2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan first drive review: A better baby Benz

Started by cawimmer430, September 25, 2018, 05:30:30 PM

cawimmer430

An American review of the new A-Class Sedan - driven on the West Coast.


2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan first drive review: A better baby Benz

The route south from Seattle to Yakima, Washington, winds through the Mount Rainier National Park. Streams and valleys bracket the road, the scenery changes from green to brown, and Mount Rainier stands majestically in the distance, snow-capped even in September.

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a lovely car for this scenic drive and a step up in every way from the current "baby Benz," the CLA-Class, except perhaps, in looks.





Adept dynamics

The A-Class owes its combination of sporty dynamics and ride comfort to the mistakes of the CLA.

"The CLA was flawed from the start," a Mercedes chassis development engineer tells us. He'll go nameless here because he probably wants to keep his job, but he further explains that Mercedes aimed for sportiness in the CLA at the expense of ride quality. The previous A-Class, which was offered as a hatchback and never sold in the U.S., was too stodgy, so Mercedes engineers erred in the opposite direction for the swoopier CLA.

As a result, the CLA is fun to drive as long as the roads are glass smooth, but the ride becomes buckboard hard when the road turns rough.





The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class supplants the CLA as the brand's entry-level car, though it is related to the CLA, which arrived with a price below $30,000 (before the mandatory destination charge) in 2013. The A-Class rides on the MFA 2 platform, the second generation of the Mercedes Front-drive Architecture adapted from the CLA's underpinnings. It's an evolution of the same platform, with a new central underbody and 30-percent stiffer mounting points for the chassis components. The latter allowed for softer spring and damper settings to retain the CLA's sportiness and ease up on the kidney liquefaction.

I take the wheel under a tunnel of trees just outside the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. The steering immediately presents as weighty and direct with rock-steady on-center stability.

I'm in a particularly attractive version of the A-Class that boasts optional 19-inch wheels and the AMG Line package, which adds AMG body styling, a chrome-finish diamond-block grille, perforated front brake discs, and a suspension that is lowered 0.6 inch. The A-Class offers 17- or 18-inch wheels as well, so this should be the stiffest riding model, but the ride feels more planted and supple than rigid. The road here undulates and the A-Class responds with some bounding, especially from the rear. That's likely more due to the short 107.4-inch wheelbase than stiff suspension tuning.





I leave the park and enter the Yakima Valley, where farms and apple orchards dot the open land. Here, the A-Class proves fun to toss into the occasional sharp corner. The steering is quick enough with its 14.4:1 ratio to turn in crisply, and the car suffers from little body lean. I find no esses here, but the short wheelbase and minimal lean should make the A-Class quite agile. I'm looking forward to the AMG A35 and A45 models that are likely to follow.





Until then, I'll make due with the mild 2.0-liter turbo-4 under the hood of the two launch models: the front-wheel-drive A220 and the all-wheel-drive A220 4Matic. This engine musters 188 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, and sends it through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

While those numbers are down by 20 and 37, respectively, from the 2.0-liter turbo-4 in the CLA250, this spirited engine launches the car from 0-60 mph in an estimated 7.0 seconds, and has plenty in reserve for highway passing. The 7-speed shifts responsively, and between the engine and transmission, the A-Class doesn't suffer the occasional pause in power delivery that you can experience in the CLA250.


Trickle up technology

With the launch of the A-Class, Mercedes is also introducing its MBUX infotainment system. It features two dashboard screens set next to each other under a single pane of glass. Mercedes makes 7.0-inch screens standard, and offers 10.25-inch screens as an option. With either setup, the right screen is a touchscreen—a first for Mercedes. Powered by the latest graphics chip, MBUX uses artificial intelligence to learn the preferences and patterns of the driver, and uses both onboard and cloud-connected data to respond to commands and requests.

My first experience with the system is generally positive, and even when it's negative it's positive. More on that in a bit.





In addition to that touchscreen, MBUX can be controlled through steering wheel controls like other current Mercedes systems, via an enlarged trackpad with haptic feedback (the rotary dial is gone), or by natural speech recognition. The driver doesn't have to learn what specific commands MBUX will accept. It recognizes any of the hundreds of ways someone might say something like "navigate to work." Voice commands are prompted by a button on the steering wheel or simply by saying, "Hey Mercedes." I find, however, that it lurks in the background like an overly helpful version of HAL and wants to chime in when anyone in the car says the word "Mercedes." That can happen fairly often...in a Mercedes.

Mercedes says to think of MBUX like Siri or Alexa on wheels. I throw some questions at it: "Who starred in 'The Help'?" and "How far to Mount Rainier?" It doesn't recognize what I'm asking for either question. Either that internet connection is bad here or the intelligence behind it isn't as smart as Siri.

