New Mercedes A-Class: an overview of the changes. Moving to the next level

14.07.2019

Miscellaneous

As part of the Geneva Motor Show, held in March 2012, Mercedes-Benz surprised the public with a five-door "A-class" of the third generation with a factory index W176, which, to the surprise of everyone, has not changed much compared to the concept car shown in 2011 on the show in Shanghai. A fundamental revolution took place in the ideology of the model - a nondescript single-volume vehicle turned into a dynamic two-volume hatchback with a luxurious interior and wide functionality.

In the summer of 2015, the Stuttgart-based automaker announced updated version Mercedes A-class. External modifications of the car were limited to the “make-up” of the front end, and no radical changes were made to the interior. But the engine range has undergone a more thorough "revision", as well as the list of equipment, which received a set of previously inaccessible options.

In exterior design Mercedes-Benz A class belonging to deutsche mark and yet it is not devoid of individuality. The five-door has a bright and sporty design with a squat silhouette, characterized by an elongated hood, plastic sides with punch strokes and an actively sloping roofline.

The frowning front of the car is crowned with aggressive lighting, a wide radiator grille with a huge "three-beam star" and a relief bumper.

The stern, on the other hand, looks less expressive and does not claim to be original, although you cannot call it faceless - LED lights, a trunk lid with a complex shape and a powerful bumper with integrated exhaust pipes.

The external dimensions of the “third” Mercedes-Benz A-class make the hatchback a typical representative of the European C-class: 4299 mm long, 1433 mm high and 1780 mm wide (2022 mm including side mirrors). The wheel base fits into the gap of 2699 mm, and the width of the front and rear tracks, respectively, is 1553 and 1552 mm.

In the interior of the Mercedes A-Class, a sporty spirit reigns, backed up by cool design and thoughtful ergonomics. The main design elements of the interior are the “turbine nozzles” of the ventilation deflectors, although the three-spoke steering wheel and the laconic “dashboard” of instruments, which only display necessary information and not full of colorful icons.

The front panel of the premium hatchback looks attractive and noble, and its most attractive part is considered to be a free-standing “tablet” of the multimedia center with a diagonal of up to 8 inches. Under it are neat audio control units and air conditioner. The interior of the "ashka" is executed at an impeccable level, and the finishing materials are exceptionally high-quality - soft plastics, aluminum, fabric or genuine leather.
Front armchairs Mercedes-Benz A-class with integrated headrests look like "ladles", but in reality they are different high level comfort and have a wide range of settings. The rear sofa is molded for two people, however, tall passengers will not have enough space above their heads and at their feet.

The luggage compartment is definitely not the advantage of this German hatchback - its volume is 341 liters. Seats folded 60:40 increase capacity to 1,157 liters and form a flat cargo area. In the underground "hold" there is only a repair kit for tires with "run-flat" technology, which the car is equipped with by default.

Specifications. In Russia, the restyled Mercedes-Benz A-class marked W176 is offered in three petrol and one diesel versions, with two types of gearboxes, front-wheel drive or 4Matic technology with a multi-plate clutch in the rear axle drive.

