Road test Mercedes-Benz A-Class A180 road test – Gadgetmania

Consumption

Whether we like it or not, diesel engines remain the most fuel efficient on the market, and the 1.5-liter Mercedes-Benz unit has proven its consumer-related qualities over the years. of time On the A180 d version, the Mercedes-Benz has crossed a maximum of 5.2 liters / 100 km of urban driving, 4.0 liters / 100 kilometers outside the city and a maximum of 4.5 liters / 100 kilometers in mixed mode. 19659011] Values ​​announced by the German manufacturer have been calculated according to the new WLTP standard but have been converted to NEDC compliant values ​​for possible comparison with a model on the market for a certain time to be relevant

Part of the Testing with the new A-Class in the A 180 D version took place outside the city, but with a warning pace that included mountain roads and highways. Finally, the on-board computer displayed 5.4 liters / 100 kilometers. Start-Stop system available

Only the 116d with the 116 hp diesel engine is at the same level as the Stuttgart saloon sedan in mixed consumption. Otherwise, the Audi A3 Sportback, equipped with the 1.6-liter and 116-hp, and the Volvo V40 D2 120 hp come with a lower mixed consumption

Performance

A 1.6 – liter diesel of 116 horsepower will never send you the idea that under the sole of your right foot is a sports sport valence. And the class A 180 d certainly does not come out of this scheme

The German sedan manufacturer can accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 10.5 seconds. The BMW 116 d equipped with the Steptronic automatic transmission and the Volvo V40 D2 also make this sprint in 10.5 seconds. The Audi A3 Sportback in the company of the 116 hp diesel engine and the 7-speed automatic transmission promises 10.4 seconds for the same half

The maximum speed promised by the A 180 d is 202 km / h, the same value as the A3 Sportback. The BMW 1 Series and the Volvo V40 are both slightly lower than the Class A.

Interior

If, 20 years ago, you were in class A, you thought that he was the unwanted son of the German manufacturer. The quality and the integrated elements were not thought and produced by the same people who were in the S-Class wallet.

But Mercedes-Benz understood that it did not need to discriminate, so the new Class A is part of the Class. S. And things are as simple as possible: the materials used by the Germans are of good quality and perfectly integrated in the general layout, the attention to detail is not lacking and the ergonomics seem invented in the courtyard of Daimler

the elements you will achieve are of superior quality. The new steering wheel now incorporates two black touch pads. These have been inserted into the buttons area on the steering wheel, and through them you will be able to coordinate the information displayed on the huge "tablet" on board. It incorporates two standard 7-inch screens. Optionally, customers can check screens with a diagonal of 10.25 inches.

And both screens have been designed to support the vast majority of functions you can have. However, here you have to be careful, the Germans have left the controls of the air conditioning system in a classic version with buttons. And the sound produced by these is not the most enjoyable in the universe.

If you are not used to the two touch pads on the steering wheel, you can use the third on the middle tunnel. Each key is "rewarded" by a physical impulse to understand that the system has taken control, so you do not need to draw your attention to the center console.

Storage spaces are sufficient: in the door pockets you will find specially marked areas for storing water bottles, the armrest is deep, and the cell phone can sit all the way down. time at the bottom of the center console. The passenger space has increased, and it should be noted the same for the trunk volume (370 liters, 29 liters more than the older generation). In addition, the loading area is 20 centimeters wider.

purchase price

Mercedes-Benz makes impressive sales. The Stuttgart manufacturer ranks first among premium manufacturers, with Germans having higher prices than competitors, regardless of the segment considered.

And the new generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class does not rebel against this rule. The starting price of the new class A is 30 300 euros. For this amount, customers will receive the A200 version equipped with a 1.33 liter and 163 hp gasoline engine coupled to a manual gearbox.

The only diesel in the offer, the one we tested, goes from € 31,200, but as soon as you start configuring the new class A, you will see how the amount increases relatively quickly. LED lamps (830 euros), blind spot assistant (450 euros), metallic paint (590 euros), driving assistance pack (1.800 euros) and the Premium pack (3.950 euros) you will get out of your pocket a nice sum.

In the basic version, the BMW 1 Series 116d with automatic transmission starts at 31,300 euros, with only 100 euros more than the rival of Stuttgart. The Audi A3 Sportback costs 30,000 euros in diesel and automatic transmission of 116 hp, while the Volvo V40 is the only model that does not exceed the threshold of 30,000 euros.

Although several months have passed since the debut of the new generation Mercedes-Benz Class A, EuroNCAP has not yet tested the German model. However, Mercedes-Benz has no emotions and says the new model was designed to get five stars in the EuroNCAP tests

And as Mercedes-Benz has a tradition of security, the class Do not stay behind the pack and promise a lot of systems ready to help you in limited cases.