One surprise-and-delight feature is the augmented reality feature on the navigation screen. On the route Mercedes has programmed, a forward-looking camera shows a view of intersections where we're supposed to turn. Over top of that, it adds navigation arrows, the names of streets, and the occasional street address, all which proves especially helpful when the streets aren't marked.

The MBUX screen swipes quickly left and right to move through XM radio stations, the system will pair a phone via Bluetooth on the move, and it is fairly intuitive to find various functions.

Occasionally, however, the navigation system doesn't provide enough instruction to keep me on the correct route. After a profane rebuke from my driving partner to MBUX, the system responds:  "You can't handle the truth."

See? Even when it's frustrating, MBUX is entertaining.





MBUX will show up next on the Sprinter van and GLE crossover, and it will surely spread throughout the lineup. New technology usually trickles down into lower-line models, but here it will trickle up. Wouldn't it be great if the economy worked like that?


Better use of space

One of the biggest knocks against the CLA is its poor backseat. Short on leg room and horribly tight on head room, it's best left to Igor the hunchback. The A-Class has a traditional sedan shape instead of the sharply angled coupe-like roof of the CLA, so rear head room is not an issue. Especially low rear seat cushions contribute to the plentiful head room, but they utterly lack rear thigh support, so adults will only be comfortable back here for short trips before leg fatigue set sin. As for knee room, my 5-foot-9 frame fit behind a 6-foot-1 driver without an issue. Anyone taller front or rear would make that rear seat space awfully tight, though.

Those low rear seat cushions let the seatbacks fold almost completely flat to make the fairly spacious trunk (Mercedes doesn't have a measurement yet, but I'd estimate at least 14 cubic feet) all that more useful.

Up front, the seats have good room for two and are fairly comfortable. These aren't sport buckets, though, and the Audi A3—and especially the S3—both offer more supportive thrones.





A quick run through the options list shows our test car has just over $14,000 in options, but that doesn't include leather upholstery. Instead, it has a two-tone MBTex synthetic leather that looks decent and may be more durable than leather, but isn't as supple.

Same goes for most of the surfaces of the interior. Mercedes covers the dash and door panels with soft-touch vinyl, but it's glossier and not nearly as rich as what you get in the brand's higher-end vehicles. The turbine-look air vents, on the other hand, are among the best-looking interior features in any car on the market. Mercedes also offers 64 colors of ambient lighting as an option.


A better car and a better deal

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class drives better than the CLA, offers more space, and Mercedes will outfit it with more standard equipment when it comes to the States early next year. Among those features will be a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights and taillights, MBUX with the 7.0-inch dashboard screens, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power driver's seat, and the MBTex upholstery.





Pricing hasn't been announced, but the A-Class will also be priced in below the CLA, which starts at about $34,000. Watch for the CLA to move upmarket, a la the CLS in relation to the E-Class, and get a redesign based on the A-Class's updated underpinnings later next year.

For now, it's a given that the A-Class is a better car than the CLA. But the new baby Benz also stakes a claim as the best entry luxury sedan on the market and rises above rivals like the Acura ILX and Audi A3, both of which are aging, in dynamics and certainly in technology.

The A-Class is also a fine way to drive from Seattle to Yakima and back, especially when it has cheeky things to say to a mouthy passenger.



Link: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1118950_2019-mercedes-benz-a-class-first-drive-review-a-better-baby-benz
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
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cawimmer430

Nice review from two Canadians!  :praise:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsfOhLhAEB4
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

12,000 RPM

Reads more like a promo piece than a review

And since when was a 107" wheelbase short :confused:
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

2o6


CALL_911

Looks much better than the Alibaba worthy CLA, but I don't like the MBUX business. Carplay is a must in whatever my next car will be.


2004 S2000
2016 340xi

cawimmer430

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on November 04, 2018, 01:46:46 PM
Reads more like a promo piece than a review

And since when was a 107" wheelbase short :confused:

I can understand their excitement. You should have seen me when I drove the A180d and A200 AMG Line!  :tounge:

The A-Class is a car which polarizes people. This car really has got the technology and features to impress. ;)
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

cawimmer430

Quote from: CALL_911 on November 04, 2018, 05:32:16 PM
Looks much better than the Alibaba worthy CLA, but I don't like the MBUX business. Carplay is a must in whatever my next car will be.

The thing about MBUX is it will need some time to adapt to individual users (unless you use the profile function and create different profiles for the different drivers of the car). I can't wait to use it. I used to think features like this were unnecessary, but it's kind of neat telling the car to do something for you while you concentrate on speeding down the highway etc.
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

12,000 RPM

Quote from: cawimmer430 on November 05, 2018, 11:41:37 AM
I can understand their excitement. You should have seen me when I drove the A180d and A200 AMG Line!  :tounge:

The A-Class is a car which polarizes people. This car really has got the technology and features to impress. ;)
You are an MB fanboy, which is fine. But for normal people this is just a cheap Benz. Something like an Accord or Golf will be a much better car for the same money.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

BimmerM3

Wait, MB wasted a bunch of money developing a fancy new infotainment system and didn't even include CarPlay/Android Auto?