Base hatchback Mercedes-Benz A180 equipped with a four-cylinder gasoline engine turbocharged and direct injection, which, with a volume of 1.6 liters, generates 122 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 200 Nm of peak torque in the range from 1250 to 4000 rpm. A 6-speed “mechanics” or a 7-band “robot” 7G-DCT with two clutches work in unison with it, as well as a drive to the front axle. It takes 8.6-8.9 seconds for the car to exchange the first “hundred”, the “maximum speed” falls on 202 km / h, and passport expense fuel does not exceed 5.4-5.7 liters in mixed mode.
Next in the hierarchy is the version A180d with a "solid fuel" 1.5-liter "turbo four" with a capacity of 109 "horses", the return of which is 260 Nm at 1750-2500 rpm. He relies on the same "partners" as the above unit. The maximum five-door accelerates to 190 km / h, and after 11.3 seconds leaves behind the mark of 100 km / h. A car with "mechanics" on average needs 4.1 liters of "diesel oil", and with a "robot" - 0.2 liters less.
Under the hood of a five-door A200 a “direct” turbo engine with four “pots” of 1.6 liters is installed, delivering 156 horsepower at 5300 rpm and 250 Nm of torque at 1250-4000 rpm. The non-alternative 7G-DCT transmission is responsible for delivering potential to the front end. The characteristics of such an “ashka” are at a decent level: 7.8 seconds acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, 224 km / h of peak capabilities and 5.4 liters of gasoline for every “combined” 100 km of track.
The privilege of the "top" option A220 4Matic is considered a gasoline "four" with a turbocharger and direct fuel supply with a working volume of 2.0 liters. In its bins there are 184 "horses" and 300 Nm of maximum traction, which is realized at 1200-4000 rpm. The robotic gearbox and all-wheel drive system allow the car to “shoot” up to 100 km / h in 7.4 seconds and peak at 228 km / h. The declared fuel consumption is 6.6 liters in mixed mode.

The model with the in-house designation W176 is built on a modular front-wheel drive MFA bogie with McPherson struts in the front and a multi-link rear (four levers on each wheel). Behind additional fee The five-door is equipped with an adaptive Dynamic Select chassis with four modes of operation. By default, the third-generation Mercedes A-class “flaunts” an electromechanical power steering mounted on a shaft and four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated at the front) with ABS and Brake Assist functions.

Options and prices. On Russian market"A-class" is implemented in four modifications. Basic option"A180" is offered at a price of 1,390,000 rubles, for which you get seven airbags, air conditioning, a start / stop system, a driver fatigue sensor, four power windows, a multifunctional steering wheel, fabric trim, a standard audio system with six speakers and a whole complex security systems. A similarly equipped "A180d" costs a minimum of 1,550,000 rubles.
For the maximum version of the A220 4Matic, you will have to pay from 1,970,000 rubles, and rely on it, among other things, a leather-clad interior, collision avoidance technology, front and rear parking sensors, full power accessories, a system automatic parking and much more.
In addition, exterior and interior styling packages are available for the premium five-door, as well as a wide range of additional options.

By creating a compact, front-wheel drive and emphatically pretty car, Mercedes hoped to make a revolution, because all these adjectives were still inapplicable to cars with a three-pointed star on the hood. However, in the end, the Swedes carried out the coup, and this coup cost Mercedes dearly.

On the Swedish test car magazine the brand new test A-class did something that could not be done under any circumstances - turned over during the moose test. Did the journalists forgive him for this oversight? I am begging you! On the same day, the news that Mercedes released dangerous car, ready to stand on its ears with a sharp rebuild, circled the whole world. Akela missed!

One can only guess what happened in those days at the company's headquarters in Stuttgart. However, without even guessing, one can confidently assert that such a “debriefing” has not been seen here since the beginning of time. What was needed, as they say today, is a symmetrical answer, and it did not take long to wait: full review of all A-classes produced and the installation of the most complex stabilization system in the history of the company, designed to immediately cancel the dogma that a tall car cannot be stable.

From that moment on, the baby was attacked with double zeal. Test cars in all countries of the world where Mercedes sold its products, all the journalists who worked there considered it their sacred duty to pass through the notorious moose test and his own sister - a high-speed snake. We must pay tribute to the A-class - he did not make a second mistake. From now on, even at higher speeds than at the Swedish training ground, the car did not tear off the wheels from the asphalt and only plaintively squealed tires, but did not fall. The status quo was restored, and the attention turned back to the whole machine, and not to one single weakness in it. But there was something to discuss even without a coup.

Sandwich in German

In addition to the front-wheel drive, for which the conservative part of the brand's fans immediately declared the car "not a real Mercedes", the A-class hid other interesting features in its body. The main one can be considered the “sandwich” design, which endowed the car with a double bottom. The essence of the innovation was to partially move the engine from under the hood closer to the center of the wheelbase in order to make the car shorter, but at the same time it was necessary to ensure that in the event of a frontal accident, a heavy and hot power unit would not get into the passenger compartment. As a result, the engine partially lived under the floor and moved there along with the gearbox during a frontal impact. Elegant and efficient - pure Mercedes.

