Merc A 200 nippy, unf lustered
Does a small premium hatch have a hope in a market dominated by SUVs? Mercedes thinks so, writes Richard Bosselman.
Such is the market’s fixation on crossovers and sports utilities, it would be easy to imagine any car without an elevated ride height and an air of off-road ability might as well head back to where it came from, right?
As much as this proposal might be backed by stats, it’s still defeatist talk to Mercedes Benz here.
The New Zealand distributor for the world’s oldest car brand is neither blind nor immune to where consumer tastes are travelling. Just recently it witnessed the fall of the C-Class sedan. Having impressively withstood convention in being the brand’s top-seller for the past two years, the ‘‘C’’ has finally been toppled as the top trumps performer by its crossover cousin, the GLC.
The rise of the quasi mudmachines has not altered conviction that proper cars still have a future.
Hence why such a hard push with the A-class. The fourthgeneration of the baby Benz starts with the A 200 on test here and an A 250, but more will come over the next 14 months. Bookends of an A 180 and two fiery AMG variants in the fivedoor hatchback form that presents now, plus a sedan.
Those who crunch registrations might wonder if that’s a lot of effort for potentially little result. Premium small cars, after all, were rare fare here even before the allterrain abdication began and have slipped further into nichedom since.
Nonetheless, time with the A 200 impressed that it holds several aces that might well allow it to achieve superior penetration to that presently being achieved by the two models it specifically sets out to better, the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series.
The USPs are less about what you see – at the kerbside at least – as to what you experience.
One is the powerplant. The A 200’s turbocharged petrol engine creates an acceptable output for a 2.0-litre, which you’d be forgiven for imagining it is, given the bootlid numerical. Which means it is a very good performance from a 1.3-litre . . . which is really what you’re buying. If you didn’t know this, chances are you would not guess.
The other plus point providing an edge over its opposition comes from its cabin, specifically with the very impressive looking MBUX multimedia system.
Lifted straight from the S-class limo in which it debuted the long iPad-ish display, it replaces traditional instruments and the infotainment screen in one seamless unit. MBUX is an interface that, operationally, is every bit as good as it presents; an interface presenting a hugely diverse involvement in the car’s operation works through
touching the screen itself, speaking to it via the ‘‘Hey Mercedes!’’ voice recognition or using the little thumbpads on the steering wheel spokes. The most impressive aspect of a setup that’s a whole generation ahead of anything the opposition has is that it’s not a cost-extra, but standard across the range.
Coming to a Corolla near you? Not for a while, I expect. Same goes for seat kinetics, which periodically adjusts the seat position as you drive, moving the seat back, height and angle seemingly at random. That’s a new one on me.
Plenty more packed in the car is now filtering into the mass market, such as the ambient lighting system, active parking assist and wireless phone charging.
That it also has a big stereo (225W with nine speakers and a sub), auto-dimming rear-view mirror, climate control, satnav, keyless start, reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, cruise control, LED headlamps, front and rear parking sensors is expected, but not exceptional.
The test car also provisioned with a Seat Comfort Package which, for $1290, adds heated, electric, memory front seats and passenger mirror with reverse parking position and also provisioned a $1990 AMG Line package, which adds AMG wheels – still in the same 18-inch size as the standard items – mats, body trims and badges plus a lowered comfort suspension, Sports Direct Steer system, a flatbottomed steering wheel, sports seats and sports pedals.
Being a Benz, it is at the forefront for acronym-heavy active and passive safety, with Active Brake Assist with semiautonomous braking function, adaptive high beam assist, brake drying function and Hill Start Assist, nine airbags, ABS, Blind Spot Assist, Brake Assist System, Cross wind Assist, ESP with ASR, Lane Keep Assist (active), and Traffic Sign Assist.
AMG-tailoring of the steering and suspension tune doubtless enhances the road performance, but hardly makes it race trackready. As things stand, it is a car that drives well, but without raising expectations. The chassis tune prioritises comfort and that’s fair enough; as good as the A 200 is on the open road, cars of this ilk are clearly often chosen for their inner-city driving competence. I enjoyed how unflustered it felt about undertaking a two-hour open road run, yet also appreciated just as much its ability to nip around streets.
Nonetheless, it was never truly engaging. To start with, even though it feels planted and sure-footed, the steering is a bit slow and measured. The chassis, too, has a disconnected feel.
Though very smooth, the transmission demands hands-on operation if you expect any real involvement from it, even when in Sport mode. In saying that, the engine is a real star all the same, not just for its overall energy but also in respect to a fat wodge of torque low down the rev range. There’s always more performance on tap that it should rightfully deliver.
The A 200 ain’t cheap, but neither does it present that way.
As derivatives go, it’s a good start for a family with a strong future.