What is it?
Although the Mercedes-Benz C-Class remains Mercedes-Benz’s biggest-selling car, you could argue that it’s actually the A-Class and its derivatives on the lowest rung of the Mercedes ownership ladder that are now the most important products for the world’s largest premium car maker.
All this means the success of each new generation is simply essential – and nowhere more so than in the UK, the world’s biggest market for the A-Class.
So forgive Mercedes for not varying the formula much for this fourth-generation A-Class. The last one played a key role in Mercedes overtaking BMW and Audi to become the most popular brand of its kind in the world.
How? By lowering the average age of the A-Class buyer by more than a decade and ensuring that 60% of its sales were to people who’d never bought a Mercedes before. Sell one car to one young person and you might then sell them 10 more in their lifetime under your cosy corporate umbrella.
The new A-Class is bigger in every important direction including a 30mm longer wheelbase, but it's 20kg lighter – commendable given the enhanced content it must carry.
At launch, there will be only an A180d diesel, along with A200 and A250 petrol models, all with seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions. An A180 petrol will be on sale before the end of the year, as will a manual six-speed gearbox, while A200d and A220d diesels will come on stream in early 2019. If your ideal model is not available at launch, you might be well served not to compromise but to wait until it is.
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To answer a couple of points
To answer a couple of points raised:
The boot is 370l.
The A3 and 1 Series need to make in roads into A-Class sales, not the other way around.
As others have said, binning the IRS on lower-powered versions seems a bit cynical. This is a finanicial decision to grind out a few more quid per unit, no doubt based on the 'can we get away with it with badge-obsessed drivers' question.
Having said that I am impressed with the interior and apparent refinement and ride quality (on IRS) that are usually only the domain of larger cars. I saw a video clip of the augmented reality sat nav which seemed great so they seem to be giving with one had and taking with the other for this new model.
The entry level car can be
The entry level car can be described in two words: Poverty Spec.
Mercedes hating
do any of the many commenters here posting incredibly negative points about mercedes actually own one? I have a new C class and my partner a 2016 A200 AMG, and coming after a long line of other brands, including ford, Volvo, VW and audi, i can safely say these are better built, quieter, better to drive and more reliable; a fantastic ownership proposition.
I do not think it is useful to be so cynical about the British car buying public; if they are happy with the cars they buy then good for them. A mercedes on the drive will be seen as a real achievement for many and even if a Mazda 3 is a better car for some here you will never convince the majority.
Cars on the market now are all generally very good and the differences are generally semantics only really noticeable by enthusiasts. I am an enthusiast and i think mercedes are excellent.