Mercedes’ new A-Class facelift is about to be unleashed, so it’s now time to have a look at what it has to offer to drivers.
Appearances
The changes that have been made to the 2015 model are very subtle, but they are important. The front grille is all changed and is now a diamond pattern. The rear lights are all new, and the front and back bumpers have been remodelled. On the face of it, these changes might seem minor, but they add up to more than the sum of their parts. That’s because the car now looks like a real Mercedes whereas the old model always felt more out of place. It’s also a much slicker, modern design.
Comfort
The cabin interior is very comfortable and stylish. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a car made by Mercedes. There’s a free standing touch-screen display in the centre of the cabin that take care of all your entertainment needs. The climate control system is also very modern and effective. The ride is very smooth and comfortable too. The suspension system soaks up all the bump and discomfort from the road. This means you won’t feel a thing when you’re in the driver’s seat.
Drive
The 2.1-litre turbodiesel engine is the same as the one in the old models. However, this might not be such a bad thing. The car is much more powerful and muscular than before though, with the brake horsepower rising to 175 bhp. You should test drive the car before you decide whether you think this is a good thing or not though because this can make the car quite loud when revved. If you don’t mind driving a car that has a powerful noise when you put your foot down on the pedal.
Running Costs
Most of the A-Class models have pretty good running costs. But there is one thing that you need to be careful about. If you go for the 4Matic all-wheel drive option, the runnings costs of the car will rise a lot. It also boosts the car’s CO2 emissions up to 124g/km. And then will push you into a higher road tax band, and you don’t want to have to pay even more road tax. This also makes the car less efficient, causing the miles per gallon to drop considerably.
Verdict
One problem that faces the A-Class is reliability. Some people found that the last version had problems with breaking down. It remains to be seen how the 2015 A-Class does on that front. So, you might still need to use Mercedes Servicing if the problems haven’t been ironed out.
Having said that, there’s a lot to like about the new A-Class. Mercedes have clearly done a lot to improve the style and design of the car. It’s a much more modern car, and it now feels like it belongs in the 21st century. The driving is smooth yet powerful, and it has the gadgets you need from a car of its size and specification.
