Is the A-Class really a big car in a small body?
It’s certainly pricey enough. By Colin Overland
One of two things happens when you’re showing someone around your A-Class and you tell them the interior is smarter than an S-Class’s. Some will love the screens and the seats; others will shue quickly away, in case your gullibility is infectious. So what do those big car/small package claims actually amount to? Let’s break it down.
Does it really have more tech than an S-Class? The A-Class debuted the new MBUX interface. You don’t get the full monty on entry-level cars, but if you do follow our route of specifying the Premium package and Augmented Nav package (together adding nearly £3k on top of AMG Line trim) then you get a fantastic merging of instrument screen and central touchscreen, a brilliantly effective voice-activation system, and augmented reality on the sat-nav. This really is better than the S-Class.
Does it drive like a big car? No, although it’s more grown-up than most hatchbacks. And it falls well short of big cars on its range between fill-ups. With big cars, it’s not unusual to go 500 miles. In the A-Class, you’re looking out for pumps (the sat-nav helps a lot here) soon after 300. When the car is so comfortable and refined, that feels like an unnecessary interruption.
How roomy is the interior? Everyone in an S-Class has more room than anyone in an A-Class. S-Class boot space varies depending on version, but generally it’s 510 litres for a short-wheelbase and 530 for a long-wheelbase. That’s far more than the A-Class with its rear seats up: 370 litres, same as an Astra, more than a Focus, less than a Golf. But drop the rear seats and it grows to 1210 litres. That’s big enough to carry the bags of a family of four going on holiday for a week. But of course two of those people will have to stay at home. But still, it’s a great interior in terms of design, practicality and feel. @ColinOverland