Mercedes Benz A-Class is available in two diesel and three petrol variants and offers a car for most buyers, from the modestly powered yet responsive A200 to the potent Mercedes-AMG A45. The subject of this road test is the Mercedes A200 7-speed automatic.
After 17 years and three generations, the 2016 the Mercedes Benz A Class now benefits from a subtle facelift and the new model is distinguished by its more arrow shaped front bumper, the diamond grille, new LED high-performance headlamps from the options list, and newly designed tail lamps, with dual tailpipe trim and lower diffuser integrated flush into the bumper, plus a tailgate spoiler. There are parking sensors both front and rear.
The press vehicle was fitted with AMG styled 10-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in very low profile Pirelli 225/40R18 run flat tyres, which means there's no spare wheel, but if you do get a puncture or "blow-out" you can drive for approximately 50 kms on the "flat" tyre at about 80 km/h, which should in most cases, get you out of trouble.
Moving inside, the new A class has a new instrument cluster of tubular design with classy dial graphics anodised switches, while the large, free-standing and frameless display of the infotainment system, is optionally available with a large 8-inch screen and can be operated by a console mounted rotary controller similar to BMW's I-Drive. The equipment range for the A-Class has been expanded in many areas. The press vehicle boasted a full leather interior, a new seat design, electrically adjustable driver's seat with three memories, fully adjustable seat cushion up to 60 mm, the optional LED High Performance headlamps and ambience lighting which can be individualised with twelve colours and five dimming levels.
To add to its sporty nature the A200 has a flat bottom 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel, the gear selector lever is mounted on the steering column to release more front leg room, and for the more sporty drivers you can change gears manually via the Formula 1 type paddles behind the steering wheel, and the pedals and scuff plates are of anodised aluminium. The front seats are well shaped and comfortable with plenty head and shoulder room but rear seat legroom can be a little bit cramped — especially when seated behind a tall driver. It makes up for the space deficiency with 60:40 split-folding rear seats and a retractable armrest with two cup holders. There’s also two sets of Isofix anchorage points. Oddment space is well provided for in the door pockets, the cubby, the lidded box and two cupholders in the floor console, and the boot will carry 341 litres of cargo which is quite respectable.
The Mercedes A200 auto is powered by a 4-cylinder 1 595 cc turbo petrol engine pushing out 115 kw at 5 300 rpm and 250 Nm of torque at 1 250 rpm and drives the front wheels through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, which offers four driver's modes - comfort, sport, individual and ECO, the mode I mostly used. Fuel consumption is given as 5.1 litres per 100 km in the combined cycle however the best I got while testing the car was 8.2lt/100 km. The tank holds 50 litres In performance tests with the automatic transmission in Sport mode, stomping hard on the accelerator on take-off, the seven-speed auto takes a fraction of a second to fire up from standstill, but once moving it shifts gears so swiftly and after four gearchanges, it passes the 100 km/h mark in a quick 9.5 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 225 km/h. It’s no rocket but the low sprint time shows it won’t disgrace itself against bigger capacity opposition.
Safety features are fully comprehensive with the A200 having achieved a five star EuroNCAP rating. Features include seven airbags, disc brakes all round with ABS, EBD, and all the electronic driver aids to keep the driver on the road. Around town the A200 is nimble enough to thread its way through the morning and afternoon traffic and the compact dimensions make it easy to park. It also comes with the stop/start system which some drivers like, while others find irritating, but fortunately it can be switched off. The A200 travels smoothly on the freeways, never feels tiring and the relatively modest capacity motor never feels strained, as the motor rotates at just 2 000 rpm in 7th gear. The suspension of the new A200 is on the firm side and very rough surfaces will be felt in the cabin, but that’s the trade-off for having feedback and roadholding to match the rear-drive opposition. Handling on the twisty roads was good fun, and even at high speeds the A200 stays remarkably flat. Wind and road noise is well contained making it a pleasure to be able to listen to music while on the move.
The recommended retail selling price for the Mercedes-Benz A200 Automatic excluding the options is R462 984 which includes Mercedes-Benz 6 year/100 000 kms service plan.
