Avoid: No year grades F. Weakest: 2015
Best: 2016
4 model years of NHTSA owner complaints and recalls · How we grade
Across 4 model years, the Mercedes-Benz B-class has 78 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are power train and engine. 2015 drew the most complaints (28), 2016 the fewest (9).
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for Mercedes-Benz B-class vehicles (US, public record).
Complaint volume by model year. Raw NHTSA totals, not adjusted for sales volume or time on the road, so older and higher-selling years accumulate more. Every year links to its full breakdown.
Highest: 2015 (28 complaints). Lowest: 2016 (9).
\nSentiment is mixed and highly dependent on the specific powertrain and model year. The gasoline and diesel variants of the W246 generation are generally praised by owners for their practicality, spacious interior, comfortable ride, and fuel efficiency.
Electric motor prone to internal coolant leaks, leading to extremely expensive replacement.
Battery pack replacement costs are "thousands and thousands of dollars.".
Instances of cars with "dodgy repairs" (e.g., badly repaired oil sump) leading to significant issues.
Lack of interior hatch release, lack of backup camera (on a 2016 model).
Scraping the underside on speed bumps is reported as frequent.
Owner insights cover all generations of the B-class. Individual model years are broken down above.
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