Stuttgart, Germany - Mercedes-Benz has detailed its updated B-Class MPV, due to debut at the Paris motor show in October 2014.
It'll be launched in South Africa in the second quarter of 2015 - although truth to tell we think you'll have to look carefully to see the differences - visually anyway - in what the maker is calling a major facelift.
The new B-Class will be available in Europe in a range of five diesel, four petrol one natural-gas and one battery-powered variant, some with optional all-2wheel drive - not all of which will be coming to South Africa, however.
NEATER FRONT TREATMENT
The most noticeable is in the front treatment, with a new bumper, wide radiator trim with two louvres and daytime running lamps now inside in the headlight clusters for a neater look; LED headlights are an option.
Inside, the free-standing centre display is larger (now 203mm) and the instrument cluster has been revised, while the ambient light now offers a choice of 12 colours. Keyless locking, opening and starting (as long as you have the car's fob on you) is also an option now.
The safety suite has been upgraded to include autonomous partial braking to reduce the risk of rear-end collisions, while the attention assist feature's speed range has been extend to cover 60 -200km/h using a five-stage bar display to visualise the driver's current attention level.
MOTORVATION
Turbodiesels start with the 1461cc B160 CDI, B180 CDI and B180 CDI BlueEfficiency, rated at 66kW/240Nm and 80kW/260Nm respectively (the BlueEfficiency version is quoted at the same output but considerably lower consumption and emissions), and move on to the 2143cc B200 CDI and B220 CDI, rated at 100kW/300Nm and 130kW/350 respectively, each optionally available in all-wheel drive.
Petrols (also all turbocharged) start with the 1595 B180, B180 BE and B200 (90kW/200Nm, 90kW/200Nm and 115kW/250Nm respectively), with the 1991cc B220 4Matic and B250 leading the charge at 135kW/300Nm and 155kW and 350Nm respectively.
Transmission is by six-speed manual on base models, with seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions either optional or standard across the rest of the range.