In the early 1990s, if you wanted to buy a premium Mercedes-Benz vehicle, the most affordable option you had was the C-Class sedan. However, it was still quite expensive and thus, not really very affordable after all. All that changed when in 1997, Mercedes-Benz launched the A-Class hatchback which soon became the entry-level model in the company’s lineup.
At present, the latest iteration of the A-Class is still the cheapest Mercedes-Benz passenger car. Its competition in the region includes the likes of the BMW 1-Series, Audi A3 Sportback, Volkswagen Golf, and Lexus CT.
Exterior
Despite its lower starting price when compared to the C-Class, the exterior of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class looks just as premium and upmarket. The front grille has an interesting ripple pattern with a single chrome strip, along with a massive logo in the middle. Also, the stylish front bumper houses faux and real air intake vents.
The side profile is accentuated by a raising beltline, sloping roofline, prominent character lines on the doors, and bulging fenders with large alloy wheels which gives the A-Class a ground hugging, sporty appearance. At the back, you get a rooftop spoiler, a really narrow window, posh LED taillights, and a beefy bumper with a flush diffuser, twin-exhausts, and what appears to be faux air vents.
In comparison to some rivals, the Mercedes A-Class is slightly shorter at 4.292 meters, but boasts a longer wheelbase of 2.699 meters. Other crucial exterior dimensions of the new A-Class (A250 Sport) are a width of 1.780 meters and height of 1.433 meters. Being a rather small hatchback, the boot space of the A-Class is 341 liters – not shabby, but nothing to boast about either.
Interior
The interior of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class feels alright and gets some neat touches to elevate its posh persona. Soft-touch materials, sports seats, and even suede are all available. However, the A-Class isn’t very spacious and can feel a little cramped for tall passengers. Due to that, there’s practically only space for 4 adults if adequate space and comfort is needed for everybody.
Sporty and cool as it might be, some of the plastics and materials in this cabin do feel low-budget and tacky, which is a letdown. However, we have no complaints as far as the general build quality and styling is concerned. On the features front, the A-Class can be had with Alcantara trim, a flat-bottom multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, electric sunroof, keyless entry with push-start, selectable drive modes, paddle shifters, adaptive dampers, automatic headlights and wipers, COMAND infotainment display with navigation, and many more.
On the safety front, the Mercedes A-Class gets as standard 7 airbags, ABS, EBD, brake assist, hill hold assist, driver attention assist, electronic stability program, traction control, ISOFIX anchor points, front and back parking sensors and a rearview camera.
Engine and performance
The Mercedes-Benz A250 Sport and A 45 AMG come with a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder petrol engine, and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. In the former, this motor produces 211 HP and 350 Nm of torque. Powering the front wheels, the Sport will hit 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 240 km/h.
Meanwhile, the A 45 AMG is blessed with 381 HP and 475 Nm of torque, plus an all-wheel-drive system. Its top speed is limited to 250 km/h, while the 0-100 km/h run takes just north of 4 seconds. Fuel consumption figure for the two variants is 5.5/ and 6.9L/100 km, respectively.
Verdict
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class costs between AED 169,000 to AED 249,900. Cost of insurance ranges between AED 3,803 to AED 5,623.
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