Luxury Mercs, now available in small
New A-Class’ enlarged exterior plays it safe, but on the inside it’s spot the difference with an S-Class
So, the new A-Class – Merc’s biggest seller in the UK, and the smallest Mercedes that isn’t technically a Smart. Only now it’s bigger than ever: 30mm longer, with a 14mm wider front track, more shoulder-, head- and elbow-room and a more voluminous, more easily accessible boot than the car it replaces. Good news, we’re sure you’ll agree. But there is better, more interesting news elsewhere…
News, for example, of the all new MBUX infotainment system, which employs machine learning to “adapt to suit the user” and “create an emotional connection between the vehicle, driver and passengers”. So, for example, if you regularly switch to Radio 4 at 6pm for the news, the car will remember this and remind you.
Like the S- and E-Class, the A’s swish interior is dominated by two widescreen LCDs. We’ve never seen anything like it in the family hatch class. At their biggest they’re 10.25in across (no A-Class gets conventional dials, but two smaller 7in screens are standard). There’s one screen for the instruments, the other for nav, media etc with optional augmented reality tech that overlays POI and direction info on feeds from the car’s cameras.
The nav is a touchscreen, but swiping your fngers across touchpads on the steering wheel and centre console or shouting “Hey Mercedes” in its general direction will elicit a response. Merc is especially proud of its intelligent voice control, which it claims can understand and act on anything you might be tempted to ask it, however you decide to ask. Within reason, naturally.
It’s proud too of its new four-cylinder engines: 161bhp 1.4-litre and 221bhp 2.0-litre petrols in the A200 and A250, and a 114bhp 1.5-litre diesel in the A180d. The A200 and A180d will be available to order when pricing and specs are announced on 5 March, the A250 will follow in the summer and yet more engines will be added to the line-up soon, including a warm A35 AMG model before the year’s end, and full-fat A45 in 2019.
The 1.4 is all-new, and the other two developments of existing engines (with corresponding improvements in power and mpg). All three are clever in their own way. Especially that 1.4, which is the frst four-cylinder Merc engine with cylinder shut-of. All get seven-speed dual-clutch gearboxes, with manuals made available later (over half of all A-Classes ordered in UK are auto). All-wheel drive will be ofered on some models, and so too will active damping.
And obviously many driver assistance and safety systems, some borrowed and adapted from the S-Class. Merc says the A can drive “semi autonomously in certain situations”, thanks to
camera and radar systems that allow it to see 500m ahead, and the latest version of Distronic that predictively slows the car for oncoming bends, junctions and so on. Just like the S-Class. That’s optional, but Active Lane Assist and Brake Assist are both ftted as standard. Meanwhile adaptive headlamps, with 18 individually controlled LEDs each, are optional and, we’d imagine, exceptionally bright.
Much work has been done to make this A-Class more quiet and comfortable than the old one, which was not known for being either of those things. Mercedes claims it’s the most aerodynamic car in its class – which is as good for fuel economy as it is wind noise. The suspension and bodyshell play a role too. And all the efort will have been worth it – as the new A’s platform will spawn the next GLA and CLA.