Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport 2013 Review

Not so much
>> Ride quality could be firm for some
>> GTI-style red highlights not for everyone
>> Tight rear seat and cargo space

OVERVIEW
>> An A-Class, but not as we know it
Few established automotive nameplates have undergone the transformation the A-Class has over three generations. For a brand as steeped in history and tradition as Mercedes-Benz, its newest hatchback is such a radical departure from its forebears that conservatives will find it downright audacious.

At the top of the sleek new A-Class hatchback family – at least until the all-wheel drive A 45 AMG hyper-hatch arrives later this year – is the A 250 Sport, which has so far attracted the lion’s share of an undisclosed number of pre-orders from Australians eager to own the most aggressive A-Class ever.

That’s not surprising given the A 250 Sport is unashamedly directed at owners of (and benchmarked against) Volkswagen’s acclaimed Golf GTI, which accounts for a huge chunk of Golf buyers in Australia.

What’s more, since Benz announced razor-sharp pricing last October, more than 50 per cent of all local A-Class deposits have come from non-Mercedes owners, proving the MkIII A-Class is not just attracting younger buyers than before, but more of them from other brands.

Mercedes won’t divulge its sales targets for the redesigned A-Class five-door, but admits that when it’s joined by the all-new CLA four-door later this year the pair of new-generation small cars are likely to be more popular than the hallowed German brand’s long-time best-seller, the C-Class, representing a quantum shift in the local luxury car market.

Four five-door A-Class variants officially go on sale here on March 1, opening with the 1.6-litre petrol A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY at $35,600 plus on-road costs and extending to the higher-output 1.6-litre petrol A 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and 1.8-litre diesel A 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY (both $40,900) and the flagship 2.0-litre petrol A 250 Sport ($49,900).

All Australian A-Class variants come highly specified as standard, including a host of safety equipment (see below for details), a 7G-DCT seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with steering wheel shift paddles, automatic idle-stop, Active Parking Assistant self-parking, a reversing camera, front/rear parking sensors, automatic wipers, trip computer, an electric parking brake, remote central locking, power windows/mirrors, a multi-function steering wheel, THERMATIC climate-control, ambient lighting, illuminated door sills, one-touch lane-change indicators, front/rear armrests and cup-holders, sunvisors with illuminated vanity lights and a six-speaker audio system with 147mm colour screen, six-CD stacker, Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming, AM/FM/WMA/MP3/ACC compatibility and AUX/USB input cable.

The base A 180 rides on 17-inch five twin-spoke alloy wheels with run-flat tyres, ‘comfort-tuned’ suspension, sports front seats, ‘Matrix’ fabric and ARTICO fake leather seat trim, ‘Messancy’ fabric door trims, chromed door armrest trim and a body-colour/chromed twin-louvre grille.

In addition, buyers of both A 200 models score 18-inch bi-colour black alloys, power-folding wing mirrors, a silver/chrome twin-louvre grille, twin chromed oval-shaped exhaust outlets, auto-dimming mirrors, nappa leather-trimmed steering wheel, four-way electropneumatic front lumbar adjustment, silver instrument dials with red needles, ARTICO/Larochette fabric seat trim, ARTICO door trims and diamond-pattern dash trim.

Top-shelf A 250 variants add a host of exterior extras, including 18-inch AMG five-spoke alloys (with an inflation kit replacing run-flat tyres), an AMG body kit including front/rear bumpers and side sills with red inserts, high-gloss black (instead of chrome) beltline trim, bi-xenon headlights with red beam surrounds and washers, LED tail-lights and daytime running lights, cross-drilled front brake discs, four red brake callipers, rear privacy glass, black wing mirrors, a panoramic glass sunroof, a single-louvre diamond grille and ‘SPORT’ front wing badges.

In addition to lowered AMG sports suspension and sports-tuned stability control system, 7G-DCT auto and throttle pedal mapping, the A 250 also offers ARTICO/DINAMICA microfiber seat trim, DINAMICA door trims, carbonfibre-look dash trim, red air-vent surrounds, floor mats with red stitching, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with nappa leather, brushed stainless steel pedals, 'designo' red seatbelts (which can also be had in black) and red seat, armrest and steering wheel stitching.