Another know-how was the interior Mercedes A class. The high ceiling allowed passengers in the cabin to perceive the car as more spacious than competitors' cars (at least until a fifth person tried to sit inside). And everything would be fine, but the price of the novelty, even more than its emblem, indicated Mercedes roots. But even a big price tag on a small car did not prevent the A-class from becoming a bestseller - 1.1 million copies were sold in 7 years of production. Not a bad result for a car that detractors tried to expose as "fake".

Moving to the next level

The advent of the second generation marked the vector further development: they decided not to abandon the idea of a single-volume tank with a sandwich bottom, but a powerful blow was dealt to the “cuteness” of the car. Soft lines have been replaced sharp corners, which, together with noticeably increased dimensions, eloquently indicated that the boy had grown up. But have the buyers grown up to it?

As it usually happens, over the years there have been fewer radical cries - people are used to the fact that Mercedes can be like that. The A-class was willingly bought, especially since now, with increased dimensions and carrying capacity, it was even better than its predecessor for the role family car. And yet he will be denied further growth, at least in this class.

It is easier to consider the B-class as the direct successor of the A-classes of the first and second generation than the third generation of cars with the first letter of the alphabet in the name. Introduced in 2012, it made it clear that from now on, the goal of the Ashka is youth, not housewives.

If before that, the younger Benz stood aside from the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, now it was on them that the menacing gaze of his squinted headlights was directed. Longer and "evil", he was ready to offer the buyer spacious salon and lots of driving fun. The latter is particularly true of the A 45 AMG version.

Sports modification it stands apart from the rest of the A-classes in everything from its price to the technologies implemented in the car. Equipped with the most powerful 2-liter engine on Earth, this car was not only ready to overtake other cars - no, it was eager to humiliate them.

Even supercars had every reason to fear this beast in a traffic light race. If you do not know, then you will never think that in such a compact car you can put an engine with a capacity of 381 horsepower, but AMG made it possible and ended up with a real rocket with an acceleration to 100 km / h in 4.6 seconds.

Even today, several years later, the A 45 AMG remains the world's most powerful compact sports car on the assembly line, which many racers and car collectors want to have in their collection. Naturally, the brakes, suspension, and security systems were matched to match the fiery heart: the car can not only accelerate, but also stop faster than many, which more than once let down those who decided to challenge it.

But no matter how good the modification from AMG was, it was and is a niche product, while the main market hopes have always been placed on ordinary A-classes. Were these hopes justified? The easiest way to figure this out is while driving.

A-a-car!

When approaching the first A-class, a person most often had a smile (if not on his face, then at least in his thoughts). The third representative of this model tunes in a completely different way - he seems to be saying: let's go beat everyone rear bumper! This is no longer a cute baby benz, this is a snooty teenage benz. Well, if we consider that at the time this generation of the model appeared on the market, it was exactly 15 years old, then everything converges: at this age, hormones are still on the move, and people around are divided into those who need to be put in their place, and those who need seduce. And with both this A-class coped masterfully from the very first days of its life.

Good traction with any engine and a juicy engine sound, clearly, consciously and in the exact dosage admitted by Mercedes specialists into the cabin, provide the driver with the right attitude. Yes, this is a comfortable car, but you feel most comfortable in it when you overtake other cars, even if they are also Mercedes.

This would not have been possible if the 7G-DCT had not been so finely tuned to match the power units- she knows and feels them, but in the end you don’t feel the switching, but instead you feel only a constant confident acceleration, which nothing interferes with. It's like flying in a wingsuit - you can just dissolve in a sense of freedom. Even if there is heavy traffic around.

