Test drive of the new Mercedes A-Сlass
In terms of electronics, the new A-Class is one of the most advanced cars of our time. You can even chat with him
This, it seems, has never happened before - in addition to beautiful sunset locations, the press shooting of Mercedes was also made in some abandoned buildings with broken glass, rusty barrels and scattered truck tires. Colleagues joked that the new A-Class with its dubious design should look advantageous against the background. The hatchback responded with its own poignancy.
- Hello Mercedes! Tell a joke?
- Sorry, I was designed by serious German engineers.
It turns out that nothing human is alien to these engineers either. In fact, intelligent voice control is a breakthrough. Finally, it is possible to communicate with a machine in a human way, and not by carefully choosing and pronouncing words. The on-board computer learns quickly, adapting to the driver's manner of speech, understands Russian well and does not require a thorough knowledge of on-board systems.
In terms of electronics, the new A-Class is generally one of the most advanced cars of our time, and a complete rejection of dial gauges sounds like a declaration of the digital age. Moreover, it not only sounds, but also looks: the cockpit with the screens of instruments and media systems, which seem to be a single whole, is truly impressive, at the same time surprising with convenience and simplicity. Especially when, instead of virtual dials, a picture from the front camera appears on the devices with virtual street signs, house numbers and dancing direction indicator arrows.
The new A-Class is infinitely far from the first generation micro van, which was too passenger and too roll. But in comparison with the third generation hatchback, this is an evolution. Another thing is that when you look in profile in this hatchback, you do not immediately recognize Mercedes. The front sidewalls look simple and elegant, the geometrically adjusted optics seem a little alien, and the C-pillar is unusually strict, although at its core the power structure of the body has not changed much.
But the huge three-pointed star of the radiator grille is still in place, and it is completely flat - behind it are the radars of the adaptive cruise system and the assistant systems. And you will have to get used to the strict geometry of the body without unnecessary bends, and there is nothing wrong with that - the A-Class has ceased to be playful and now looks much more expensive than it used to be. Especially in the dark when the headlight LED boomerangs wake up.
You may not notice this right away, but the specifications of the new A-Class have become larger. In length, the hatchback has grown by 120 mm to 4419 mm, and this, by the way, is more than that of the Ford Focus hatchback. The base has increased by 30 mm to 2729 mm - also very good even with a relatively low roof. Another thing is that these additional centimeters almost did not affect the spaciousness of the cabin - you do not want to raise the driver's seat, and the back is spacious only with the knees. You can't go far behind at all: the three of us cannot accommodate, it is inconvenient to climb through a small opening.
All this becomes completely unimportant when you understand exactly where you got to. The digital interior does not repel with techno-cold, but, on the contrary, envelops the comfort of soft leather, neat processing of pseudo-wood and the aviation beauty of ventilation deflectors. The interior becomes even more beautiful in the dark, when the atmospheric illumination of the panels and the same vents is turned on. There are 64 shades to choose from, and the cleverly chosen combination of backlighting and display theme creates a totally cosmic feeling.
Discussions about the size and convenience of the trunk at such moments completely lose their meaning, and rightly so - an even deeper compartment compared to the previous model seems to be a modest handbag against the backdrop of giant trunks of budget sedans, beloved in Russia. The backrests are folded in a 60:40 or 40:20:40 split, depending on the design, but this does not seem as important as the ability to tilt them for comfortable seating.
Beautiful and full of life 10-inch displays are still an option, but even in simple trim levels, the interior will remain digital, only with seven-inch screens. In any case, for those who loved or rather hated the Mercedes media systems of yesteryear, there are two pieces of news, and both are good. The beautiful screen on the console is now touch-sensitive, although it is not easy to force yourself to press on the glass - out of habit, you always try to find the controller on the tunnel. And - you find, just not a "puck", but a touchpad like those that are put on laptops.
