Drive with us: Test driving the Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Please note, this is now a retired model and isn't available to lease due to a newer facelift. But don't worry, you can still find your perfect car by browsing our Mercedes lease deals. Or, for more choice, head to our best car lease deals to search all brands.

Mercedes-Benz A 200d Hatchback review

It’s hard to believe that the A-class has been on the market for over 25 years.

Since its introduction in 1997, Mercedes have ditched the mini MPV in favour of a sleek and sporty hatchback that in recent years is responsible for over a third of UK car sales for the brand. Not too shabby, eh? 

There’s a good reason for this too. The newest generation has some of the best technology out there and as one of the most affordable Mercedes lease deals around, it is a perfect choice for many. Here’s all you need to know about it.

What did we drive? 

Colour: Mountain Grey Metallic 
Interior: ARTICO man-made leather / DINAMICA microfibre upholstery black 
Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic 
Model Line: AMG Line Premium
Wheels: 18-inch AMG 5-spoke alloy wheels
Engine: 200d – 2.0 Litre Diesel
0-60: 8.1
Power: 150bhp
Emissions: from 101 g/km
Price: OTR from £23,710
Price of model driven: £32,440

*Prices and model lines correct at the time of publication

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Engines

There are a plethora of engine options available to suit the needs of most drivers. The entry-level engine is 1.3L petrol or a 1.5L diesel that becomes the A180 and the A180d, with an output of 136 and 118bhp. Here’s the full list of engines available:

Petrol: A180, A200, A250, A250e (hybrid), A35, A45

Diesel: A180d, A200d, A220d

Design

The newest generation of A-Class is wider and longer than the previous generation model, with softer lines that make the car appear a lot more streamlined.

AMG Line models get a more aggressive bumper and a diamond grille with chrome pins, as well as privacy glass, electric folding door mirrors and 18” alloy wheels.

Some might be disappointed to know that Mercedes have phased out the light interior, so unless you have the budget to go for either an A35 or A45, your options are black or, well, black.

The Experience

Get in the driver's seats and you’re treated to a view that beats the likes of the Ford Focus, or the VW Golf in my opinion anyway. The cockpit is designed to make you feel like you’re in a luxury car, and you do. There’s a widescreen display inspired by the E-Class and S-Class. Although this is model dependent. Those who go for anything less than the Sport Executive get 7'' displays rather than the 10.25'' and the result isn’t nearly as impressive.

Our car was an automatic. Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with excellent automatic gearboxes and the one in our car was no exception. The car was refined on the motorway and picked up speed nicely. The only bugbear I had was when travelling at slower speeds, I found the car would stay in a lower gear for longer than necessary. The result was a slightly frustrated noise from both the engine (and myself). As soon as you picked up speed the car came into its own, however.

Any of the AMG Line variants are geared towards a sportier drive and therefore the ride is firmer than you’d get in an SE or Sport model. You also get sports seats and a flat bottomed steering wheel which add to the overall sporty feel. Those who also go for the AMG Line Premium Plus are treated to a panoramic glass roof, which opens up the whole space to a shedload of light.

All of the models get a choice of driving modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual) and luxuries such as cruise control and speed limiter. And to put this into perspective, it is only available on the highest spec Discovery Sport!

Technology and Connectivity

The A-Class is a class leader when it comes to tech. It has the sort of tech that you’d expect to find in a £100,000 S-Class, rather than the brand's entry-level car.

All A-Class models come equipped with the industry favourite infotainment system – MBUX. It’s a system that can be controlled completely by voice to change temperature, radio station or driving modes (among other things) for a totally hands-free driving experience.

Connect your phone and, as long it can access the internet, the question possibilities are endless. It can also be controlled via a central touchpad, replacing the dated small dial of previous models, or via the highly responsive touchscreen with crystal-clear graphics.

Try asking the car “Hey Mercedes tell me a joke” and you'll be treated to a witty retort.

A feature called Augmented Reality is available on Premium and Premium Plus models, which uses a camera on the windscreen to record the area in front of the car and superimpose this information on to the media display in real time – a clever piece of kit that means you'll never fall foul to misinterpreting sat nav instructions again! 

Space and Comfort

Microfiber gives a lovely suede-style finish to the seats and doors which is a nice and soft-touch material that also looks really premium.

Leg and headroom is really good and AMG Line Premium models also get a centre armrest with cup holders. There’s netting storage on the back of the two front seats, which make a secure place to keep your iPads etc. and heat-insulated privacy glass to hide them! Electric windows in the back go all the way down, which is nice for the passengers looking out.

This one also has dual-zone climate control with vents in the back, so overall it’s an incredibly comfortable experience. One thing to note, you get charging points in the front and back, but they’re USB C, so those without a new iPhone or an adapter are a bit stuffed!

Mercedes have also increased the boot space in this latest model, thinking about both design and practicality. The previous models light clusters had a massive impact on the width of the boot entrance, but Mercedes have fixed that. It’s wider, and there’s a minimal boot lip, which means that dogs can get in without the risk of scratching the paintwork massively, and luggage can be lifted in and out with little to no effort.

Boot capacity with the seats up is 360 litres, and 1,200 litres with the seats folded down. Although similar to the Audi A1, there’s nowhere to store the parcel shelf. The seats also can split in three ways, which is handy, it means four people can still travel comfortably.

Safety

Euro NCAP judges have dubbed the A-Class one of the safest, most technologically advanced small cars ever produced, trumping the likes of the Audi Q3 or Volvo XC40. 

You get a decent amount of safety functions as standard; features such as Active Brake Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Attention Assist and Speed Limit Assist.

There are two Isofix points in the back, and unlike some other cars, they are super easy to access, with no removable cap or latch, which makes it easy to install a child seat.

Model Lines

SE (hatchback only)

• 16” Alloys
• Two 7” touchscreen displays
• Cruise control and speed limiter
• Halogen headlamps with integral LED daytime running lamps
• 180 degree reversing camera
• Climate control
• Heated front seats
• KEYLESS GO

Sport

• LED High Performance headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights
• 17” alloy wheels
• Two-zone climate control
• Chrome weather strips

Sport Executive

• Parking package – Active Parking Asisst, front and rear parking sensors, visual and audible obstacle warning,
• Mirror package – electrically folding mirrors + auto dimming side mirror & rear view mirror
• 10.25 inch touchscreen
• Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless charging

AMG Line

• 18” AMG Alloys
• AMG bodystyling
• Diamond radiator grille
• Heat insulated privacy glass
• Sports seats
• Flat bottomed sports steering wheel

AMG Line Executive

• Wireless charging
• Parking package
• 10.25 inch touchscreen

AMG Line Premium

• Keyless entry
• Augmented navigation
• Illuminated front door sills with ‘Mercedes-Benz’ lettering
• Ambient lighting
• Advanced sound system
• Rear armrest with cupholders

AMG Line Premium Plus

• MULTIBEAM LED headlamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• Electrically-adjustable front memory seats with lumbar support
• Traffic Sign Assist

Watch our full Mercedes-Benz A-Class review

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