Rich inner world

The interior of this Mercedes also gives a feeling of freedom. The first thing that soothes when you get into it is the thought: no, you have not been deceived, it is benz to the last thread. As soon as you sit in a chair, you literally feel how many meetings, tests and studies were behind the choice of just such a “seat”. It is comfortable, but clearly with sporty notes - the developed lateral support suggests that this car will not only pass turns, but also fly.

Leads to the same thoughts dashboard with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, and the air ducts that we have already seen on Mercedes supercars are clearly not without reason - this is a detail for fans of the brand who should appreciate the “quote”. And to understand that sport is in the blood of this model.

Sport, but not asceticism. You can’t fault the build quality, it’s also a kind of quote here: after all, the A-class is admission ticket into the world of Mercedes, and he must open the door to the atmosphere of this brand, which he does. Leather, carbon inserts - everything is on the level. And how he rides over bumps! Even though shorter than most relatives, the body and wheelbase. The A-class is very resiliently soft (if I may say so) and works out road ripples, and joints, and a primer. This kid does not stomp, but hurries about his business on soft paws.

Whether to fill your paws with strength for a predatory throw or relax for an imposing walk, it's up to you - switching modes of the Dynamic Select system completely changes the character of the car, making it sporty hard or Mercedes soft.

Specifications

		Mercedes-AMG A 45 4MATIC
Number and arrangement of cylinders
Displacement (cm³)
Rated power (kW [hp] at rpm)
Rated torque (N∙m at rpm)	200/1.250–4.000	475 / 2.250–5.000
Compression ratio
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (s)
Max speed(km/h)
environmental standard
ECO start/stop function
Fuel consumption and emissions
Tank capacity/reserve (l)
Fuel consumption, urban (l/100 km)
Fuel consumption, extra-urban (l/100 km)
Fuel consumption, combined cycle (l/100 km)
CO 2 emissions (g/km) in combined cycle
Coefficient aerodynamic drag
Transmission
	Front-wheel drive	Permanent four-wheel drive
Transmission
Gear ratios of a manual gearbox
Gear ratios of automatic gearbox	15.94/10.04/6.93/4.92/3.61/2.77/2.23/–/–/R1 12.81/R2 –	3.86/2.43/2.90/1.19/0.87/1.16/0.94/–/–/R1 3.10/R2 –
Gear ratio main gear
Chassis And steering
Front suspension		shock absorber + wishbone
Rear suspension	Multi-link suspension	pendant on trailing arms
Type of shock absorbers, front/rear		Coil Spring, Dual Tube Gas Shock / Coil Spring, Single Tube Gas Shock
Tires/rims front
Tires/rims, rear
Front brake mechanisms	Discs, ventilated	Discs, ventilated
Rear brakes	Discs, massive	Discs, ventilated
Dimensions, capacities and weights
Trunk capacity (according to VDA measurement method) (l)
Turning diameter (m)
Empty weight/load capacity (kg)
Gross standard weight (kg)

Permissible weight towed load: trailer without brake system / trailer with braking system(kg)				front
			front
			front
A 200 Progressive			front

The next generation of the Mercedes-Benz Compact has already been unveiled and the car has a large consumer niche to fill.

a quarter of all sales Mercedes cars These are compact models, and although the predecessors of the novelty certainly looked luxurious, they did not symbolize the quality of Mercedes. Thankfully, the brand has gone back to the drawing board and engineered a vehicle that truly deserves the iconic grille badge.

IN new Mercedes The A-Class lacks many of the criticisms of previous compact models. car offers whole line innovative, exclusive technologies that make it attractive to buyers.

The hatchback looks prestigious, attracting with an expressive front end that has absorbed many of the cues of the recently introduced CLS. This is a series of sedans that has long been the flagship, fully focused on Mercedes style. Buyers will get standard LED lights and will be able to choose between 17- or 18-inch wheels. To make the car more aerodynamic and spectacular, their special spoke design helps to reduce turbulence around the chassis and bodywork.

Updated and improved units

Under the hood of the car, a new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is installed, which produces 221 hp. and 350 Nm of torque. It comes with two efficiency-focused features: Conicshape and Camtronic. The first has to do with the shape of the cone in the cylinder lining, the second - new system adjustable valves from Mercedes.

