ABDC: Mercedes-AMG A 45

Required reading:
Mercedes-AMG A 45: Road test
Mercedes-AMG A 45: Local launch
Mercedes-AMG A 45: International launch

"It's like a slot car," veteran motoring writer Tim Britten enthused, after driving the Mercedes-AMG A 45 through Tasmania's Hellyer Gorge as part of the testing program for the inaugural running of motoring.com.au’s Australia's Best Driver's Car (ABDC).

Britten was one of several reviewers converted by the prestige hot hatch's unstinting grip and point-to-point driveability in conditions that might be conservatively described as inclement. During the days motoring.com.au spent in the Tasmanian wilderness testing 15 performance cars, the A 45 was always high up in the pecking order, and ready for any challenge thrown at it.

I've driven the A 45 in the past and found that car – optionally fitted with a performance suspension pack – rode firmly. This car, however, was significantly more comfortable behind the wheel. Yet there was little to fault about the A 45's cornering.

Despite its improved ride quality, the A 45 cornered in a fairly flat, neutral attitude. Understeer would eventually set in if you insisted on provoking fate by applying too much power in the wet.

The A 45 wasn't the only all-wheel drive in Tassie for the testing, but its strong performance and traction in a straight line made it a particular favourite on wet roads in temperatures low enough for snow down to 400 metres. On the racetrack at Baskerville, the A 45 also elicited high praise from our two professional racers.

The engine produced torque with little delay, although there was some lag present below 3000rpm in the higher gears, as noted by our testers. It was refined and free-spinning, with its surging power delivery punctuated by pops and bangs between gear shifts as the partial cylinder shut-down negated anti-shift shock. At other times the engine idled or built up revs with a burbling note that warmed the cockles of our collective hearts.

There was a price to pay at the petrol pump though, we found. The A 45 averaged 12.8L/100km over three fills. But Volkswagen's Golf GTi (also 2.0-litre displacement and turbocharged, although front-wheel drive only) only managed a marginally better figure of 12.1L/100km..

Collaborating with the four-banger to hurl the A 45 down the road at a high rate of knots was the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which was responsive and slick in its gear changes – with none of the cantankerous behaviour found in similar transmissions from other brands.

A button in the centre console near the driver's left thigh would toggle between Controlled Efficiency, Sport and Manual transmission modes. Needless to say, the Controlled Efficiency mode didn't get much of a look-in during the Tasmanian sojourn – except on the way through to Sport or Manual. The shift paddles effected rapid-fire changes up or down the scale – at the precise moment the driver wanted them.

The rest of the driveline in the A 45 comprises a multi-clutch system to pipe torque to the rear wheels when it's required – like when the rain is bucketing down and the driver insists on a slingshot exit from a tight corner. While this system may be a little tardy in the dry, it was working overtime for us in Tasmania.

That's not to say that the AWD’s performance was especially conspicuous. The A 45 just went about its business — a combination of traction, formidable braking power and generous rubber meant the A 45 rarely felt pushed to the point where the electronic nannies need intervene.

Reviewer Adam Davis noted that the A 45's tyres were a good choice for the slippery road surfaces, and neatly matched the car's chassis tuning.

Inside, the A 45's seats stood out for their extreme contours. While the aggressive bolsters and firm cushioning were the most prominent elements of the driving position (and yet remained comfy enough over longer distances too) the whole ensemble of switchgear placement and instrument readability made the A 45 a very easy car with which to to live.

The A 45 is not without minor flaws (its miserly access to the rear seat has been well documented, there's poor rearward vision and its turning circle is not inner-city friendly) but judged as a performance car, it is simply outstanding.

2015 Mercedes-AMG A45 2015 pricing and specifications:
Price: $75,700 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 265kW/450Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 6.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 161g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

ABDC ranking: Second

ABDC Scorecard