Mercedes-Benz A-Class to set small sedan aero benchmark

Mercedes-Benz claims that its new 2019 A-Class will be one of the most aerodynamic cars available in Australia when it goes on sale early next year.

A drag coefficient of 0.22 places the Mercedes A-Class sedan below both Toyota Prius (0.24) and Hyundai IONIQ for aero efficiency. That figure is comparable with the current G30 generation of BMW 5-Series and the Mercedes CLA among the slipperiest cars money can buy. But the new Mercedes A-Class won't be the most aerodynamic car ever made.

That accolade goes to the wacky two-seat limited production diesel-powered hybrid Volkswagen XL1 that has a drag coefficient of just 0.189, which was crucial to its ultra-frugal fuel economy of 1.0L/100km.

Mercedes says the new A-Class sedan's class-leading aerodynamic properties can be attributed to refining the car's shape using virtual modelling and countless hours spent in the wind tunnel to fine-tune every element of design.

The sedan also benefits from a significant reduction of its frontal area over the out-going Mercedes A-Class. Beneath the small Benz, furthermore, there's underbody panelling to reduce wind disturbance at speed, while a real working diffuser efficiently channels and manages air flow, further reducing drag.

Until now, Mercedes-Benz has never spun-off a sedan based on its small A-Class, but with the latest fourth-generation model it will make not just one, but two.

For China, the A-Class will come with a 60mm stretch for the wheelbase and 190mm extra overall length, while cars destined for Europe and Australia will come with the same wheelbase as the hatch.

Based on the same MFA II platform, that will also underpin a B-Class people mover, CLA four-door coupe and GLA and GLB SUVs.

Under the bonnet power comes from either 1.3-litre or 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engines, both of which are paired with seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearboxes.

Inside, the A-Class sedan will come with an identical interior to the hatch, getting that car's advanced MBUX infotainment system, which incorporates the German car maker's take on Apple's Siri assistant.

The timing for the A-Class sedan's arrival in Australia is not yet known, but it's anticipated to land around the same time as the equally new CLS in early 2019.