Doug DeMuro Asks 2019 Mercedes A-Class About Giraffe Weight in Review

One of the major highlights of this car, and indeed the focus of their Big Game ad, is the MBUX infotainment system. And it's this thing that's the main focus of the YouTube review put together by Doug DeMuro: About 12 of the 24 minutes.

You can ask the car to do certain things, like change the temperature or put on some music. Of course, the "hey Mercedes" command reminds people of the famous Siri or Alexa. But Doug put the A-Class to the test and wasn't so impressed.

More specifically, the A-Class can't answer "how much does a giraffe weigh?" and that's somehow a big problem. For the record, a male can reach up to 3,000lbs. I think the point here is that while infotainments are catching up with smartphones, they will never be as good.

In almost every other regard, the baby Mercedes sedan is a hit. DeMuro loves the materials used for the dashboard, even though other reviewers have been a bit critical of the build quality. Also, the MBUX is very flexible in what it can display and do, while cabin space is better than in the CLA, at least until the next generation arrives.

There's only one engine available, a 2-liter that gives you about 20 hp less than the one in the CLA 250, which by the way is not a lot more expensive. DeMuro likes to talk about boring features like cup holders and air vents, but most of all, he's stoked about finally being able to drive an A-Class in North America. The car has been around in Europe for a long time, starting as a somewhat dorky hatchback.

His take on the driving experience is that it feels slightly underpowered, is a bit noisy and not as refined over bumps as big Mercedes models. So pretty much what you expect when you hear the words "entry-level."