2019 Mercedes-Benz Class A Sedan First Drive

In marketing 101, students often learn to "start with young people". This is the best way to get brand loyalty for life and a successful marketing campaign. Mercedes-Benz is not known for making affordable cars, which makes it difficult for young buyers. His cars are billed to people who tend to stay in the same age range as those willing to withdraw their 401K.

The company realized that it was possible to talk to young people – not just the youngest – with the original baby Benz in the 1980s and 190s. It was the forerunner of the modern C-Class . Although the C-Class has evolved since then, Mercedes has again tried to reach young drivers with the CLA in 2013. Although it's a nicely packaged vehicle, it has suffered from the effects of lightning. 39, a variety of fundamental flaws.

To try again, the company decided to import one of its most affordable models in the US, the all-new 2019 A-Class Sedan. We sampled it while exploring the iconic Pacific Northwest: Seattle. Before the 2019 model year, Class A was only available in Europe and Asia, where it was sold in millions over three generations and 20 years. And that's because Mercedes-Benz executives did not think that such a model fit the image of the company in America.

But times have changed and the new A-Class sedan arrives at dealerships early 2019, not only to prove that sedans are not yet dead, but also to face the Audi A3 while keeping new buyers out of the competition. Prices are not yet available, but Mercedes-Benz representatives expected a starting price of about $ 30,000.

Interior and technique

For decades, Mercedes has maintained its tradition of revealing its latest innovations on flagship models, such as the much more expensive S-Class and E-Class sedans. But with the desire to highlight its technological advances, society now presents them in its more affordable models. By making its new technologies more accessible, the automaker believes it will make a much more lasting impression on young buyers. That's why she decided to inaugurate her latest infotainment system and her personal digital driving assistant in class A.

Called Mercedes-Benz User Xperience (MBUX), the infotainment system adopts a dual-screen high-definition configuration that replaces the group of instruments and the display of the center console. It is similar to that of the most expensive class A siblings. MBUX is standard in the A-Class range, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The basic system comes with seven inch smaller screens while paying extra for the more advanced system adds the much larger 10 inch screens displayed on our test car.

With the new system comes a new user interface. There is an Alexa or Siri voice command with natural voice recognition, activated by announcing "Hey Mercedes" and a new central touchpad controller that replaces the traditional dial. And, for the first time in a Mercedes-Benz, MBUX combines both an external controller and a touch screen for easy navigation.

Software engineers have simplified all menu and option selections within the graphical user interface, organizing them in a logical way, especially for a vehicle with many features.

By testing the "Hey Mercedes" function and its natural speech recognition, the system eliminates the need to speak as a robot to function. The system is rather programmed to recognize more conversational queries. For example, instead of saying, "Hey Mercedes, raise the temperature on the driver's side to 71 degrees," passengers can just express how they feel and the car will obey. Like, "Hey Mercedes, I'm cold".

Alternatively, when you fancy a cup of coffee at Starbucks, we simply said, "Hey Mercedes, I want coffee," and the system has selected the closest options based on Yelp reviews.

The only pressing problem we found was that the system was often triggered annoyingly and unintentionally each time we inadvertently said the word Mercedes.

The optional equipment includes a Burmester high-end audio system, heated and cooled front seats, augmented reality navigation (which displays a front view on the center screen with directional overlays), a charging station inductive for compatible smartphones and the same Distronic Plus Radar-guided cruise control with auto-direction function and speed adaptation based on the route that we find on class E models and class S the most luxurious. Choose the driver and parking packages and combine safety features such as blind spot assistance and lane maintenance, pedestrian detection, front-end collisions and intersections, all with automatic braking.

Despite being a subcompact sedan, the A-Class has a surprisingly spacious and comfortable interior. Although, of course, those who break the six-foot figure will find the hindquarters a bit narrow with some difficulty getting in and out. Otherwise, the interior is as solid and well built as any other model in the range.

Driving experience

At launch, class A starts with a level of finish and a choice of engine. It's called A220. At the wheel of the two or four front wheels, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder cross-mounted and bolted to a relatively sluggish but fairly smooth seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The official times of 0 to 60 times are not yet available, but according to what we felt at the wheel, we estimate that this time is in the range less than seven seconds with just a hint of turbo lag. Once in the power band of the engine, the A220 moves more than enough around the city and on the highway with a lot of power.

Although this is a dual-clutch unit, the A220's transmission behaves like a traditional automatic gearbox with a torque converter. It offers slowing down and downshifts over double clutch standards. It can not match the speed of double clutch in comparable Audi models, even in sport mode. And yet, it manages to be one of the sweetest clutches we've sampled lately, especially given the reputation of the transmission to be a little awkward in town. We believe that higher-speed transmission is reserved for the high-performance A45 AMG, if it arrives in the United States.

While the A-Class is based on front-wheel drive with a short wheelbase, it offers agile handling with a fast and precise front end, well-tuned brakes and a firm but well-controlled body control ride. The rear, however, can feel a bit bouncy on the wavy roads. Large wheels and more aggressive tires caused a much higher rolling noise than we expected from a brand known for its serene interiors. But, all things considered, he drives and feels like a Mercedes-Benz behind the wheel.

guarantee

All Mercedes-Benz come with a 48-month warranty and 50,000 miles covering the bumper up to the vehicle's bumper. There is an extended plant option that adds 36 months and 100,000 miles of coverage.

In the initial quality survey conducted by J.D. Power for 2018, Mercedes-Benz ranked among 92 problems per 100 new vehicles built, just below the average of 93 industry problems. This is down from last year's 102 problems, suggesting a significant improvement in vehicle reliability from the assembly line.

Mercedes-Benz in general have the reputation of being robust and over-modified. And supported, they are also recognized for their reliability and longevity.

How DT would configure this car

We would take the Mercedes-Benz 2019 A-Class sedan as we saw it at the Seattle press release: fully loaded. This includes the more advanced MBUX system with the larger 10-inch screens, which are part of the Premium package, the more sporty AMG Line package with suspension, steering and sport-tuned brakes, as well as the driver assistance package. , which adds Plus a radar-guided cruise control and all active safety equipment. The Burmester audio system is worthy of improvement, and to get the most out of MBUX, it's important to opt for its satellite navigation capabilities.

Conclusion

If you are in the youngest age group and the prospect of owning a car as luxurious and feature-rich as a Mercedes-Benz seems impossible, this prospect could now become a reality. Although Class A is the most affordable model in the company, that does not mean it's cheap. On the contrary, it's like being in the premium product.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2019 sedan is extremely impressive and represents a significant improvement over the CLA in various ways. It offers a level of technology and style that even its direct competitor, the Audi A3, can not match. But the biggest determinant of the success of Class A is its price. Until we discover how expensive class A testers are on the press, it's hard to say if class A will be a resounding success.

But, if it manages to stay as affordable as the representatives of Mercedes-Benz imply, the company will have a winner.