The turbocharged direct injection engine is the highlight of the A-Class, full of character. It is paired with a 7-speed gearbox equipped with double clutch, which transmits power to the front wheels. Available and all-wheel drive modification 4Matic.

IN previous models CLA and GLA 250 based on the A-Class, the dual-clutch transmission was unreasonable and clunky, making it a major source of frustration. The transmission of the new A-Class has been improved, offering faster and smooth switching than its predecessor. But the box still has a few quirks, like rolling back on a hill and wobble on high revs. But this transmission is still much better than the model used before it.

The all-wheel drive version also received several improvements. The car now activates the rear axle at launch, before transferring all power to the front wheels for greater efficiency. When the situation calls for it, the system will send up to 50% of the available power to rear wheels. The rear axle differential is now equipped with an electromechanical multiplicative clutch instead of an electro-hydraulic unit, which improves the vehicle's efficiency and responsiveness.

The system is fast and adaptive. MBUX learns frequent commands and if the same procedures are done regularly at a certain time, the car itself will remind you of them. If the owner systematically goes to the gym after work, MBUX develops a route and talks about the traffic on it.

It is also possible to connect the Mercedes Me option, which allows owners to carry out remote control several mobile gadgets through your smartphone. The app is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can use these home systems to report certain cabin conditions. But this is quite a complex integration, similar to the next generation of information technology.

The technological thought invested in the car does not stop there. It comes with many customizable features. There are various themes and screen settings, as well as an advanced navigation option. The system outputs the video feed from the front camera to the central screen (usually used for parking and driver assistance) on top of the navigation instructions. This function does not allow you to skip the desired turns.

In addition, the car has an amazing digital dashboard that sets benchmark how the calibration cluster types should be performed. It has an incredible amount of settings and is controlled using the left touch panel on the steering wheel, through the analogue on the right you can control the central screen. The driver has unlimited possibilities - for example, he displays a map of the area on the whole screen or folds it into a small segment. There is also a function to view media information with album art. Monitoring of important data is available, such as fuel consumption and other technical and trip parameters.

Compact car interior from Mercedes

Other aspects and components of the interior are also in order. These are stylish circular vents, convenient buttons and toggle switches. The materials in the car are still a bit below the standard expected from Mercedes, but they aren't too cheap. The A-Class offers good headroom, although this is likely to change when moving from a hatchback to a sedan. The trunk is large, spacious with a wide door, with a volume of 370 liters. It fits golf bags without any problems. Another plus is the folding rear seats.

Combination compact dimensions with sufficient inner space and impressive technology promises a glorious future for the car. Adds confidence affordable price. Based on the predecessors of the 2019 A-Class, prices will start at $35,000 or even less. This is a strong argument against other premium compacts.

Interestingly, this is the first A-Class hatchback model to be sent to North America. It is planned that it will appear on Canadian roads in the fall. US residents won't get a hatchback, but they're more likely to get it A class sedan. It is also important to recall that last A-class became the basis for the GLA and CLA. If these indexes continue to work, fans of the series will have many interesting products ahead.

Verdict: 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

With the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2019, the brand has completely rewritten the concept of luxury compact car. Not only does it look good, but it's filled with technology not found anywhere else in this class, let alone price category. Various refinements also add marketing weight to an already interesting car make it an unrivaled competitor.

What happens if you combine classes compact hatchbacks and sedans? German engineers and inventors Mercedes-Benz, without thinking twice, rolled out a new generation of the A-Class sedan on the market. The world version of the novelty will be officially presented in October at the Paris Motor Show. However, the extended version compact sedan(pardon the oxymoron) is only available in China for local customers. Why is it so good new sedan"Mercedes" and why the Germans consider it the most streamlined "four-door" in the world?

