Mercedes-Benz UK’s PR people, showing off the redesigned A-class ahead of its 19 February showroom debut here, describe the new car thus: “The old car was a small car made by Mercedes; the new A-class is a small Mercedes.”
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That’s pretty subtle but it’s accurate – just spend five minutes opening, closing, pulling, pushing, or sliding any part of the new baby Merc – it feels much more substantial, more like a big Mercedes saloon of 2-3 generations ago than some of the obviously content- and cost-cut models of late.
It’s an encouraging sign. First there was the fiasco of the original A- flunking the now-notorious elk-avoidance test beloved of Scandinavian motoring writers, then disturbing reports of numerous quality glitches with early production A-class, followed by numerous complaints about other new Mercs that ran the gamut from lousy dashboard plastics to erratic electronics.
To be fair, the A-class suspension was fixed and electronic stability control standardised before right-hand sales commenced, and the car still went on to sell over a million units but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence of annoying faults, and major mechanical failures once the warranty has expired.
The new A-class is the first new Mercedes just-auto has tried for a couple of years and, more significantly, the first since Mercedes management’s recent, public admission of poor quality and a promise that a major improvement in internal engineering and quality control processes has been made.
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By GlobalDataLet’s hope so – for the new A has been so much improved on first acquaintance it’d be a shame if we soon started hearing about failing wipers, steering racks, gearbox problems and the other complaints that are mentioned in discussions of the nonetheless likeable predecessor.
Mercedes’ ‘TAF’ (Touch and Feel) research centre focused on developing a vehicle with class leading ergonomics and design, spending some considerable time ‘clinicing’ the new A for fit, finish and tactile feel of the controls, even down to how far each button should be pushed and how the ‘click’ should feel.
That’s evident in the solid way door handles operate, doors and tailgate close, the fit and finish of the dashboard plastics and the general operation of all controls from seat slide adjuster to navigation menu selection keys. Seats are bulkier, better padded, more supportive, every visible trim item looks far nicer; the way the load cover slides down a track in the boot is pure attention to detail.
Quality is also enhanced on the road. The bigger engines are quieter and more refined, road noise is greatly reduced, handling is sharper and minus an annoying lateral pitching motion we always noticed in the old car, and the ride is smother and more comfortable.
A big improvement all round, then.
UK prices range from £13,655 to £19,995. Here, the trim options are familiar Mercedes: Classic, Classic SE, luxury Elegance SE and sporty Avantgarde SE. Customers can upgrade from Classic to Classic SE trim for £300 and this keenly-priced option adds air conditioning (which also chills the glovebox), front fog lights, an upgraded radio/CD player and disc storage. The A200 CDI comes with Elegance SE trim as standard.
However, it’s possible, by adding goodies such as leather, climate control, navigation and suchlike to nudge the ask to an eye-watering £27,000, and beyond.
At that point you may well decide to flee further up the Mercedes range or to rival European showrooms bearing the names Audi or BMW for a better size/value relationship, but Mercedes counters that some buyers want all the big car toys in a compact body shell and, if so, it will happily oblige with one of the most extensive option lists in the business.
One big change is the disappearance of the long-wheelbase versions launched in the middle of the previous model cycle to be replaced by really sharp-looking three-door models. Those wanting a bigger car will be pointed at the larger all-round B-class due for launch later this year.
Unchanged is the clever dual-floor sandwich construction which creates space for the greasy bits (and into which the engine slides in a severe front impact) and basic engine design though capacities have all been increased.
The 1.4, 1.6 and 1.9-litre petrol engines are now 1.5 95hp, 1.7 116hp and 2.0 136hp (with an additional 193hp 2.0 Turbo coming next autumn) and the diesels are up from 1.6 and 1.7 to a 2.0 with outputs of 82, 109 and 140hp. Diesel confuse (sorry), because they’re dubbed A160, 180 and 200CDi while the petrol A150, 170 and 200 actually reflect engine size in their names.
Mercedes UK expects 60% of sales to be diesel models with the 160 the most popular and notes that “fleets like the 180”.
Power outputs have increased by up to 38% while torque has improved by as much as 46%. Fuel consumption is improved by up to 10% and all engines meet the stringent new Euro 4 emissions standards.
Five- or six-speed manual gearboxes are now standard. Gone are the old automated manuals and conventional automatic – replaced by a Mercedes-Benz-developed continuously variable transmission dubbed Autotronic.
Other new features are a spherical parabolic spring rear axle, parameter steering (electro-mechanical speed sensitive power steering from larger cars in the Mercedes range), head-thorax airbags for the driver and front passenger with active head restraints, a multi-function steering wheel with trip computer display, ISOFIX child seat fixings in the rear, a unique double-load floor (standard on the five-door, optional on the three-door) and factory fitted radio/CD player.
Also available on the A-Class for the first time is the Comand satellite navigation and ‘infotainment’ system (called too complex by some writers; techno-buff here found it easy to learn), bi-xenon headlights with active cornering lights, full climate control and 18-inch AMG alloy wheels.
The Comand system links telephone, radio, CD player and DVD based satellite navigation, which covers 16 European countries, via a full colour LCD screen.
Later in 2005, TMC (Traffic Message Channel) will be available and this uses real time traffic reports to divert you around any trouble spots, be they road works or accidents, before they’re reached. On the UK’s notoriously inadequate and congested roads, buyers of the baby Merc can use all the help they can get so this is a welcome addition to the options list.
The main dimensional changes are 53mm wider track and 145mm longer wheelbase, both of which make a great difference to the handling and ride, along with that new rear axle design.
A new Mercedes-Benz-developed selective damper can adjust its internal valving automatically to suit the way the new car is driven. Both the new rear beam and dampers give the A-Class a ‘large car’ feel whilst retaining ‘small car’ agility.
Boot space has been increased to 395 litres, too. With the addition of optional Easy-Vario-Plus, owners can increase the load capacity up to 1955 litres. Rear seats can be easily folded flat, removed individually – or as a unit – and the backrest of the front passenger seat can fold forwards for more space. With the removal of the front passenger seat, items up to 2.75 metres in length can be carried.
After seven years in production, the original A-Class sold over 1.1-million models world-wide (over 88,000 in the UK where the best year [16,000] was 2001 when the LWB versions launched ) and the new generation looks to better that after 50,000 orders were placed within the first week on sale in Europe. Mercedes UK, expecting “a boost from the three-door” is hoping to shift 15,000 this year.
If it can quickly acquire a reputation for being less trouble-prone that its predecessor the new one deserves to do even better, as, in every other aspect, it looks and feels a huge improvement.
Graeme Roberts
