A few questions for current owners

[kish]

I've been researching B-class for a while, but haven't gotten a chance to test-drive it yet.
Plus no guarantees the car I test drive will have the options I am looking for and dealers are not much help

1) For base cars (without Multimedia package) does the phone system automatically sync the phonebook over bluetooth and allow you to just speak the contact name?
Or do you have to individually program voice tags for each contact?

2) Does the blind-spot assist package also provide cross-traffic alert? That's the warning when trying to back up and there is a car approaching from the side that you usually wouldn't be able to see until your car is 3/4 out of the parking spot.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cossie1600]

#1 Yes, but the voice recognition sucks so bad that it will probably never get it right.

#2 No

 

[wtzouris]

I agree with those answers. The COMAND is pretty bad with the voice recognition. Just use Siri and an iPhone for everything.

 

[renault19]

#2: no.

I have blind spot assist and it works great on expressways or the freeway. The feature does its best by night.
However, when you make a turn at an intersection and have the turn signal blinking, you may get a few beeps, when there is another car turning in the lane next to the lane you drive.

Visibility when backing up is not bad, but not great. With not great I mean: you'll have to figure out something about the headrests obstructing visibility above the rears seats - either remove them, or raise them all the way up. I find the rear window shield on the B small, compared to other "hatchbacks" I drove in the past. Lateral visibilty through the rear passenger windows is good though.

 

[kish]

Thank all for your replies.

It's unfortunate that this day and age voice recognition in luxury cars still doesn't work well.

It's also unfortunate that MB didn't include cross-traffic alert - the hardware is there - this feature should use the same blind-spot sensors.
Other manufacturers usually bundle these two together.

 

[Halin75]

Well, I can’t help you in this but one of friends might help you out. Actually he is an experienced instructor at a Port Macquarie Driving School and has really good knowledge about it. If you want his contact details then PM me!