Specifications and dimensions of the new generation A-Class

The wheelbase of the sedan and hatchback Mercedes-Benz A-class 2018 is the same - 2729 mm, but the length of the "four-door" is 4549 mm. With a width of 1796 mm, the height of the A-class sedan is 1446 mm. Compared to the four-door CLA, the novelty is 81 mm shorter, but with a longer wheelbase. True, all these changes in dimensions were primarily reflected in the volume luggage compartment, which was reduced to 420 liters from the previous 470 liters.

Concerning " Chinese A-class”, then lovers of German technology from the Middle Kingdom got an elongated version of the sedan with a 2789 mm wheelbase (+70 mm) and a body length of 4609 mm (+60 mm). Otherwise, both versions of the German "four-door" are the same.

In terms of suspension, the new generation received front MacPherson struts and, depending on the modification, a multi-link (on top versions with adaptive brakes) or a beam.

Most aero-efficient sedan

A special pride of the company is the aerodynamic drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.22 points. In fact, this is the most best indicator among all serial machines. Thus, the Mercedes-Benz A-class can be awarded the title of "The most streamlined sedan in the world", which cannot be said about the hatchback with a Cd of 0.25. The press service of the brand clarified that the aerodynamic efficiency of the model was calculated in the Sindelfingen tunnel not only for the body and the bottom covered with a shield, but also for tires with discs.

Motor line of the new A-class

Modifications with indices A200 and A180d will be the first to enter the US and European markets. Mercedes-Benz version The A200 will receive a 163-horsepower petrol turbo and 1.3-liter displacement, while the A180v modification will receive a 1.5-liter Renault diesel 116-horsepower turbo engine. Moreover, both units will be available only with Getrag's 7G-DCT, a seven-speed dual-clutch robotic box.

Later, depending on the market, more powerful variations may appear. So the Americans can get all-wheel drive sedan with a turbocharged two-liter unit (188 hp, 300 Nm).

Equipment and equipment of the German sedan

Modern trends in the automotive industry are reflected in the smallest sedan from Mercedes. Basic equipment will receive an electronic tidy with a 7-inch screen. The top version is content with a 10.25-inch display.

"German" in standard equipment acquire not only adaptive cruise control co LED headlights, but also various systems security (line traffic, frontal collision warning, tracking dead zones).

In addition to modifications, option packages for the German four-door will be available - AMG Line, Progressive or Style. And, it is possible, the appearance on the market of the first swallows in the form of a special version of Edition 1 with a special interior and exterior.

Sales start date and prices

Assembly German sedans for the US market will be carried out at Mexican plants this year. The European segment will be filled with “four-doors” assembled in Germany. Moreover, due to improvements in the conveyor, the novelty will only appear on sale in 2019. Chinese buyers get the long-wheelbase variant "on the line" - the assembly plant for the extended A-class is located in China.

As for the price of a new mercedes-benz sedan A-class, the Germans are still hiding this information. But according to the Russian office of the company, the appearance of the first models can be expected in early 2019 at a price higher than the cost of the current hatchback.

The next generation of the Mercedes-Benz Compact is already here, and the car has a large consumer niche to fill.

A quarter of all Mercedes cars sold are compact models, and while the predecessors certainly looked luxurious, they didn't symbolize Mercedes quality. Thankfully, the brand has gone back to the drawing board and engineered a vehicle that truly deserves the iconic grille badge.

The new Mercedes A-Class omits many of the criticisms of previous compact models. The car offers a range of innovative, exclusive technologies that make it attractive to buyers.

The hatchback looks prestigious, attracting with an expressive front end that has absorbed many of the cues of the recently introduced CLS. This is a sedan series that has long been the flagship, completely focused on the style of Mercedes. Buyers will get standard LED lights and will be able to choose between 17- or 18-inch wheels. To make the car more aerodynamic and spectacular, their special spoke design helps to reduce turbulence around the chassis and bodywork.

Updated and improved units

The turbocharged direct injection engine is the highlight of the A-Class, packed full of character. It is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends power to the front wheels. Available and all-wheel drive modification 4Matic.