CALL_911

Quote from: BimmerM3 on November 05, 2018, 02:28:16 PM
Wait, MB wasted a bunch of money developing a fancy new infotainment system and didn't even include CarPlay/Android Auto?

Apparently. I'm predicting this thing won't be very good


2004 S2000
2016 340xi

2o6

Honestly, if MBUX really is as good as it looks, I'd rather have an MBUX integration over CarPlay/Android auto. I mean, Tesla doesn't have it.

BimmerM3

Quote from: 2o6 on November 05, 2018, 05:02:23 PM
I mean, Tesla doesn't have it.

Which is also kind of stupid.

Like do your own thing if you want, but at least provide compatibility for those who want it.

At least both MBUX and Tesla's infotainment get over the air updates though.

12,000 RPM

Quote from: 2o6 on November 05, 2018, 05:02:23 PM
Honestly, if MBUX really is as good as it looks, I'd rather have an MBUX integration over CarPlay/Android auto. I mean, Tesla doesn't have it.
My 2 big gripes with it.... a good system shouldn't require you to learn anything or configure it to get the most out of it (i.e. voice commands), and I haven't seen anything about compatibility with shit like Spotify and Stitcher
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

Laconian

Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

12,000 RPM

Of course... all my podcasts are there and it works with Android Auto
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs


cawimmer430

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on November 05, 2018, 02:21:19 PM
You are an MB fanboy, which is fine. But for normal people this is just a cheap Benz. Something like an Accord or Golf will be a much better car for the same money.

Drive the cars first. I loved them. And I can be very critical of some Mercedes' products, but in this case there was really nothing major to cricitize (yet). A permanent deactivation of Start-Stop would be nice, and it doesn't drive as good as my RWD BMW 1-Series, but that's about it (for now). ;)

Most people considering this car probably won't be looking at an Accord or Golf (especially in the US). Here in Europe the Golf is cross-shopped with the A-Class Hatchback, and now potentially the sedan.
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

cawimmer430

MBUX demonstration in English around the 14:20 mark.

In a Mercedes Magazine I read that MBUX will continually be upgraded and cars equipped with it are going to be able to automatically download upgrades via WLAN. This happens in the background while you can supposedly still use the system.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uwpTboy2zo
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

12,000 RPM

Quote from: cawimmer430 on November 06, 2018, 04:02:05 PM
Drive the cars first. I loved them. And I can be very critical of some Mercedes' products, but in this case there was really nothing major to cricitize (yet). A permanent deactivation of Start-Stop would be nice, and it doesn't drive as good as my RWD BMW 1-Series, but that's about it (for now). ;)

Most people considering this car probably won't be looking at an Accord or Golf (especially in the US). Here in Europe the Golf is cross-shopped with the A-Class Hatchback, and now potentially the sedan.
Of course you loved them- you are an MB fanboy! Lol. Again not a dig, just a statement of fact of where you are coming from.

Take the badge away and these have nothing on similarly priced cars from mainstream manufacturers. Hell I'd even rather an Audi A3 than one of these. But I can't knock MB for leveraging its badge to move metal. For now at least.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

Submariner

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on November 07, 2018, 09:49:08 AM
Of course you loved them- you are an MB fanboy! Lol. Again not a dig, just a statement of fact of where you are coming from.

Take the badge away and these have nothing on similarly priced cars from mainstream manufacturers. Hell I'd even rather an Audi A3 than one of these. But I can't knock MB for leveraging its badge to move metal. For now at least.

If Merc weren't killing the upper segment part of their game (like they weren't in the late 90's early 00's) it would definitely be worse.

My aunt has a GLA...the jump from the GLA to the GLC is tremendous, and really highlights how mediocre the GLA really is. 
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

BimmerM3

Quote from: cawimmer430 on November 06, 2018, 04:05:21 PM
In a Mercedes Magazine I read that MBUX will continually be upgraded and cars equipped with it are going to be able to automatically download upgrades via WLAN. This happens in the background while you can supposedly still use the system.

That's not new information - it says on their webpage for MBUX that it'll receive over the air updates.

*silently basks in the glory that I knew something about MB that Wimmer didn't :lol:*

12,000 RPM

Quote from: Submariner on November 07, 2018, 10:15:43 AM
If Merc weren't killing the upper segment part of their game (like they weren't in the late 90's early 00's) it would definitely be worse.

My aunt has a GLA...the jump from the GLA to the GLC is tremendous, and really highlights how mediocre the GLA really is.
I just priced one out to $52K on their configurator with high end options like leather seating and a $70 set of smartphone cables.

