Inside new A-class
Interior of new premium hatch revealed S-class tech set to appear
Next-generation Merc hatch reveals its tech secrets
AHEAD of the all-new Mercedes A-class taking centre stage at the Geneva Motor Show next March, the German brand has officially revealed the car’s cabin.
The images show a revolution in the interior design of the new hatchback, with clear inspiration taken from the pricier E-class and S-class models. According to Mercedes, there will be more space and practicality inside than in the outgoing car, and new levels of luxury and comfort will be brought to the class.
Auto Express was able to sit inside the new Audi A3 rival at an exclusive event, where we could see that the dashboard is divided into upper and lower sections by a ‘trench’ spreading across the dash behind the infotainment screen. Three central turbine air vents, inspired by the ones found in high-end Mercedes, are subtly angled towards the driver.
Instead of a traditional instrument display in its own housing, there are two free-standing flat screens, similar to those found in the E-class and S-class. The display ahead of the driver deals with the instruments and assistance systems, while the screen in the middle of the dash is used for infotainment and navigation.
The screens come in three combinations depending on the trim level: lower-spec cars receive two seven-inch displays, midspec models use one seven-inch and one 10.25-inch screen and top-spec models get two 10.25-inch displays. Each one has an anti-reflective coating and automatically adjusts its brightness to respond to changing light levels in the car.
Mercedes is particularly proud of the ambient lighting system, which is used throughout the cabin and even on the air vents. It puts 64 colours at the driver’s disposal, and these are organised into 10 ‘colour worlds’ that can be matched with the look of the widescreen display.
A head-up display will be available as an option, as will features more commonly found on high-end cars, such as heated and ventilated massaging seats. To heighten the luxury feel, the A-class also uses the same steering wheel design as the S-class.
Practicality is improved, too, with Mercedes claiming rear passengers have 36mm more elbow room and 22mm more shoulder space. Visibility has been enhanced with thinner window pillars, there’s more storage in the cabin, and the 370-litre boot is 29 litres bigger than before with a wider opening. The back seats can be reclined, too, and an optional 40:20:40 folding mechanism can be added.
Mercedes intends to demonstrate the cabin technology on the new A-class at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, before the car is finally revealed in full at Geneva in the spring.