B-Class are expected to have the same pair of 10.25-inch screens part of Mercedes’ new MBUX infotainment system will be seeing more of in the future on virtually all models.
Mercedes is being coy on details, but it has mentioned the next-gen B-Class will be more spacious than its predecessor. As a reminder, the outgoing model offers 488 liters of cargo with the rear seats in place and 1,545 liters once you fold them down. The adjacent teaser video reveals the 60:40 split-folding configuration of the rear seats has been replaced by a more practical 33:33:33 layout. Fold it down and there’s enough space for a canoe as well as your gear.
Featuring S-Class-derived safety tech, the new B-Class will rival the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer once it will go on sale towards the end of the year or early 2019. We’ll see it first next Tuesday at the Paris Motor Show where it will sit alongside the automaker’s other world debuts, specifically the A35 4Matic, GLE, and EQC.
Video: Mercedes-Benz
Gallery: 2019 Mercedes B-Class teasers
