Top marks for the new A-Class

With its ‘above and beyond’ approach to safety, fuel-sipping character and low emissions – elegantly packaged up in the usual Mercedes style – the new A-Class is a solid corporate car choice

Much of the time I drove the new A-Class, it was snowing. This meant I couldn’t really put my foot down and really put it through its paces. It did however give me a chance to see how it performs in slippery conditions, and it did not disappoint. In fact there were a number of occasions that I almost forgot about the weather conditions as the car cruised confidently on the snowy roads, retaining both grip and handling.

The new shape is lower, longer and wider than the original A-Class, and much easier on the eye. Internally it lives up to the sophistication you’d expect from a Mercedes with its high standards of features, attractive control panel and dashboard.

Green Technologies
The new A-Class features a raft of BlueEFFICIENCY technologies which help it achieve an impressive fuel economy of 74.2mpg and emission value of 98g/km. At its heart is the highly-efficient direct‑injection turbo-charged engine, which is helped along by ECO start/stop, intelligent alternator management (to convert braking energy into electrical energy), intelligent management of the oil feed and water pump, a display to encourage more economical driving, low rolling resistance tyres, and an adjustable radiator shutter.
   
Driving in built up areas, I managed to get a respectable 54mpg and on the motorway a whopping 68mpg.
   
For a diesel car, the 1.5 litre engine is quiet and at speed road noise is kept low. It gets top marks for road handling and good acceleration makes it easy to pull out of busy junctions.

Safety First
Mercedes goes above and beyond when it comes to looking after its drivers and passengers with a raft of noteworthy safety features. Using its Adaptive Brake Assist function, the car can predict a potential emergency. Triggered when the driver abruptly lifts off the accelerator pedal, it recognises the urgency of the situation and primes the brake pads so that they come into light contact with the brake discs. If emergency braking proves to be necessary, pressure can therefore be achieved instantly. During wet weather the system dries the brake discs by maintaining gentle pressure between brake pads and discs.

Lane Keeping Assist helps drivers stay on course by reading the lane markings and if the car crosses them unintentionally, it alerts the driver by gently vibrating the steering wheel. Blind Spot Assist uses two radar sensors to detect a vehicle approaching from behind and issues visual warnings in the door mirrors and an audible warning within the car if the driver attempts to pull out. this functions at speeds above 30mph.

Gadgets galore
Fitted as standard, the Audio 20
CD/radio has a large 5.8” colour display, telephone keypad, Bluetooth, plus aux-in socket and USB port to access content from MP3 players and storage devices. It also includes pre-wiring for the Becker® Map Pilot navigation system. Other options include COMAND Online, a Cloud-based multimedia system that lets you access the internet via a web-enabled mobile phone, plus various Mercedes-Benz services on the move. These include weather information, news, and a special destination search via Google, as well as the option of downloading a route previously configured on a PC using Google Maps.
   
With its excellent safety features, fuel consumption, and low emissions attracking zero VED, the new A-Class should get a good slice of the corporate market.

DETAILS
ENGINE: 1.5-litre
CO2: 98g/km
MPG (combined): 74.2
0-62mph: 11.3 seconds
TOP SPEED: 118mph
PRICE (OTR): £26,005