The touchpad requires a habit, because it does not control the mouse cursor, but directly moves through the virtual buttons of the on-screen menu, and getting to the right one is not easy at first. But the best part is that it's not the only touchpad in the car. On the steering wheel (!) There are two more small ones, designed to control the fingertips and change the picture on the screen of devices. This is in addition to traditional drums and rocker keys.
There are two steering wheels, but if the standard one seems too large, then the sporty truncated for this cabin is just right. In fact, the A-Class is made for the driver, and the beautiful multicontour seats with lateral support, ventilation and massage are proof of that. There is also a harder sports option, but it makes no sense to order one, because the hatchback is not yet suitable for racing feats.
Indeed, the A200 index now hides an engine with a volume of 1,3, and not 1,6 liters, and it's good that the matter has not yet reached three cylinders. But without looking at downsizing, it is worth admitting that it certainly did not get any worse. The new motor develops a decent 163 hp. against the previous 156 hp and the same 250 Nm, but the luck is just as good. It is interesting that the A-Class can become a two-cylinder in some modes, although the cylinder deactivation system works imperceptibly and does not affect the ride quality in any way.
The Mercedes A8 may not reach the stated 200 s to "hundreds", but in city modes it rides conveniently and comfortably. The combination of a turbo engine with a 7-speed preselective "robot" is responsive and understandable, the box quickly understands and changes gears comfortably. For normal driving, you don't have to wish for more, but on mountain climbs you already have to twist the engine into a ringing sound, and on highways you have to think in advance before overtaking.
Russia will not offer any other options yet, although in principle they exist. And - also nothing special. First, the A250 with a 224 hp two-liter engine. and the pre-reform robot, which drives a little more fun, but the engine is noisy, and the box seems more twitchy. Secondly, the A180d with a 1,5 liter diesel engine and 116 hp output, which is more boring than the basic petrol version and does not make you want to drive from the heart at all. Although we must admit that the engine runs quietly and fits well into the slow traffic of narrow European streets.
The all-wheel drive A220 4Matic with a 190 hp turbo engine is also announced, but it will appear later. As well as the AMG version, of which there will be two at once.
In all respects, the new A-Class should not pretend to be a driver car, especially since the simple versions now have a simple semi-independent beam instead of a multi-link. However, in sensations everything is not bad, and the hatchback can turn the turns on the little "steering wheel" with soul. The steering is crisp and the suspension does not slack, and on decent roads the A-Class is not only fun but also has a great grip on the road. Moreover, it is equally good with a beam and an optional multi-link.
In terms of comfort, everything is relatively good even on imperfect Croatian roads, although you should not download over the bumps and get on the rampage. With adaptive dampers, everything is even better, and with the suspension lowered to 95 mm in the AMG package, on the contrary, it is more shaking, but recklessly. There is a fourth option for bad roads with a clearance of 125 mm, and this is what will most likely be brought to Russia. By the way, the ground clearance of the basic version is 110 mm, a little even for warm Croatia.
The A-Class not only retained the title of the most affordable Mercedes-Benz car, but also did not rise in price when it comes to comparing comparable versions. Yes, the minimum price of the third generation car was $ 19, but it was a gasoline A313 with "mechanics", and the robotic A180 was already sold for $ 200. in a package version of the "Special Series".
There are no packages for the new generation model yet, and the basic A200 Comfort costs $ 22, that is, formally it can be bought cheaper. The top version of the Sport is priced at $ 291. At the same time, the basic configuration already has both screens, climate control, light and rain sensors, and even navigation. And, of course, breakthrough voice control that allows you to truly speak to the machine.
| Body type | Hatchback |
| Dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4419/1796/1440 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2729 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1375 |
| engine's type | Gasoline, R4 turbo |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1332 |
| Power, hp with. at rpm | 163 at 5500 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm | 250 at 1620 |
| Transmission, drive | 7-st. robot, front |
| Maksim. speed, km / h | 225 |
| Acceleration to 100 km / h, from | 8,0 |
| Fuel consumption (mixture), l | 5,2-5,6 |
| Cargo space, l | 370-1270 |
| Price from, $. | 22 265 |