Of course there’s also an array of optional extras, including Becker MAP PILOT Navigation ($1190), a Vision Package comprising the A 250’s sunroof, bi-xenons and LED tail-lights/DRLs ($2490 for the A 180/200), a COMAND Package featuring a larger 178mm TFT screen, hard-drive navigation, 10Gb music storage, voice control, Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound, 12 speakers and digital radio ($2990), two AMG packages ($1990 and $2490) and a Driving Assistance Package with DISTRONIC radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning for $2490 (only in conjunction with the COMAND or Becker packs).

If that’s not enough, there are six alloy wheel designs, seven interior trims, nine seat trims and 11 exterior paint colours (including seven metallic hues that cost $1190 extra) to choose from.

Many more A-Class variants are available in Europe, including a standard (non-Sport) A 250, and the local line-up will be topped by the cracking A 45 AMG, which will add a circa-250kW turbo four and all-wheel drive to rival the likes of VW’s Golf R and Audi RS3. A three-door A-Class is also in the works, but Mercedes remains coy about details.

Most interest so far has been in the A 250 Sport, but the A 200 petrol is expected to be the top-selling variant.

PACKAGING
>> Lower, sleeker, tighter inside
While the latest B-Class continues to offer the same high-roofed people-mover body style familiar to buyers of Mercedes’ compact models, the MkIII A-Class represents a radical departure by being lower, sleeker and sportier than any previous Benz hatchback.

In fact, the new A-Class is nearly 160mm lower than the car it replaces at 1443mm, making it significantly lower than its predecessor (1595mm), the B-Class (1557mm) and even the world’s top-selling small German hatch, Volkswagen’s Golf (1479mm), and the driver's hip point is over 170mm lower than the previous A-Class, which was discontinued here in 2009.

Compared to the Golf, the new A-Class is noticeably longer in wheelbase (2699mm v 2574) and almost 100mm longer overall (4292mm v 4199), making it significantly longer in both wheelbase and overall length than the old A-Class (2568mm and 3883mm).

Combined with a slightly narrower body than the Golf, A-Class occupants – especially in the rear – enjoy less elbow, knee and head room.

Luggage space is listed at 341 litres – increasing to 1157 with the 60/40-split rear seatback folded – which is also less than the Golf (350/1305 litres).

Mercedes claims the low-slung new A-Class delivers the best aerodynamic performance in its class (0.27Cd), which is outstanding for a car this size.

MECHANICAL
>> New chassis with petrol and diesel engines
While Volkswagen has MQB and BMW has UKL, Mercedes’ answer is a new modular small-car platform dubbed MFA, which underpins the A-Class, B-Class, new CLA sedan, upcoming GLA compact SUV and, perhaps, a Shooting Brake wagon version of the CLA.

The front and all-wheel drive capable platform replaces the previous A/B-Class’s ‘sandwich’ platform and brings vast improvements in safety, weight, packaging and production efficiencies.

In the A-Class, it is matched with electrically-assisted steering, MacPherson strut front and four-link independent rear suspension, 17- and 18-inch wheels, and four-wheel disc brakes.

The A 250 Sport scores 18s and a unique AMG-tuned front suspension set-up that adds almost three degrees of camber (from the standard car's +1 to -1.8) and a thicker anti-roll bar (25 v 23mm). At the rear the roll bar is upgraded too and geometry changes reduce roll steering for a more neutral feel at high levels of commitment. Stickier non-run-flat tyres are also fitted.

In Australia’s A-Class, power comes from four different direct-injection turbocharged transverse four-cylinder engines, all driving the front wheels via a seven-speed 7G-DCT twin-clutch automated manual transmission, which unlike the SLS supercar’s out-sourced unit is developed in-house. All engines come standard with a fuel-saving idle-stop function, but no manual transmission will be available in Australia.

The entry-level A 180 offers a 90kW/200Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine that consumes 5.8L/100km, emits 135g/km of CO2 and, like the other petrol A-Class models, requires 95 RON premium unleaded. It accelerates to 100km/h in 9.1 seconds and has a top speed of 202km/h.

Stepping up to the A 200 brings more power from the same basic powertrain (115kW/250Nm), quicker acceleration (0-100km/h in 8.3 seconds) and a faster top speed (224km/h), but higher fuel consumption (6.1L/100km) and emissions (141g/km).

The identically priced (circa $40K) A 200 CDI employs a 100kW/300Nm 1.8-litre turbo-diesel that returns just 4.6L/100km and emits 121g/km.