To be fair though I'm sure 99% of these are new marketing grad $299 lease specials. And I guess that's OK
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

cawimmer430

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on November 07, 2018, 09:49:08 AM
Take the badge away and these have nothing on similarly priced cars from mainstream manufacturers.

Yes they do.

They're called intangible features for example and brands like BMW and MB definitely engineer these into their cars. For example, my 2007 BMW 118i feels solid and well-made. The doors open and close with a reassuring bankvault-like thud. Aside from that, it naturally drives well and reassures you even at high speeds with a feeling of solidity and safety. You definitely get the feeling that the price is justified.

In contrast, a 2014ish or 2015ish Toyota Auris Hatchback I drove (belonged to a friend) felt and drove abysmal. That car felt built to a priced. It felt flimsy - a feeling further reinforced on the Autobahn where the car felt nervous. You didn't want to drive it any faster because it didn't feel safe. Handling? Nothing special or engaging. The driver's seat doesn't slide back very far for my 6'4" frame to get comfortable. On the positive, interior ergonomics were pretty good and the engine was refined But overall the car didn't feel special - it felt like something constructed as cheaply as possible for people who just want value.

It's "little things" like this which make the difference even between some entry-level premium vehicles and some mainstream vehicles. Notice I said "some", because some mainstream vehicles emphasize sportier handling such as the Mazda 3, but to my knowledge it's also outsold by the Corolla/Auris, Civic and Sentra/Versa (whatever Nissan sells in the US now...) probably because most people don't care about that aspect.

I have no idea how the current CLA/GLA drive, but while they may not sway enthusiasts, they drive well enough for the average consumer who doesn't understand the finer details of driving dynamics or simply doesn't care. Also, if you want a CLA/GLA and care about driving dynamics, well what's the problem? There's an AMG available for both models.
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
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cawimmer430

Quote from: BimmerM3 on November 07, 2018, 12:20:06 PM
That's not new information - it says on their webpage for MBUX that it'll receive over the air updates.

*silently basks in the glory that I knew something about MB that Wimmer didn't :lol:*

Isn't that WLAN? I suck when it comes to computer terms.  :tounge:
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
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BimmerM3

Quote from: cawimmer430 on November 08, 2018, 11:02:47 AM
Isn't that WLAN? I suck when it comes to computer terms.  :tounge:

Yup. I wasn't saying that you're wrong, just late to the party. :tounge:

cawimmer430

-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
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cawimmer430

So North America is only getting the A220 (FWD) and A220 4Matic (AWD) and perhaps the A35/A45 AMG Sedan versions. No chance of the hatchback coming over.


New Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan Starts At $32,500, Only $600 Less Than CLA

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan will soon go on sale in the United States from $32,500, excluding a $995 destination and delivery charge.

For those of you keeping track, that's $600 less than the starting price of the current CLA, which will soon be replaced by a new model (see it here).

The U.S. range of A-Class Sedan models will start with the A 220. This variant, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine produces 188 hp and 221 lb-ft (299 Nm) of torque and comes mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard.



For $32,500, buyers can enjoy this base model with the advanced MBUX multimedia system which premiered last year. This new system includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 7.0-inch touchscreen multimedia display. The A 220 also comes standard with a Panorama roof, 17-inch wheels, and LED headlights and taillights.


The new A-Class Sedan or an A3 Sedan?

The second A-Class Sedan model bound for U.S. dealerships is the A 220 4MATIC. As the name implies, this variant is virtually identical to the A 220 but incorporates an all-wheel drive system. Pricing for this variant starts at $34,500 (plus $995 for delivery).

Both the A 220 and A 220 4MATIC models come with safety features like Active Brake Assist, Crosswind Assist, and adaptive braking technology that includes a Hill Start Assist and HOLD function. Active Distance Assist Distronic with Route-Based Speed Adaptation, Active Steering Assist, and other driver assistance technologies are optional extras.

According to some reports, the U.S. won't receive any A-Class hatchback models but could get future A35 AMG and A45 AMG Sedan models.

In terms of the A-Class Sedan's rivals, the 2019 Audi A3 Sedan just so happens to also start at $32,500 in the U.S. BMW doesn't offer a direct rival (yet) to these two.



Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2019/01/new-mercedes-benz-class-sedan-starts-32500-600-less-cla/
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

2o6


12,000 RPM

I still don't understand.

"If you can't dazzle with brilliance" you know the rest.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

93JC

Quote from: cawimmer430 on January 16, 2019, 03:41:06 AM
So North America is only getting the A220 (FWD) and A220 4Matic (AWD) and perhaps the A35/A45 AMG Sedan versions. No chance of the hatchback coming over.

Quote from: 2o6 on January 16, 2019, 07:15:19 AM
Canada gets the hatchback, as well.

:hesaid:

Only available in A250 and A250 4matic.