A-class Saloon revealed

Wraps off Mercedes’ cool new four-door rival to A3 Saloon

Alex_ingram@dennis.co.uk @Axleingram

MERCEDES’ compact car range will grow to include eight models by 2020, and this is the latest: the all-new A-class Saloon. It’s a booted version of the fourth-generation hatch and gives the brand a direct rival for Audi’s A3 Saloon.

We’ve already seen a four-door variant of the latest model – the Chinese-market A-class L Sedan – but this version will be coming to the UK.

From the outside, the saloon looks near identical to the A-class hatch to the C-pillar. From there, the roof drops away more sharply to accommodate the new boot section. The rear end is the same as on the L Sedan, featuring bold light clusters with a Y-shaped LED signature above a bumper flanked by a pair of vertical air vents.

The Saloon shares its 2,729mm wheelbase with the hatch, and due to the new boot shape, the overall length has stretched 130mm beyond the standard five-door variant.

At 420 litres, the boot is 50 litres larger than in the hatch, although its opening is inevitably smaller.

The new shape makes the Saloon even more aerodynamic than the already slippery A-class hatch. Its 0.22Cd figure is the most aerodynamically efficient of any current production car, according to Mercedes, and should bring low levels of wind noise and strong fuel economy.

There are two engines to choose from at launch: the petrol A 200 and diesel A 180 d. The former is powered by a 1.3-litre turbo that delivers 161bhp and 250Nm of torque, and is claimed to return 54.3mpg. Meanwhile, the diesel is a 1.5-litre unit co-developed with Renault, producing 114bhp and 260Nm, and claiming 71mpg economy.

The A-class Saloon will compete in a fairly small segment when it arrives in the spring; the A3 Saloon will be its closest competitor. However, Mercedes says that it’ll boast class-leading rear headroom. The rest of the newcomer’s cabin is the same as in the regular A-class hatchback; in other words it’s furnished with a well-built, contemporary dashboard which, with a few options selected, has one of the very best infotainment systems on the market.

The A-class Saloon will make its first public appearance at the Paris Motor Show on 4 October. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but expect to pay a small premium over the hatch, which starts from £25,800.

“Shape makes Saloon even more aerodynamic than slippery hatch”