In previous A-Class-based CLA and GLA 250 models, the dual-clutch transmission was unreasonable and clunky, making it a major source of frustration. The transmission of the new A-Class has been improved, offering faster and smoother shifting than its predecessor. But the box still has a few quirks, like rolling backwards on a hill and wobble at high revs. But this transmission is still much better than the model used before it.

The all-wheel drive version also received several improvements. The car now activates the rear axle at launch, before transferring all power to the front wheels for greater efficiency. When the situation calls for it, the system will send up to 50% of the available power to the rear wheels. The rear axle differential is now equipped with an electromechanical multiplicative clutch instead of an electro-hydraulic unit, which improves the vehicle's efficiency and responsiveness.

Luxurious driving style

Another interesting change to the A-Class suspension is that the rear axle is mounted on a subframe, which is isolated from the body shell by rubber bushings. This reduces noise, vibration and contributes greatly to driving comfort, especially when compared to Mercedes' outgoing compact models.

The little one turned out to be agile, more flexible and soft on the road. It lives up to the expectations that the Mercedes badge gives. Steering is missing Feedback, the system is well balanced and pleasant to use. Exist various modes ride, providing a change in the feeling of driving. But more interesting option- individual adjustment of various characteristics.

New infotainment system

The developers took care not only of the technical attractiveness of the new A-cash, but also made an unexpected surprise for customers - they installed a new infotainment system. old pattern Mercedes COMAND with rotating dial replaced by MBUX.

Now it's a beautiful infotainment system that comes with a 10-inch screen in front of the driver and the same size monitor in the center of the dashboard. There is a fairly responsive touchpad on the steering wheel and two additional touchpads, but the driver doesn't need to use them as the interface is intuitive to control the system via touch.

It is also a digital assistant similar to Google Home and Amazon Alexa. You just need to give a voice command, and it will be performed by various functions available in the arsenal of the 2019 A-Class. It's really cool when you don't need a list of commands - the driver just says what he needs, and the car executes the command.

If you say "Mercedes, I'm cold", then the temperature inside the car will begin to rise. You can also ask to turn on heated seats, change the ambient lighting in the cabin, find another radio station, ask about the weather, or if you need to take an umbrella. The system is surprisingly well made and perfectly tuned.

Technological Non-Stop

The MBUX infotainment system is a hybrid. It comes with its own Nvidia-enabled processor and can decode the owner's commands. Therefore, no online connection is required to receive good results interactions. The system compresses the recorded sound of a voice command, sends it to the cloud, where it is processed by more powerful and smarter equipment. The result is sent to the car, which determines what the driver wants from it.

There is also the possibility of connecting the Mercedes Me option, which allows owners to remotely control several mobile gadgets through their smartphone. The app is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can use these home systems to report certain cabin conditions. But this is quite a complex integration, similar to the next generation of information technology.

In addition, the car has a stunning digital instrument cluster that sets a benchmark for how calibration cluster types should be performed. It has an incredible amount of settings and is controlled using the left touch panel on the steering wheel, through the analogue on the right you can control the central screen. The driver has unlimited options - for example, he displays a map of the area on the entire screen or folds it into a small segment. There is also a function to view media information with album art. Monitoring of important data is available, such as fuel consumption and other technical and trip parameters.

Compact car interior from Mercedes

The combination of compact dimensions with ample interior space and impressive technology promises a glorious future for the car. Adds confidence affordable price. Based on the predecessors of the 2019 A-Class, prices will start at $35,000 or even less. This is a strong argument against other premium compacts.

Interestingly, this is the first A-Class hatchback model to be sent to North America. It is planned that it will appear on Canadian roads in the fall. US residents won't get a hatchback, but they're more likely to get an A-Class sedan. It is also important to recall that the latest A-Class became the basis for the GLA and CLA. If these indexes continue to work, fans of the series will have many interesting products ahead.

Verdict: 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

With the new 2019, the brand has completely rewritten the concept of a luxury compact car. Not only does it look good, but it's filled with technology that you won't find anywhere else in this class, let alone in the price point. Various refinements also add marketing weight to an already interesting car, making it an unrivaled competitor.