2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA Revealed

[Raza]

Especially compared to what they used to look like...

Yeah, that just looks like a van.

[MX793]

Yeah, that just looks like a van.

Looks more like despair to me.

[2o6]

I've always liked the one-box shape of the original A-class.

[MX793]

I've always liked the one-box shape of the original A-class.

I guess if you like something that looks like a caricature of the old GM Dustbuster minivans...  Or a Tata Nano with an MB badge on it.

[cawimmer430]

The second generation A-Class actually looked pretty upscale and definitely felt premium at the time. I worked at a Benz dealer back in the day and the experience switching from the dreadful first generation to the pretty solid second generation model felt like night and day.

The first generation A-Class was ugly and cheaply made and had a crap interior. I never liked them much, but in A170 CDI with a 5-speed manual transmission form they were actually pretty zippy and fun to drive, and to my surprise handled quite well. Didn't change the fact that the interior plastics were awful, panel gaps were huge and the car looked funny. Interior space was excellent thanks to the sandwich layout.



First Generation - weird-looking and bland at the same time. I always thought the 1990s were the Dark Ages of car design anyway.








Interior, first vs second generation.

[MX793]

The second generation A-Class actually looked pretty upscale and definitely felt premium at the time. I worked at a Benz dealer back in the day and the experience switching from the dreadful first generation to the pretty solid second generation model felt like night and day.

The first generation A-Class was ugly and cheaply made and had a crap interior. I never liked them much, but in A170 CDI with a 5-speed manual transmission form they were actually pretty zippy and fun to drive, and to my surprise handled quite well. Didn't change the fact that the interior plastics were awful, panel gaps were huge and the car looked funny. Interior space was excellent thanks to the sandwich layout.



First Generation - weird-looking and bland at the same time. I always thought the 1990s were the Dark Ages of car design anyway.








Interior, first vs second generation.

Gen 1 has the excuse of being designed in the design dark ages that was the later 90s.  What was the W169's excuse?

[cawimmer430]

Gen 1 has the excuse of being designed in the design dark ages that was the later 90s.  What was the W169's excuse?

It was essentially an improved W168 and kept the sandwhich layout for maximum interior efficiency. It's not a beauty queen, but at the time it looked relatively decent with the proper wheels/color setup (see photo) and at least upscale with really nice interior quality.




The third generation, the W176, sacrificed interior efficiency and innovation for style.

[MX793]

It was essentially an improved W168 and kept the sandwhich layout for maximum interior efficiency. It's not a beauty queen, but at the time it looked relatively decent with the proper wheels/color setup (see photo) and at least upscale with really nice interior quality.

Decent?  It looks like somebody took a 3rd world market micro-car and slapped a 3-pointed start on the front.  Almost as bad as the Aston Martin Cygnet.

[2o6]

Well, over 1mm people disagreed, because they sold that many of the damn things.



I like it, and I've always liked it.

[MX793]

Well, over 1mm people disagreed, because they sold that many of the damn things.



I like it, and I've always liked it.

That only proves that people who can't afford a real Benz will gladly pay too much money for a subcompact with a 3-pointed star on the hood.

[BimmerM3]

That only proves that people who can't afford a real Benz will gladly pay too much money for a subcompact with a 3-pointed star on the hood.

Or that people don't care that much about looks, especially at the lower end of the market where customers are financially constrained.

[2o6]

Or someone who wants a flexible interior, in a short easy to park package. And a Mercedes.



The A-class wasn't cheap, either. It was a lot more expensive than the Fiesta, apology, Corsa, et al.

[BimmerM3]

Or someone who wants a flexible interior, in a short easy to park package. And a Mercedes.



The A-class wasn't cheap, either. It was a lot more expensive than the Fiesta, apology, Corsa, et al.

That's basically what I was saying, just with a more positive spin. The old A Classes are dumb looking cars, but that doesn't mean there's no other reason to buy one.

The interiors that Wimmer posted are definitely nice for the compact segment in their respective time periods.

[Raza]

Looks more like despair to me.

I see that.

[cawimmer430]

Decent?  It looks like somebody took a 3rd world market micro-car and slapped a 3-pointed start on the front.  Almost as bad as the Aston Martin Cygnet.

Design is completely subjective. I am no fan of the first generation A-Class. The second generation wasn't pretty, but it was a marked improvement over the first generation in all areas, especially build and interior quality.

[FoMoJo]

It was a sad looking car but, no doubt, quite functional.  Reminded me of a '93 Aerostar.

[RomanChariot]

It was a sad looking car but, no doubt, quite functional.  Reminded me of a '93 Aerostar.

