Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC 2019 Review - International

There’s no doubt the Mercedes-AMG A 45 is the stuff of hot hatch dreams (and nightmares), but all that grunt and grimace comes at a cost beyond your bank balance – liveability.

So before AMG lets us know what it has in store for the next A 45, a promised 300kW-plus monster, it is introducing a taste of what’s to come in the form of the Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC hatch.

Built around the same new Mercedes-Benz A-Class that brought us the glossy-yet-underwhelming A 200 and the much more enjoyable A 250 4MATIC, the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 is more than just a mid-strength hot hatch.

It takes the strong chassis of the latest A-Class and adds a comprehensive AMG-developed chassis and engine package to deliver a car that is a ton of fun to drive but a lot less of a handful to live with day to day.

It’s also the new entry point to the Mercedes-AMG range and is expected to retail for under $70,000 when it goes on sale in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Under the bonnet of the A 35 lies a reworked version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the A 250. It’s good for 225kW – a rise of 60kW over the standard A 250 -- and reaches max torque of 400Nm at 3000rpm.

There’s no manual gearbox available in the A 35, just the AMG Speedshift seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which offers sharp shifting ratios in a sports setting that mirrors those of the outgoing A 45.

The result is a powertrain that will accelerate the A 35 to 100km/h in a respectable 4.7seconds.

The Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC sits on an all-wheel drive platform which is predominantly front-wheel drive but can send up to 50 per cent of drive to the rear. It offers all the fun of a front-drive hot hatch, with the surefootedness of a highly predictive all-wheel drive system.

AMG uses an electro-mechanical multi-clutch to control the rear differential as it says it offers a faster response than a hydro-mechanical set-up.

The system takes inputs from a range of sensors including throttle position, steering angle and individual wheels to determine and deliver the correct amount of drive to keep the car and driver out of trouble.

To further improve cornering accuracy and road holding, the Mercedes-AMG A 35 brakes the inside rear wheel during dynamic manoeuvres to assist in steering effort.

AMG engineers also developed a specific compound for the 19-inch Pirelli P Zero tyres that will be a standard on the A 35, aimed at delivering maximum grip and stability on road.

In practice, it’s difficult to get too out of shape when pushing the A 35 hard into corners, even on the damp roads of our Majorca test route. The car has incredible grip, which aids in delivering a composed and engaging drive, and encourages you to push on with a high level of confidence.

One of the joys of the A 35 is its versatility. AMG set out to create a car with the soul of the A 45 in a significantly more forgiving and accessible package.

Affalterbach engineers put significant development effort into the chassis set-up for the A 35. The front wishbones aren’t mounted via rubber bushes but rather solid joints, and the multi-link rear axle is also mounted direct to the body, creating suspension that feels tauter than the already well controlled chassis of the base A-Class.

Various dynamic drive modes and suspension settings, which are available through the standard-in-Australia adaptive damper package, offer great variation in feeling between comfort modes and sport+ settings.

And while we may have been tricked by the smooth ribbons of tarmac on our Majorcan test route, on first sampling, the AMG A 35 doesn’t appear to have the same bone shaking characteristics of its more power AMG siblings.

Comfort mode is smooth sailing and the sports settings still keep your fillings in your teeth, so it’s a big tick in the daily-driver column.

Steering changes include a specific AMG ratio with a motorsport-inspired steering knuckle. It results in steering that’s sharp and precise during dynamic cornering but also enjoyable to steer in comfort mode through towns and at low speeds.

Adding another tick in the daily-driver column is the Mercedes-AMG A 35’s interior comfort. The sports seats offer high levels of support and deep bolsters, but they’re easy to get in and out of.

The cabin is exceptionally well finished with a good mix of premium materials. As with all Mercedes-Benz A-Class models equipped with the higher spec twin 10.25-inch MBUX widescreen infotainment screens, the overall feel of the A-Class from the driver’s and front passenger’s viewpoint is one of high technology.

The MBUX system does take a bit of learning and you can use voice control, an optional touchpad or steering wheel controls to cycle through and control myriad functions. To understand just some of the trickery, check out Feann’s recent review of the new A 250.

While Australian specifications for the Mercedes-AMG A 35 are yet to be confirmed, it’s expected that the A 35 will offer not only the twin 10.25-inch MBUX screens but also Mercedes Me Connect, offering an enhanced level of connectivity including remote access to the car via mobile phone, car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure capability and in-car office functionality.

Adding to the high-tech theme are a host of driver assistance functions that also make the A 35 more liveable. The full Mercedes-Benz Distronic suite will be offered, including adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist, cornering assist, autonomous emergency braking and self-parking.

Although it will be much cheaper than the A 45, the A 35 will still be pricier than its most natural rivals, including the Audi S3, BMW M140i and even Volkswagen’s Golf R.

Then there are the enemies from within. The A 250 is a very well specified car, offering a premium feel with adequate driving chops for a sub-$50K pricetag, while the new A 45 will deliver hard-core performance to AMG fans for around $80K.

Mercedes-AMG has launched the A 35 into the space between the two, but it has a character of its own and deserves its place in the A-Class range.

It will appeal to customers who want more performance than the A 250 and more comfort than the A 45. For premium hatch buyers that want the AMG feel in something easy to live with on a daily basis, the A 35 makes a lot of sense.

But with a retail price expected to be just under $70,000, it’s an expensive hot hatch indeed – and one that’s subject to luxury car tax.

And the A 35 won’t be available locally until the fourth quarter of next year -- around about the same time the new A 45 appears.

Will potential buyers of an AMG-fettled A-Class wait for almost a year, by which Audi should have unveiled its all-new S3 and Mercedes-AMG will have slammed down its hotter new A 45?

How much does the 2019 Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC cost?
Price: About $70,000 (estimated)
Available: October 2019
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 225kW/400Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel: 5.6L/100km
CO2: 129g/100km
Safety rating: TBC