Our second Mercedes Review Roundup of the day is of a distinctly more compact flavor, with the recently revised Mercedes-Benz A-Class and B-Class models again being critiqued for your reading pleasure.  As is the case with all our Review Roundups, you can find excerpts from each of the three featured reviews as well as links back to the full articles immediately below.

Enjoy.


Mercedes-Benz A-Class (via MSN Cars)
Reviewer's rating: 

"Visually, the 2008 facelift is a candidate for a seriously tricky spot the difference contest. There are distinctions - new three louvered grill, redesigned lights and bumpers - but they are very subtle. The A-Class has never been an exciting car, and it isn't about to get you all hot and bothered now.

Perfectly in keeping with its audience, then. It seems nobody in the UK bought the racy Sport and Turbo versions, so they've been dropped for our market, along with the basic, residual killing, Classic spec. But there is a new cup-holder design (wow!), some revised interior finishes, new kit, and some extra green technology.

As well as chopping away the dead trim levels, Mercedes UK has also wielded the engine axe, leaving just two petrol and two diesel engines, as listed above. We drove the range-topping A180 CDI diesel, and an A170 petrol fitted with a new Blue EFFICIENCY stop-start system, available from October.

Around a short city test route this 114bhp engine was far more pleasant than the 107bhp diesel - agreeably enthusiastic to the CDI's noisy clatter. The diesel does settle down, but not until you are well up to motorway speeds.  Neither version is going to sate an adrenalin junky, although 0-62mph takes just under 11 seconds in both cases - hardly making them mobile chicanes. But the A-Class responds best to a measured driving style; the suspension is soft, the steering very light and rather slow. B-roads definitely do not beckon.

It's an easy car punt around the city. But the ride doesn't absorb rippled surfaces as well as the soft suspension would suggest. Still, since waggling the steering wheel causes the body to roll all over the place, you can at least keep the kids quiet by threatening to induce motion sickness."

Read Full Review »



Mercedes-Benz A150 BlueEFFICIENCY (via Yahoo! Cars)
Reviewer's rating:  Unspecified

"The A150 BlueEfficiency is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine and features a stop-start system. It's this that helps the A150 BlueEfficiency reduce its consumption and emissions over its regular relatives. Like rivals' stop-start systems the Mercedes version shuts down the engine when it would otherwise be idling when stationary at traffic lights and junctions. To activate it all you need to do is select neutral and the engine cuts out. A clever starter-generator linked to the camshafts via a drive belt helps the car instantaneously start when you depress the clutch and engage first gear. Mercedes makes bold claims that its system is quieter than its rivals', but really there's nothing in it.

The 95bhp engine isn't exactly a fireball, though it is plenty quick enough in town traffic and will keep up on the motorway too. But the natural environment for such a system is in the city, where it can improve economy by around 6.5%. That might not sound like a lot, but the A150 is already a pretty efficient machine in the first place. In every other respect it drives much like any other A-Class, which means it's not a hugely entertaining car, but a practical, spacious and well-built one.

Clever as that stop-start system is it's hardly new technology, arch rivals BMW having had it on a far wider range of models for a while now. The improvements over the standard car are slight when it comes to consumption, the BlueEfficiency car only managing to add 3.2mpg to the conventional A150 on the official combined cycle. The emissions drop isn't massive either: 139g/km compared to 148g/km. But if you're a town dweller with a nasty stop-start commute in traffic the BlueEfficiency's fuel and CO2 saving system will add to its green appeal."

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class (via Auto Express)
Reviewer's rating: 

"Well, if success was judged on styling alone, the fresh B-Class would be a guaranteed hit. A meaner-looking front grille, revised bumper and modified nose all enhance the design, giving a sporty yet elegant appearance. Tall tail-lights, 17-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels and flowing lines down the side panels complete the changes.

Inside, you would be hard-pressed to notice the differences between this and the previous car. The high seats continue to offer a good driving position and all-round visibility, there is plenty of headroom for all the occupants and three people can comfortably sit in the back, where legroom is almost on a par with the S-Class.

As with the original B-Class, the newcomer is fun to drive. The ride is smooth and the handling impressive, although the steering can feel lifeless, especially at higher speeds.

Prices have increased. Our model is £20,850, while the range starts at £18,840 for the B150 – it used to be £17,710 – and rises to £22,540. That puts the Mercedes up against some talented and more modern competitors, including the Volkswagen Golf Plus and Mazda 5. There’s no disputing the quality on offer inside, but for the money most buyers will probably want more space and practicality."

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And to Shiv, we've lost count how many tips you've sent over the past several days, but we are grateful for each and every one.  Thanks yet again for the hard work.