Which is all the condemnation any car deserves. 

[cawimmer430]

That only proves that people who can't afford a real Benz will gladly pay too much money for a subcompact with a 3-pointed star on the hood.

The reason for buying a current A-Class hasn't much changed. A small premium car with typical Mercedes attributes that is spacious inside and easy to live with in cramped city environments (narrow roads, small parking spaces etc.). In countries/cities where space is limited such cars tend to be popular, and most people there presumably do not look down upon them because they're small cars.

Remember, elsewhere people also buy cars based on their garage space size. In my case I bought a 4th generation A-Class because the car fulfilled all my wants and needs (compact, roomy, stylish, sporty, fuel efficient, safe, FELT RIGHT INSIDE etc.) and most importantly - it fit into my allotted parking space.

For the price I paid for my A250 I could have gotten an entry-level new/used C-Class Wagon - but that car wouldn't fit into my allotted parking space (even a CLA Shooting Brake wouldn't fit since it's half a meter longer than my ex-118i / current A250). I wasn't really interested in anything larger than a C-Class, so what were my choices? 3rd generation A-Class hat awful outward vision (massive sight-robbing A-pillars). B-Class was perfect but not fun to drive. GLA, same issues as the 3rd generation A-Class. CLA Shooting Brake was a seriously consideration, but too long. C-Class decent to drive, RWD but again too long. That really left me with no choice but to go for the new A-Class, and I am happy I did. This is an amazing car. 

I'd even argue that the A-Class has always from day one appealed to younger [hipster-like] buyers who aren't interested in a "typical" Mercedes sedan. At the same time, the much improved 2nd, 3rd and the current impressive 4th generation make great city cars for traditional Mercedes' owners who drive say an E-Class or S-Class but use their compact A-Class for shopping trips around the city.

[cawimmer430]

It was a sad looking car but, no doubt, quite functional.  Reminded me of a '93 Aerostar.

Yep. They were very space efficient and roomy, and that was one of their biggest selling points.

Their design for the time was perhaps considered funky and cool, but these days you can only look at those cars and think to yourself, "What were they thinking!?" Ah, the 1990s / early 2000s.

I never liked the first generation A-Class design, and the second one wasn't much better, but it at least did look a little better and more upscale. Not by much, but enough to make a visual and interior difference.

[FoMoJo]

Which is all the condemnation any car deserves. 

The Areostar was not a great looker, but very functional.  We had an extended version with the 4 litre Cologne engine on a 3 year lease when we were renovating our house.  It would comfortable seat 8 people, if they were not too fat, with the seats up and, with the seats down, would easily carry a couple of dozen sheets of plywood or dry wall and still be able to close the the back.  Never skipped a beat for 3 years.

For some reason, the gen 1 A-Class is/was also very popular where we now live.  Lots of Desi women driving them around.

[cawimmer430]

For some reason, the gen 1 A-Class is/was also very popular where we now live.  Lots of Desi women driving them around.

Are you in the UK? 

[FoMoJo]

Are you in the UK? 

Mississauga, the heart of the South Asian community in Canada.  There's also a lot of Chinese, but they drive real Mercedes.

[cawimmer430]

Mississauga, the heart of the South Asian community in Canada.  There's also a lot of Chinese, but they drive real Mercedes.

Wait, Canada got the first generation A-Class!?

[FoMoJo]

Wait, Canada got the first generation A-Class!?

I've seen them .

[93JC]

Our dear FoMoJo is maybe confusing the A-class and B-class. We've had the B-class since it launched in 2005.

[cawimmer430]

Yeah, I think you must be confusing the first generation A-Class with the first generation B-Class.

[FoMoJo]

Our dear FoMoJo is maybe confusing the A-class and B-class. We've had the B-class since it launched in 2005.

Could be.  They are small and goofy looking.  The A Class is even smaller?

[93JC]

Yes, quite a bit smaller.

[cawimmer430]

Could be.  They are small and goofy looking.  The A Class is even smaller?

Yep, the A-Class is smaller in terms of length. In terms of width they are more or less similar. And design wise they're nothing to write home about.

Interior wise they are very spacious (offer E-Class levels of space). I worked at a Benz dealer at the time and got to drive all of the B-Classes. They are very soft and almost floaty. Nothing sporty about them at all. Target market? Senior citizens - literally.

These cars were never available with an automatic transmission but instead used Mercedes' first CVT called Autotronic. It was ok with torquey engines, so all diesels and the B200 Turbo (gasoline). The other gasoline models were total dogs with this transmission, awful to drive. All models were decent in terms of power with the manual transmissions.