Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine Petrol First Drive Review

Talking about the power figures, the 1.3-litre unit pushes out a very impressive 163bhp and 250Nm of torque which is excellent considering its displacement. Transferring the power to the front wheels is a seven-speed DCT gearbox.

Putting it in drive, the A200 petrol feels smooth and it’s sprightly off the mark as well. There is more than enough power for city use and when you do push it, the A200 does get moving quickly. There is no drama or torque steer and acceleration is strong but in a linear manner. However, it does get very vocal over 5000rpm and it’s not a very sporty note. But what does feel sporty is the turbo hiss every time the blow-off valve engages.

You also get to choose between drive modes - Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual - which makes things a little interesting. Mercedes claims a 0-100 kmph time of 8.1 seconds which is quick. But more than outright acceleration, it’s the mid-range performance that’s impressive. The twin-clutch gearbox works very well and keep the engine in the right zone most of the time. So when you do need the performance immediately, it’s always there.

From what Mercedes-Benz claims, it's fuel-efficient as well offering 17.5 kmpl which is more hatchback territory. But that’s something we will test and verify. Overall, the A200 petrol isn't really a sportscar, but even with a 1.3-litre engine on offer, there is plenty of performance on offer to keep its driver satisfied and is more than enough for what the car is intended for.

For starters, it's way better than its predecessor. The softer set-up and the extra tyre sidewall definitely makes the ride plusher at slow speeds, however, it isn’t what you expect in a Mercedes-Benz. Now don’t get us wrong, the ride quality isn’t bad but it’s just that we have been spoilt by the bigger Merc’s and one just expects Mercedes cars to waft. Unfortunately, this one does not.

But what it lacks in ride quality, it makes up in handling. Body roll is minimal and even sudden direction changes do not upset it. This coupled with very intuitive steering, the new A makes for a very entertaining drive on the twisty’s.

And then of course you have the display screen. It’s massive and almost runs across the length of the dash. The part in front of the driver is the all-digital instrument display which gives out a massive array of driving information. And then right next to it is the touchscreen infotainment system. The screen display is just brilliant, sharp, high resolutions and vivid colours that make it a joy to read off. The infotainment system can also be accessed via a haptic touchpad which works flawlessly. The sports leather steering wheel is familiar which gets all the controls possible along with touchpads on either side. What we also noticed was that this brilliant new MBUX system has a very easy to use interface and isn’t fussy at all.

Now let’s talk about the space on offer. Now, this might be a compact sedan, but Mercedes-Benz has made sure that the dimensions are generous and the packaging is smart. Once you bend your back a little and get in, the driver seat feels superb with all the support you need. They are powered and get memory function as well so finding or getting your driving position back isn’t a task at all.

At the rear, 2729mm of legroom means knee-room is more than adequate, so if one does want to use it as a chauffeur-driven car, it’s not a problem at all, however, legroom is limited and so is the headroom which could be a problem for the really tall ones.

Boot space is generous too at 405 litres (395 litres in the diesel variant) and it's wide with the loading lip being not too tall. For additional space, the seats fold down in 40:20:40 format which can be done via levers in the boot itself.

Overall, the new A-class despite being a compact sedan has a decent amount of space and oozes quality as well barring the gear selector stalk which is the cheapest feeling part in the otherwise superbly built cabin.

On the safety side, along with a bunch of airbags, ABS, ESP, and EBD, the new A-Class also gets the latest pre-safe system and automatic brake assist which stops the car automatically in case the driver falls asleep.