What is it?
Although the 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.
Join the debate
Aussierob
A few problems
1. Badging in a deliberate attempt to deceive customers about engine size. A180 means only one thing to most buyers: a 1,8 litre engine.
2. Fixed rear headrests - cheap solution on an expensive car. I like to fold down rear headrests when, as is normally the case, there’s no-one sitting there, for better rear visibility.
3. The fact that M-B have, predictably, supplied Autocar with a diesel. Purely because they have under utilised diesel engine build capacity, not because for most customers it makes any sense in a small car.
4. Longer, but with a shorter wheelbase? That’s not progress and spells trouble with a front overhang that’s guaranteed to scrape on ramps.
5. Why no declaration of the price, with all these options? Probably starts with a 4 in British pounds, that’s why, but why do Autocar let them get away with it?
Robbo
Jon 1972
Aussierob wrote:
No it doesn't, nor does it matter. When BMWs research shows a significant number of their drivers were unaware of which wheels were driven it's unlikely customers have even a clue what size engine they have.
The days of manufacturers worrying about appeasing the kind of people who worry about having a bigger engine than their neighbours are gone thankfully.
Overdrive
Jon 1972 wrote:
Most BWM drivers might have been unaware that their cars were RWD, but I'll hazard a guess many of them will know their (soon to be) FWD BMW hatches drive and feel different to the old cars.
Andrew1
Aussierob wrote:
I drive a bigger car with much longer front overhang and it never scapes on ramps. Urban legend.
Aussierob
PS
Funny how a Suzuki Swift Sport at least than half the price of this Merc is considered a poor value, 3 Star car, even though it’s more than 2 seconds faster to 100 kliks and handles/steers much better!
Robbo
Rahimi016
Review
excellent vehicle i love to drive this
Rahimi016
Review
excellent vehicle i love to drive this
owenmahamilton
Lack of colour choice
I had a look at the configurator on the Mercedes Benz UK website the other day and was surprised to see that there are only 5 colours to choose from, 3 metallic (black, silver and grey) and 2 solid (red and white), this comes across as rather boring to me.
si73
Torsion beam.
Another family car that is binning multi link rear suspension on lesser spec cars for torsion beam, Golf did it first I think, the new focus and now this, yet all the reviews will proclaim their ride and handling prowess based on the higher spec cars. With the prices charged this just seems cheap, especially on a premium brand. I understand most wouldnt notice, handling wise, myself included probably, as they don't drive their car like a race driver but the benefit to ride comfort is often quoted as being significant, especially in the rear.
michael knight
Sly
This is what really f*cks me off about M-B, and to a lesser extent BMW and Audi: the plethora of spec-options, the endless number of M-Line, S-Line derivatives all seek to give this idea of the bespoke car. It bascially just means that you could spend 30K on the base spec car and stil end up with torsion beam in this case. Cynical marketing MB..
"
A multi-link rear axle exists, but only on the A250 as standard. It’s available on the A200 only if you choose the top-spec AMG Line trim; SE and Sport customers miss out. And if you order an A180d, as most in the UK will, it’s not available at all.
Frustratingly, you can buy an A180d in mainland Europe with the more sophisticated rear suspension because it’s part of the pack you get when you specify adjustable dampers, but there are as yet no plans to offer that in the UK."
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