It’s a dangerous game, judging a new car based on one of the examples that rolled out onto the stage at its launch event.
As is the norm, the new Mercedes A-Classes on display at the Amsterdam reveal were all high spec and - most likely - hand finished. They even got a feather duster and shine applied every few minutes, just to make sure they looked their best.
Initial reaction to the exterior on social media revealed immediate divisions. Some loved it, some hated it. The majority of the latter, it seemed, were pining for the Mercedes of yesteryear, which made solid, dependable and - dare I say it - staid saloons for the old and older.
To expect the A-Class to meet those needs seems a bit much to me. As boss Dieter Zetsche said, “When we revealed the last car people thought we had pushed too far. The sales of it rose to a high in its final year. You can’t say that about many cars.”
Opinion: Why the Mercedes A-Clas's success has only just begun
So no surprise that the exterior has the hallmarks of a reworking of the previous generation of car. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and all that. Marmite it may be, but the stats don’t lie - be they the sales figures, the sales mix (buyers are 10 years younger on average than your standard Mercedes customer) or gender ratio (4/10 buyers are women).
The fireworks, though, lie on the inside, and - less superficially - what lies within the electronic systems. Mercedes has carved out a niche for making some of the most desirable interiors in the business, and so long as a cutting-edge look is your thing, and you pay up for the largest screens, the A-Class delivers again.
It’s high-tech but luxurious, modern to the point of eclipsing all that has gone before but - and this is a major win if it bears out - much simpler to use. The old Merc system was left trailing by BMW and Audi’s equivalents; on first experience the new one is a major step forward.
The old A-Class was often accused of being a bit of a tese in terms of cabin materials, too, with knockout standards in your eyeline dropping to slightly shonky lower down. As I say, a reveal car needs to be treated with caution, but if the A-Class makes production like this it is hard to believe there will be many complaints.
As before, the place to be is in the front of the car. There’s loads of seat and steering adjustment and a intuitively laid out cabin. At 190cm I’m a very tall adult, and there was no problem getting comfortable. While space is up front and rear is expanded, though, the back remains a slightly compromised space. It is good enough for all but giant pre-teens, but the swoopy roofline and twisty shaped door aperture are still compromises in the name of style. It hasn’t put customers off to date, but it might sway more rational opinion.
Opinion: The new Mercedes A-Class is a success, of sorts
The reworking of the boot is also a success, albeit with another minor quibble of concern. It is more spacious than before, which is a good thing as the outgoing one was notably smaller than the class average, but still has a large lip over which everything must be humped. A detail, I know, but again a potentially significant one for some buyers. It's noticeable too, that Mercedes's press pack included pictures of neither the rear seats or boot (unexciting though I concede the majority might consider such images).
The lasting impression though is that this is a car that will be a slam-dunk sales success. On first impressions it is better than its ultra-successful predecessor in every way, and if there are minor concerns over it delivering style over substance in part, it’s impossible not to acknowledge that buyers have already shown what their priorities are in these regards.
The bigger, more significant tests will follow, when we get to drive the new A-Class and compare it to its rivals, but with first impressions as good as these, and the genuine wow factor of the new dash layout, it’s off to a very promising start.
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Sonic
That interior. So beautiful.
Lanehogger
Fashion accessory is the priority over competence
"and if there are minor concerns over it delivering style over substance in part, it’s impossible not to acknowledge that buyers have already shown what their priorities are in these regards." And that's just it, a large proportion of car buyers don't really care how a car performs as long as it's desirable and has the right badge and that's more a case with premium brands which are now purchased purely as fashion accessories and status symbols. And in Mercedes' case perhaps they knew that with the, now, previous A-Class which was frankly poor and why they didn't bother to make it any good because they knew it'd just sell on the basis of its looks, tech and badge. And, to a lesser degree, the same could be labelled at a few other premium brand cars too where style rules over substance. Only in certain classes (like the luxury class) do cars need to deliver substance, otherwise you do wonder whether its worth manufacturers concentrating on things liks dynamics, comfort, accomodation when none of this generally matters to the majoiry of the car buying public. And it's because of this why non-premium brands have suffered in some classes, they could be superb but they just wear the wrong badge and aren't classy or sexy for many people.
androo
I like it
The interior looks immediately to make everything else in the class look out of date. If it's as good to use as it is to look at, Merc will have a winner on their hands. It makes an A3's dashboard look a tad ordinary, and a Golf's like an 80s Toyota in comparison. Shame they couldn't design in a bit more rear space. But if the ride is improved as much as the dashboard, customers should flock to their local Benz dealer. Tiem for a rethink at VW – people DO appreciate style.
typos1
Are you serious ? Those fake
Are you serious ? Those fake dials look like theyre from 20 years old Windows XP ! Modern looking it isnt.
XXXX just went POP.
angelcyn
Style over Substance
How good this MB is no one knows yet, but Lanehogger is right style or percieved style is trumping all else.
Our local Sainsbury's car park is awash with PLP purchased BMWs and Mercs with their Renault engines and Nissan parts, but the buyers are only interested in sporting the badge as a style symbol, cars are now the same in many peoples eyes the same as those bling Rolex watches or polo shirts with Tommy Hilfiger in block capitals across them, look at me has just gone up a gear that's all.
There are a lot of good cars out there these days yet some of the hyped styling is awful and will in a few years look trashy and dated ie Nissan Juke, but if they sell it's a win win for the manufacturers and the look at me generation is also fulfilled.
Andrew1
Style over Substance?
"Our local Sainsbury's car park is awash with PLP purchased BMWs and Mercs with their Renault engines and Nissan parts, but the buyers are only interested in sporting the badge as a style symbol, cars are now the same in many peoples eyes the same as those bling Rolex watches or polo shirts with Tommy Hilfiger in block capitals across them, look at me has just gone up a gear that's all"
The hypocrisy in this text is shocking. You are saying that people buy premium cars because of their badge, because of the image they project (and I agree with that). But then you are also saying that the cars don't live up to their badge because they have parts carring lesser badges. So you think you are better because you don't buy a Merc because of its badge, but you also don't buy a Renault because of its badge. You are not any better, your are a hypocrite.
angelcyn
I have owned a couple of
I have owned a couple of Mercs, before they went downmarket and started to put cars out with Renault engines and Nissan parts, as with all "global" vehicles once they do that the three pointed star is the only thing that relates to MB, exagerated of course but that is the way it is going.
No I buy a car to fulfil a role, the last A class was not a good car in the eyes of the motoring press but still warranted a premium and sold in droves, get it now.
80sXS
Definitely style over substance
Because nobody aspires to own a Kia Cee'd.
230SL
Torsion beam rear axle , the
Torsion beam rear axle , the same system as found on a 1970s hatch, same engine block as found in a Dacia, one screen to get rid of all the instruments and a rotary controller to get rid of ergonomic switchgear, the accountants are the real winners with this model.
scrap
It will be a success because
It will be a success because it has plenty of connectivity tech and the right brand. It is cynically engineered for the lease market like no car before it. You also get a Renault engine and a beam rear axle but - darlings! - look at the badge!
I care about how cars drive and like clever engineering. Not my cup of tea at all.
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