Auto Emergency Brake Assist, Dead Driver Assist, Treadmill Assist and Traffic Tracking System are basic elements that you will find in the offer of the German manufacturer. In addition, Distronic Active Remote Assist with Active Steering Assist makes Class A a compact segment model capable of operating semi-autonomously. And for all these integrated Mercedes-Benz technologies in the new generation Class A, I will mark this chapter with the maximum of available stars.

Covered by road

At the time of the official presentation, Mercedes-Benz announced that the new generation of Class A will be available with two rear suspension configurations: a semi-rigid four-link version with a torsion bar. The specimen had the second configuration mentioned above and, contrary to expectations, the rear axle is not "so long"

The suspension is put to comfort and the new Class A manages to "swallow" bumps occurring in the path. The only times you will feel that you are not falling into an E-Class or an S-Class are those where you experience small bumps. Noise enters the cabin just after you have exceeded the maximum speed allowed on motorways in Romania. Otherwise, quietly

Depending on the situation, the Class A comes with four settings: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual. Each of them modifies the engine and throttle responses, the steering and the degree of intervention of the traction control system.

Despite the comfort-oriented settings, the Class A remains an agile sedan when you want to test it on the road. sub-virgin making one's presence felt when "stretching the string" too much. Otherwise, the Class A remains a car that forgives you and allows you to play with it despite the erroneous mistakes you make.

The direction is getting closer to the return and the precision of that offered by BMW, a sign that Mercedes-Benz has tried to bring the new A-Class into a slightly sporty zone when we talk about maneuverability

Visibility

A chapter on which a compact class sedan is not allowed to go through a whistling sound. The exterior mirrors are well proportioned to the size of the car, the rear window is not as generous as one might expect, and the A uprights will only give you a bad deal head in tight turns.

before any hatchback in the segment, that is why I will not excessively penalize the new class A. The army of sensors and camcorders will help you out of bounds

In the chapter inside, you were reminded of the noise generated by the temperature control buttons. We wash our eyes well and pay attention to certain phrases. MBUX Infotainment System (Mercedes-Benz user experience) can make your day better with a simple "Hey, Mercedes". The virtual assistant prepared by the Germans is able to get you out of all the mess. Tell him that he is hot and that the temperature will be a few degrees lower, tell him to take you home, and the assistant will visit you. And the Germans also say that a special component of the MBUX system is artificial intelligence. In other words, the system is able to teach the site of each owner and respond more quickly to his needs

The MBUX menu was structured in three areas: Homescreen, Basescreen and Submenu, accessed by the two touch zones on the steering wheel, either with the central touchpad Those who have confidence in them can try to access the menus and functions simply by touching the screen.

The screen that replaces the classic dashboard can also be customized at the driver's discretion. Although I like new and technologically mature things, I think too much information is displayed on the dashboard and this could lead to short moments of inattention on the part of the drivers. Regardless of their preferences, the new MBUX system reacts fluidly and without sincerity.

But the technological package prepared by Mercedes-Benz does not stop there. Those who want more dynamism can opt for an independent rear suspension equipped with adaptive dampers (mandatory and 18-inch wheels).

About the security systems I talked about in the dedicated chapter. Here, I will talk about how they react. If you have never encountered these technologies, you may start to sweat after inadvertently crossing the line as you drive the new Class A. The reaction of the system that monitors and maintains the tape is violent. If in other cases, a simple vibration of the steering wheel and an annoying noise were enough to turn the steering wheel a few degrees, in the case of class A, the system brakes quite suddenly and pushes you back on the tape. And the same thing happens with the system that warns you that you are getting too close to the vehicle in front, the generated sounds being somewhat aggressive

Design

At the time of introduction of the new generation of class A, many people began to show with their finger different body parts that, according to them, were taken from the car manufacturer X or Y. Others were unhappy that the new class A was too integrated into the brand's design philosophy, and now the model is the smallest unit of the doll Matrioška All of a sudden. First, the new hatchback developed by the Germans seems much better in reality than in the photos, but it's a feature more and more common in the last period.

In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Class A has become a mature model with a design philosophy chiseled over a long period of time. Yes, the front seems completely taken over from the new CLS (small scale, of course), but it fits his class A glove. Overall, Mercedes-Benz has managed to make from the new generation of the compact sedan a model with strong lines and exemplary anchored in the philosophy of the brand.

In addition, most of the young people who caught the car in traffic highlighted the new A-class and smiled briefly, a sign that German design was going through