Photo: Mercedes-Benz
There is no question Mercedes has moved the game on in a big way with the new A-Class. By going from a subcompact to a compact, they've taken a big chunk of the compact car market and swallowed it in one gulp. At the same time, the A45 AMG flagship is dealing damage to the reputation of Porsche Boxsters, Nissan Zs and other sportscars that were foolish enough to pick a fight with it.
With the AMG package and the right set of wheels, the A-Class is a true looker. It also sticks to the road like a premium car and its bolstered bucket seats let you know you've just bought something special. One word to describe it? "Good." But it could be a lot better... Here's how:
Everything you need is there, but the stuff you really want is on the very expensive options list, which is a bit of a shame for
something costing about €27,000. That's the exact opposite of premium car philosophy and it could mean Mercedes-Benz's clients could leak to a Lexus CT 200h or a VW Golf.
The rivals at BMW have been offering a twin-turbo 2-liter diesel since the days of the first generation 1 Series. Currently, their 125d boasts 218 hp and 450 Nm of torque for 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a Golf GTI-like 6.3 seconds.
Audi, on the other hand, offers the A3 with a 184 hp 2-liter diesel. Compared to the A 220 CDI, that's 14 hp more, which is not a huge deal in the real wold. But rumor has it the four-ring brand is also working on an S3 BiTDI model with about 250 hp from an engine being developed in the next Passat.
Mercedes will surely address this issue with their next generation of modular engines. By using a common 0.5-liter cylinder unit, they plan to create a range of new mills that stretches all the way to a straight-six 3-liter and the twin-turbo diesel is sure to be among them.
We might be alone in saying that the central instrument cluster might need improving. The gear selector on the steering wheel column is not for everybody and it makes the A-Class feel a bit like an old Citroen. The radio, meanwhile, feels a bit... analog.
It's almost as if Mercedes head honchos looked at the A-Class from the perspective of an S-Class and said "well this is obviously a lesser car". But most customers have the exact opposite perspective, trading up from a cheaper model, so they expect "more compact" rather than "less Mercedes" for their money.
1. More Standard Equipment
The lack of standard kit is something that a lot of premium compacts suffer from, including the Audi A3 and the BMW 1 Series. Because companies invested heavily in aluminum body panels and complicated electronics, they don't offer as many features as standard. Looking a basic A 160 CDI in th eye is like staring into the year 2000. It has no fog lights, no adaptive xenon tech in the headlights and only basic interior features.Everything you need is there, but the stuff you really want is on the very expensive options list, which is a bit of a shame for
2. Better, More Powerful Diesel Engines
Diversity of any kind is good, but in the auto industry's actually great! Giving customers a choice means they have a sense of connection to what they buy. The A-Class has plenty of diesels, since that's what most European buyers want, but there could and should be more, especially at the top end of the range.The rivals at BMW have been offering a twin-turbo 2-liter diesel since the days of the first generation 1 Series. Currently, their 125d boasts 218 hp and 450 Nm of torque for 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a Golf GTI-like 6.3 seconds.
Audi, on the other hand, offers the A3 with a 184 hp 2-liter diesel. Compared to the A 220 CDI, that's 14 hp more, which is not a huge deal in the real wold. But rumor has it the four-ring brand is also working on an S3 BiTDI model with about 250 hp from an engine being developed in the next Passat.
Mercedes will surely address this issue with their next generation of modular engines. By using a common 0.5-liter cylinder unit, they plan to create a range of new mills that stretches all the way to a straight-six 3-liter and the twin-turbo diesel is sure to be among them.
3. The Interior
There's no question the W176 generation has a sensational interior compared to the old model. The level of fit and finish is fantastic, though there are a few things that could be improved upon. The first is the floating infotainment system, which is not the best in its class. Audi has also introduced an all-digital speedometer for the compact TT coupe, which is another area worth improving.We might be alone in saying that the central instrument cluster might need improving. The gear selector on the steering wheel column is not for everybody and it makes the A-Class feel a bit like an old Citroen. The radio, meanwhile, feels a bit... analog.
It's almost as if Mercedes head honchos looked at the A-Class from the perspective of an S-Class and said "well this is obviously a lesser car". But most customers have the exact opposite perspective, trading up from a cheaper model, so they expect "more compact" rather than "less Mercedes" for their money.
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