Shropshire Star

First drive: The Mercedes A-Class sets a new benchmark for premium hatchbacks

Mercedes-Benz is the first to release the next wave of premium hatches, but is it enough to get ahead of the game? Ryan Hirons heads to Croatia to find out.

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What is it?

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Despite this, they’ve all remained relatively unchanged for quite a few years now, but Mercedes has been the first to pull the trigger on the new generation of luxury hatches.

Not only does the three-pointed star have its sights set on getting an early lead in its class – with a new 1 Series on the horizon and Audi likely to refresh its hatch in the next couple of years – but also setting a new tech benchmark.

What’s new?

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The biggest selling point is a new infotainment system, dubbed MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience). It’s designed to offer a more immersive experience – bringing a new Mercedes Me voice assistant, tons of customizability and some augmented reality features for satellite navigation.

Elsewhere, there’s semi-autonomous technology and a range of new engines – two petrol and one diesel.

What’s under the bonnet?

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It develops 114bhp and 260Nm of torque, capable of taking the A-Class from 0-60mph in 10.3 seconds and on to a 126mph top speed. As for economy, Mercedes claims 62.7mpg can be achieved on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 108g/km.

It’s not the most powerful of units, but it’s brisk enough for daily usage and feels well refined on longer cruises, with little noise to be heard in the cabin. It does hold on to gears a little long when pulling out of junctions, but the seven-speed unit is otherwise faultless.

What’s it like to drive?

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Its semi-autonomous driving technology – which comes in the form of adaptive cruise control with road sign recognition – means chewing up the motorway miles can be a stress-free experience, although not the most comfortable as a result of firm suspension.

Take it around town and a short turning circle combined with good all-round visibility makes it easy enough to use as a daily machine.

How does it look?

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Buyers will want to know their car will still stand out on the road in the same way its predecessors did, and it does thanks to sharp lines and a subtly aggressive look. The A-Class brings a presence to the road that rivals fail to deliver on.

What’s it like inside?

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As for space, four adults can sit in the car in relative comfort – although rear space may be limited for those on the taller side. The boot is bigger than its predecessor too, now boasting 370 litres of luggage space – a 29-litre increase.

What’s the spec like?

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The MBUX system is the real highlight of the car. Not only is it intuitive, but the range of customisation options really brings a real touch of personalisation to the car. A ‘Mercedes Me’ voice assistant has been added here too – similar to the likes of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa – which allows some functions of the car to be controlled by voice, as well as providing deeper levels of information.

In theory, it’s a great idea but here it could do with some refinement in reality – often struggling to pick up basic phrases. As it’s cloud based, it’s likely to be a fast-improving feature, though.

Verdict

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It offers a seriously well-equipped package with technology that perhaps wouldn’t be seen on cars twice the price – although the attempt at revolutionizing voice control with Mercedes Me may take some time to prove its worth.

For the image-conscious and tech-focused buyer, there may not be a better car on sale today.

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