Mercedes Benz A Class 2013
"The A-class concept got people excited. Mercedes showed us a three-door hatchback with some attitude, and it promised derivatives would arrive here soon. Things were, quite literally, looking good. And they still are. Mostly.
A drive of the taller B-class, which shares its underpinnings with this new A-class, had us looking forward to sampling the versions we’ll get here. And we still are. But after seeing the five-door revealed ahead of its Geneva debut, for once we’re not clamoring for the hatchback. Something has been lost in the transformation from concept to production, and the car doesn’t seem to have enough Mercedes in its design.
Fear Not, Compact-Luxury Intenders
You may or may not like how this five-door hatch looks (we may or may not ourselves), but won’t be among the front-wheel-drive Mercedes we’ll see here. The first will be a small, sleek sedan, which may be called CLC. Ifspy photos are any indication, it should do a convincing baby-CLS impression.
But back to the A-class at hand. It will be offered in Europe with the usual wide-ranging engine menu. Gas options include a 1.6-liter turbo four in 121- and 154-hp strengths (installed in the A180 and A200, respectively) and a 208-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four (A250). Diesel models include the A180 CDI (107 hp, 184 lb-ft), A200 CDI (134 hp and 221 lb-ft), and the 2.1-liter A220 CDI (167 hp and 258 lb-ft). All feature engine stop-start and can be paired with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. 4MATIC all-wheel drive likely will be added soon.
We’re sure to see the 2.0 gas turbo in models sold here, and the 2.1-liter turbo-diesel wouldn’t be a huge surprise—it will arrive in the U.S. first in the refreshed GLK. We’re also hoping a 300-plus-hp AMG engine makes its way into U.S.-bound A-class derivatives. Fingers crossed.
Much of the interior matches what we’ve already seen in the B-class. It all looks nice enough, with metallic finishes on plastic pieces to impart the luxury feel the badge suggests. It’s also packed with enough tech to choke a Cray: an iPhone-integrating infotainment system, standard Attention Assist, and available nannies such as Mercedes’ Pre-Safe collision-prep suite, radar cruise and collision warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot assist, lane-keeping assist, and of course a rearview camera.
AMGee, You Shouldn’t Have
Mercedes also will offer an A-class AMG Sport package. It rides on a suspension supposedly tuned by real AMG engineers and gets lightweight 18-inch AMG wheels, which look as though they could have been swiped from a C63. We do question the package’s red accents—front and rear fascia trim, seat belts, interior air vents, and brake calipers!—especially given the comparatively understated nature of AMG’s own cars. The diamond-look grille from the concept doesn’t quite work here, either. Again, we’ll wait for the real AMG A-class." -CarandDriver.com
