AFTER doing this job for a while you get a feel for the class and price of car you are driving.

So when I slipped inside the Mercedes B200, cast a critical eye over the pleasant interior and took a quick spin round the block, it seemed evident to me that it was worth about £20,000.

How shocked was I when I looked at the laminated spec sheet left inside the vehicle to discover the price was more than £26,500.

Closer inspection revealed the reason why. That lovely louvered sunroof wasn't standard, it was £780; that excellent command control centre that looked after the satnav and audio was an extra too, and one that weighed in at a hefty £1,700; the sports suspension, the leather electric seats, the big alloys; the etc etc.

The extras, when subtracted from the equation, took the price back down to about 20K, which is where a car of this class ought to be.

With profit margins cut to the bone the only way to make money on cars nowadays is to get the prospective owner to load them with expensive luxuries.

Accessories apart, the medium-sized Mercedes isn't a bad car in which to go from A to B. If the entry-level Mercedes A Class is just that bit too small, then the B takes up the running with larger boot and more accommodating cabin.

It's a queer-looking fish, kind of people-carrier-ish in a car-like fashion and difficult to pigeonhole. But it is a Mercedes and does carry the all-important three-pointed star.

It also drives rather well I had ordered the petrol turbo version so was a bit non-plussed by the performance at first. Then I realised that it was in fact the normally-aspirated 2.0 petrol and things didn't seem too bad.

There's power enough to get you to 60mph in ten seconds and more than enough to overtake in safety. It will also return mid-30s miles per gallon so it should prove reasonably economical to run. If you want more go for the excellent diesel.

Driver and passengers sit high, looking down haughty noses at the rest of the world, which isn't a bad thing. Thankfully, this affects the handling little and the B is a nice car to drive down twisty country roads. Ride is good, handling confident and the steering sharp with plenty of feel.

Like a fine wine the B Class improves the longer you have it.

It won't be to everyone's tastes but it certainly won over my delicate palate.