It’s been much talked about since it’s announcement and now that it’s here, we did the only logical thing and took it for a drive to see how it felt!
Sharp on the Outside
The A-class has changed a lot since the last generation, the design is much sharper and it looks racier than the previous model. Black is definitely the colour to get it in as well! The rear does look like a Kia Cerato admittedly but other than that, it certainly has a Merc flair to it. This was something that has been lacking from the A-class line thus far and I’m glad to see that it has been corrected!
Luxurious on the Inside
This is where most of the money has been spent and you certainly can tell. While the exterior is nice, the interior is where you’ll be spending most of your time and so you want it to feel plush. The central infotainment screen and the digital gauges screen are joined together which is something I’m not a big fan of but it does make the car seem more high tech. Then there’s the mood lighting, you can have two colours at the same time, everything from the front air vents to the footwells have lights in them. The lighting is certainly a great feature. While it still misses a touchscreen, I can understand the appeal because they are fingerprint magnets. The cabin feels really well put together overall and the touch of having two tone leather is even nicer! It is to be noted that room in the rear is rather tight if you’re 6 foot or over.
The Verdict
The new A-class is a great car, inside and out. It feels well built and it’s 2L engine coupled with a 4WD system ensure it’s performs well on all kinds of roads but there is one problem with it and it’s a big one. The safety features are far too intrusive, when trying to take the offramp, the car thinks you are veering out of your lane and so it will apply the brakes. It also brakes very sharply when you’re getting close to the car in front of you. Other than that, it is an incredibly impressive car! In terms of luxury, it feels unlike anything in its class and that really makes the biggest difference here.
The new Mercedes A250 gets a 8/10 from me!
Thanks for reading.
Words and pictures by Matthew D’souza