For just under $50K, the range-topping A 250 Sport tested here is powered by a 155kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-four that consumes 6.6L/100km and 152g/km. An extra 10kW of peak power is available above 4000rpm for up to 30 seconds at a time, delivering 0-100km/h acceleration in 6.6 seconds and a 240km/h top speed– around the same as the Golf GTI.

A 2.2-litre A 220 CDI diesel with 125kW is under consideration for Australia and Benz has also hinted a Sport diesel with up to 150kW may be on the cards.

In addition, all models offer electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, front seatbelt tensioners and force-limiters, an active bonnet, hill-holder, auto-locking doors, tyre pressure monitor, brake pad wear indicator, childproof doors and windows, cruise control with speed limiter, automatic headlights, daytime running lights, rear foglight, ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST crash warning system and PRE-SAFE collision preparation.

Other luxury-car safety features available in the new A-Class (as part of a Driving Assistance Package that costs $2490 but can only be had in conjunction with the COMAND or Becker packs), include DISTRONIC radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning.

COMPETITORS
>> Keenly priced Benz has rivals running scared
Naturally, the latest A-Class will continue to be a direct rival to German small cars like the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, both of which kick of around $40,000 here, as well as the Lexus CT200h hybrid from Japan (from $39,990).

Before it was discontinued here in 2009, the old A-Class also competed with up-spec versions of the Golf, but the new model’s keener pricing will make the mainstream German brand’s top-selling small-car a much bigger target for Benz dealers.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has taken more pre-orders for the new A than any other model and accounting for more than half of them is the flagship A 250, which at $50K is still priced about $10,000 higher than the Golf GTI ($38,990 three-door and $40,490 five-door).

However, Mercedes claims that once all of its extra standard equipment is factored in, the A 250 is lineball with the GTI’s spec-adjusted price, effectively meaning you get the three-pointed star badge for free.

ON THE ROAD
>> Just as impressive on home turf
We came home from our first A-Class drive in Slovenia last July mightily impressed with the latest Benz baby’s new-found style, dynamics and quality, and our first drive of the range-topping A 250 Sport (lesser A-Class variants will be launched here on February 28, before the range officially goes on sale on March 1) around the foothills of Victoria’s high country has done nothing to dilute that impression.

On the contrary, driving the top-spec A on familiar roads confirmed our opinion that it’s more than a match for the iconic Golf GTI, offering a rewarding front-drive turbo-four driving experience that has more in common with the standard-setting VW than any previous A-Class.

Early reservations that the lower, firmer AMG-tuned suspension was too thumpy on broken surfaces soon disappeared on smoother roads, and this car’s target audience will undoubtedly trade a cushier ride for the enormous levels of lateral grip available from its low-profile 18-inch rubber.

The A-Sport’s electric steering is as direct, responsive and communicative as the GTI’s, and completely free of rack rattle, bump steer and torque steer – despite the hefty load of torque on tap from anywhere in the rev range, and even when the Sport mode’s extra overboost oomph kicks in.

The first twin-clutch auto fitted to a small Merc is just as enthusiastic, shifting quickly both up and down the ratios via tactile shift paddles. Even in manual mode, however, the transmission does change up at redline and down when the throttle is pushed all the way to the floor, preventing full manual control.

It also takes longer than most similar gearboxes (more than 30 seconds) to default back to auto mode after using the paddles, and still isn’t as smooth off the line or in low-speed situations as a torque-converter auto.

We love the A-Class flagship’s sporty interior as much as its wedge-shaped exterior and, although the GTI pretensions are almost too obvious (and we’d rather do without the OTT red bar in the lower grille), the red-accented cabin theme and carbon-look dash are well executed and right on the money for this market.

The low, snug seating position complements the sharp driving experience too, and there’s no question the A 250 Sport maintains traditional levels of Mercedes refinement and quality, although the fast front and rear glass and narrow side window openings limit outward vision and make sitting in the tight rear seat claustrophobic.

Benz says the A 250 Sport underwent 10,000km of Nurburgring development and insiders suggest it eclipses the GTI in every key performance index, including acceleration and cornering ability.

It will take a head-to-head comparison on local roads to verify that, but there’s no doubt the A 250 Sport puts Mercedes in the same ballpark as Volkswagen’s biggest selling Golf variant for the first time.

Throw in even more performance and all-wheel drive traction and the battle between the hotter A 45 AMG and VW’s Golf R should be just as thrilling.

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