Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
The original A-Class which came out back in 1997 was about the size of a Fiat 500. Compared to that, the 2019 model that just made its debut in Geneva is a completely different animal, not only bigger but also more luxurious.
Even if the 2019 A-Class hatchback isn't going to be available in America, its platform will soon spawn similar-looking A-Class sedan and GLA crossover models.
While the new A-Class is undeniably the poshest small car available this year, there are a few things we didn't like when we saw it in Geneva. For instance, the combination of Designo silver paint and brown leather is slightly offputting. Also, the plastics they used for the dash aren't of the highest quality, and the piano black trim is a fingerprint magnet.
The overall look hasn't changed massively from the previous generation. In fact, some people say they prefer the larger headlights Mercedes used before. We believe the AMG Line body kit (seen on the red car) is a must if you want your €30,000+ car to look the part.
New engines are being introduced and will slowly trickle down to other Mercedes-Benz models. These include a 1.4-liter turbo with 163 HP and a 2.0-liter with 224 HP. At launch, the only diesel is a 1.5-liter with 116 HP.
Inside, the A-Class gets a bank of screens, similar to the S-Class. They have noticeably better resolution and graphics than before. Did we mention they are touchscreens? The new steering wheel has touch-sensitive controls instead of regular buttons, while the wheel on the console has been ditched as well.
A slightly longer wheelbase and bigger doors make life in the back easier. However, those integrated headrests create enormous blind spots for the driver.
From now on, the A-Class and presumably all its sister cars will be offered with two types of suspension. Cheaper and less powerful models will have a torsion-beam rear axle, while those with big engines will keep the independent multi-link setup.
While the new A-Class is undeniably the poshest small car available this year, there are a few things we didn't like when we saw it in Geneva. For instance, the combination of Designo silver paint and brown leather is slightly offputting. Also, the plastics they used for the dash aren't of the highest quality, and the piano black trim is a fingerprint magnet.
The overall look hasn't changed massively from the previous generation. In fact, some people say they prefer the larger headlights Mercedes used before. We believe the AMG Line body kit (seen on the red car) is a must if you want your €30,000+ car to look the part.
New engines are being introduced and will slowly trickle down to other Mercedes-Benz models. These include a 1.4-liter turbo with 163 HP and a 2.0-liter with 224 HP. At launch, the only diesel is a 1.5-liter with 116 HP.
Inside, the A-Class gets a bank of screens, similar to the S-Class. They have noticeably better resolution and graphics than before. Did we mention they are touchscreens? The new steering wheel has touch-sensitive controls instead of regular buttons, while the wheel on the console has been ditched as well.
A slightly longer wheelbase and bigger doors make life in the back easier. However, those integrated headrests create enormous blind spots for the driver.
From now on, the A-Class and presumably all its sister cars will be offered with two types of suspension. Cheaper and less powerful models will have a torsion-beam rear axle, while those with big engines will keep the independent multi-link setup.
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