In a few months ago, Mercedes unveiled a new A-class sedan for the Chinese market; at its launch in Amsterdam, the new A-Class was available as a 5-door hatchback. Both models now get a shorter sedan brother for the global market. The new car is built in Mexico and Germany, and will soon enter the market.
Mercedes says the A-class sedan will be offered with A180d and A200 engines first, with both coming with a 7-speed DCT auto ‘box. As you would expect, the new car will feature the same innovative interior as hatchback we’ve already driven.
Interestingly, Mercedes have it that the new A-class sedan features the lowest drag figure of all production vehicles worldwide at just Cd 0.22. It beats the hatchback’s 0.25 figure thanks to a more streamlined rear end.
The new A-Class sedan looks well-proportioned, and a lot like the BMW 2-series.
The A-Class sedan in numbers
- Length/width/height: 4549/1796/1446 mm
- Wheelbase: 2729 mm
- Boot capacity: 420 litres
- Headroom front/rear: 1024/944 mm
- Elbow room front/rear1457/1446 mm
- Shoulder room front/rear1400/1372 mm
- Effective legroom front/rear: 1062/861 mm
New Mercedes A-class: everything you need to know
The new Mercedes A-class is here, and it’s a significant step over the outgoing car. Featuring all-new styling on the outside, the new Mercedes’ interior sees the biggest changes: it’s more like its larger E-class sibling than anything else. But is it a winner in the increasingly-competitive hatchback market?
New Mercedes A-class: design
Everything has changed; the 2018 A-class has a new face, great new interior and fresh petrol and diesel engines. It still has that familiar A-class face, albeit one that’s been smoothed out to get rid of those pesky creases of the old one, and manages to look a lot like a shrunken version of the new CLS coupe-saloon.
New Mercedes A-class: specs and price
Prices for the all-new Mercedes A-class hatchback were announced at the Geneva motor show 2018 - and it'll cost from £25,800 in the UK. The order books opened during the show and you can now place your order at dealers from March 2018 onwards. That entry price will bag you an entry-level A180d SE, while the cheapest petrol costs from £27,500.
UK orders opened in March 2018 for A180 and A200 petrol models. Prices have been confirmed:
Mercedes A180d SE From £25,800
Mercedes A200 From £27,500
Mercedes A250 From £30,240
Spec choices are SE, Sport or AMG Line. Standard UK A-class equipment includes a touchscreen with the new MBUX infotainment system, voice control, comfort suspension, 16-inch alloys (bigger rims on higher specs), DAB radio, keyless go, air-con, active lane keep assist and Artico faux leather upholstery.
More engines, trims and configurations will join the range later in 2018. Prices will drop below £25,000 once the cheaper manual gearbox versions arrive (every model at launch comes with a seven-speed auto only).
New Mercedes A-class: engines, 0-62mph and performance
The engine range is all-new, launching with a brand-new 1.4-litre turbo petrol and a heavily revised 1.5-litre diesel.
First off is the A200, which uses a 161bhp 1.4-litre turbo petrol co-developed with the Renault-Nissan alliance under the M282 codename. You can have it with seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box or a six-speed manual that arrives later in the year and is capable of an 8.0sec 0-62mph launch when fitted with the former.
The punchier A250 petrol is a DCT-only model with a 221bhp 2.0-litre petrol, while the only diesel option, for now, is the A180d (also DCT-only) with a 114bhp 1.5-litre oil-burner capable of 68.8mpg.
Check out the full engine specs below:
A200
Engine 1.4-litre turbo petrol, 161bhp, 184lb ft
Performance 8.0sec 0-62mph (DCT), 8.2sec (manual), 140mph top speed
Economy 55.3mpg (DCT), 50.4mpg (manual), 120g/km CO2 (DCT), 133g/km (manual)
A250
Engine 2.0-litre turbo petrol, 221bhp, 258lb ft
Performance 6.2sec 0-62mph, 155mph
Economy 47mpg, 141g/km CO2
A180d
Engine 1.5-litre turbodiesel, 114bhp, 192lb ft
Performance 10.5sec 0-62mph, 125mph
Economy 68.8mpg, 180g/km CO2
Fancy something hotter? You’ll have to wait for now, but two AMG-fettled A-class versions are coming – an A35 and an A45. We revealed earlier in 2018 that the A35 would have around 300bhp – enough to worry a Golf R – and use Mercedes’ new EQ boost mild hybrid tech first seen in the new CLS and E-class 53 models. The all-guns-blazing A45 mega hatch is expected to produce more than 400bhp and tipped for a 2019 launch.
New Mercedes A-class: interior
The inside of the entry-level Benz resembles that of an S-class more than ever, with additional tech, greater space and a far more premium feel. Mercedes is making bold claims about the tech on board, and it’s the car’s biggest, most appealing feature to mark it out against its rivals.
The cabin in top-spec models is dominated by two large 10.25-inch screens that sit in line with the divide between the dashboard’s two horizontal sections. Gone is the rotary knob controlling the central infotainment display, instead replaced by a large touchpad and leather pad for the operator’s wrist.
Even the steering wheel has been lifted from an S-class, featuring the same design and button arrangement of Merc’s most expensive limousine.
Mercedes isn’t wrong about the levels of luxury on offer – for a car that will be the cheapest in the manufacturer’s range, the 2018 A-class feels every inch the premium hatch when we jumped behind the wheel at the car’s official unveiling. There’s a nice variety of plush materials, and a genuine wow factor when you get inside.
The materials, technology and attention to detail were all up to the standards you’d expect from a premium saloon. Wood brushed metals and soft-touch plastics fill the cabin, as does the ambient lighting available in a veritable rainbow of 64 different colour shades. Shrinking violets need not apply.
Previously controlled by dated rotary switches, the climate control now operates via horizontal rocker switches with changes in temperature reflected on the central infotainment screen. A choice of seats is available, with top-level cars benefitting from heated and cool massaging chairs.
An increased wheelbase of 30mm means more room inside, too, which is even better news for young families. It’s still a low car to get in and out of, but the larger rear doors make a big difference, and we didn’t struggle for space behind an average-height adult on the first inspection. The boot is noticeably bigger too, and access is much easier thanks to a wider tailgate and lower sill.
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