When the A-Class was first introduced to the world, it served as a more affordable option to own a brand that was seen as elite and a pinnacle of what cars should be. While it didn’t have the allure of the S-Class, it still gave owners the bragging rights to say they drive a “Merc”. The A-Class was an odd looking thing at the time though, to use the American term, “mini van” comes to mind when looking at the first generation of it. Even the launch of the A32K AMG didn’t do much for its image as a whole but credit to them, the A-Class did sell decently in local and overseas markets with it being the ideal type of “city car” for Europeans and “soccer mom” cars for the rest of the world. The second generation saw it get a nice nip tuck with sharper angles and a more neater trim but by then the appeal of it seemed to have died down, Mercedes took cognisance of it and hence the 3rd generation saw a shift in the A-Class’s from being a mini van to hatchback and spurred on an epic rival of the line. This offered the company the ideal platform to take on a whole new segment which was long enjoyed by another German rival. With the 4th generation just receiving a light update, the A-Class, remains one of the more popular models in the Merc range and with the range topping AMG derivatives in the A35 and A45S pushing mind boggling performance figures, the normal A200 and A250 still deserve a fair shout. I spent a week with the A200 hatch in AMG trim and this is what I thought about it.
DESIGN
There’s just something about a good looking car in black. Yes, the colour automatically makes the car look good but when the design of the is great, the colour black just accentuates the design and make it that more bolder. The lines of the A-Class are sublime, from the angular shark like nose flowing with the subtle curves that extend into the body and ties into the rear so well. The headlights feature the new multibeam LED’s which do a little dance when the car is powered up in the dark. While they do serve a very good purpose, the blue hues do add a cool contrast to that front end that’s dominated by the three pointed star emblem which is poised perfectly in the centre. With the AMG trim the grille gets the tri-star treatment ad well. The car came fitted with optional 19-inch multi-spoke AMG rims finished off in black which gave the car a stealth like look. The interior does receive some minor tweaks but nothing too evident, apart from the removal of the track pad that now is just is an oddly shaped storage tray.
PERFORMANCE
Powered by 1.4 litre turbocharged engine, the A200 doesn’t boast big numbers like its AMG siblings, but it does offer a spirited feel to it. 120kW is derived from the engine along with 270Nm of torque which translates to an adequate drive but also maintaining a level of economy that won’t get you visiting the filling station every week. If driven properly, the A200 could be quite frugal I’m told but with only 5 days with it, I wasn’t going to be pussyfooting this things around the streets of Durban. The shape and size of this car makes it the perfect weapon to navigate the twistys and hills and that’s where I went hunting with it. The car is so accurate with the steering, it almost felt like you’re in a go-kart at times, the torque factor gets the acceleration in for the short bursts of speed required and that is what makes the drive in this entertaining. Many will say that yes, while it is fun, its not that fast, yes, if you want fast you buy the AMG's. If you want something that can do your daily drives, but provide that a drive that's not completely boring, you get this.
COMFORT
Seeing it's the smallest car in the Mercedes-Benz stable, you'd expect it to be a tiny cabin but thanks to modern ergonomic design practices, the A200 is roomy enough to seat 4 adults. There are still some questionable design practices on the dash that I have personal issues with, like the height of the cubby hold that is in front of the front passenger seat. A tall person like myself has to move the seat a bit more back to avoid it hitting my knees, this affects the leg room for the passenger behind me. Mind you, the design does look great but perhaps on the next one they could re-look at this. I did mention that the track pad for the car has disappeared, that is thanks to the new MBUX system that includes a touchscreen infotainment center and intuitive AI which takes commands via voice. It works damn well and can understand just about any voice and any accent without a hassle. I hardly found myself having to repeat myself when giving it instructions as mundane as they were. Apple and Google could learn a thing or two from Merc's tech as I battle with Siri most of the time! The car comes standard with pretty much all the tech you'd expect to find in a modern day luxury car. While some of the materials do feel a bit low quality compared to other models in the Merc line up, one must understand that this is the entry level car you're getting into so you can't have everything at a cheaper price. One thing I must take my hats off to Mercedes for is their ambient lighting, in pictures it looks tacky but when you're sitting in the cabin at night with it illuminated in the colours of your choice, it's just something else.
VERDICT
The A200 has a lot to offer, even with it being the entry level Mercedes-Benz, they try to stay true to who they are as a premium luxury brand. While the costs of the cars are quite high, it's nice to see them as a brand taking note of this and offering financial support facility with Mercedes-Benz Agility drive, which can be customised to the individual's spending power. With each car being a direct representation of the owner, given the choices of colours and specifications they can deck their ideal car to be like, it's worth considering if you want an A200 but unsure on how to finance it. Even though my first stint in the A class was the A45S then the A35 AMG's, I took quite a liking to the A200 as it served it's role perfectly as a daily drive that offered everything that one would need, in terms of looks, practicality, space and comfort.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Engine | 1.4 -litre turbo, 4 cylinder |
8-speed automatic | |
Fuel consumption | 6.4 liters per 100km |
R755,985* |
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