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Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a Smartphone on wheels

Posted onAuthorNav Patel

Mercedes has just introduced the new 2019 A-Class to attract buyers who are a fan of Mercedes-Benz but do not have the budget for S-Class or E-Class. The 2019 model will represent the fourth generation of Mercedes-Benz A-Class and it is more than just an introductory car, it is packed with new technology. With the new A-Class, Mercedes wants you think of it as a smartphone and not just a car because there is more technology than the S-Class or E-Class. Ever since the launch of the A-Class back in 1997, this is the first time the A-Class (Sedan version) will come to American shores.

The Cabin

The cabin is filled with Tech and voice assistant. There is a wireless charging pad and five USB-C ports and NFC pairing capability. There is not a single analog dial in the cockpit and instead it is taken care of by the Dual 7-inch digital dash displays (and available 10.25-inch screens), which shows the driving information on the left and infotainment on the right. Obviously, the screen is a touch sensitive, so you can pinch to zoom your map or navigate the menus with the touch of your fingers. The dual dash screens can also be controlled by a touchpad on the console and Touch Control Buttons on the steering wheel. The cabin also features circular dash vents to go with the flow, including the available 64-color ambient lighting. You also get power front seats with memory, dual-zone double-filtered climate control, a Panorama roof, and options from ventilated seats to a hands-free trunk lid. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class also features 100% LED lighting inside and out with available active LED headlamps.

User Experience and Artificial Intelligence

With the new A-Class, Mercedes is introducing the MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience, which bring artificial intelligence to the car. The big news is the Mercedes voice assistance, which is similar to Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa. The voice assistant is setup for regular conversation so you don’t need to remember any specific commands or prompts. You can just say “Hey, Mercedes, it’s cold in here” or “I need a coffee,” and it will understand your commands. The voice recognition technology is not perfect as there are some glitches and it doesn’t work every time but it is the best implementation of what we have seen so far in car technology.  Our favorite thing has to be the augmented reality (AR) feature added to the navigation, which beams a live image of the road ahead of you on the screen when you are approaching a turn and floating arrows to tell you exactly where you should be turning. Not to mention, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto are also included as standard.

Mercedes me connect allows you to access Remote Start or Lock/Unlock, see your vehicle status, or schedule service, all from your smartphone. MBUX can update itself via over the air updates and there is also an option for in-car WiFi for up to eight devices, which is available on a monthly rate.

Performance and Technical Specifications

The Mercedes-Benz A 220 (including 4Matic) Sedan features 2.0L inline-4 turbo engine with 188 hp @ 5,800 rpm and 221 lb-ft of torque at low 1,250-4,000 rpm, which provides acceleration of 0-60 mph in 7.1 sec.

The Mercedes-Benz A 250 (including 4Matic) Hatch features 2.0L inline-4 turbo engine with 221 hp @ 5,500 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at low 1,800-4,000 rpm, which provides acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 6.2 sec.

With turbo power you also get seven speeds, four drive modes, and three suspension options.

Key Features

  • 2.0L inline-4 turbo engine (twin-scroll turbo and CAMTRONIC variable valve lift)
  • ECO Start/Stop system (automatically shuts off engine at stop lights)
  • 7G-DCT 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
  • High-tech cabin
  • Panorama roof
  • Active Brake Assist
  • Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call service
  • ATTENTION ASSIST
  • LED Daytime Running Lamps
  • Power front seats with 3-position memory
  • 40/20/40-split folding rear seats
  • Dual-zone automatic climate control
  • 3 years of Mercedes me connect services
  • Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX)
  • Voice Control with Natural Language Understanding

Pricing and Availability

The A-Class Hatchback has been around in Europe and other markets for more than 20 years and now it is being introduced in Canada and United States. The sedan is a first for the A-Class, which is coming to the United States. The canucks in the north (a.k.a Canada) will get the Hatchback version, which will not be coming to United States.

  • Mercedes-Benz A 220 Sedan is available for $32,500 USD
  • Mercedes-Benz A 220 4MATIC Sedan is available for $34,500 USD
  • Mercedes-Benz A 250 Hatch is available for $35,990 CAD
  • Mercedes-Benz A 250 4MATIC Hatch is available for $37,990 CAD

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Source: Mercedes