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By
EWAN KENNEDY
19 January 2009
The Mercedes A180 is an extremely sensible small car with very
good interior space. Space that should make it a serious option
for those considering moving down to a smaller, more fuel
efficient car.
Lateral
thinking by the Mercedes-Benz board of directors back in the
mid-1990s saw the prestigious German company taking an altogether
different direction in its car design. While most players in this
prestige class simply downsized a large car, the Mercedes A-Class
took its own individual direction. The new shape was a correct one
because it made for a much more spacious and practical vehicle.
Such
is the strength of the Mercedes brand that it can do almost
nothing wrong in the minds of car owners. We have a sneaking
feeling that if anyone else had attempted the shape of an A-Class
it would have been a failure.
But
enough of the philosophy behind the A-Class. What about the car?
This
is a large car clothed in a small body and the cabin is much
bigger than you would anticipate when looking at the compact
external dimensions. There's good space for four adults without
any real need to compromise on front-seat legroom to make room for
those in the back.
Body
width is almost to mid-size car standards and five adults can be
carried for short to medium trips without the centre-rear occupant
being too squeezed. There is a small ‘tunnel’ in the rear
floor but it’s simple to sit with one foot either side of this.
Headroom
is excellent in all seats, with more than enough space for Aussie
Akubras.
Boot
space is good, though the use of a large spare tyre to suit the
demands of a tiny number of Australia drivers means it misses out
on about 60 mm of added depth. The boot is easy to load through a
big hatch and the regular shape means it can cart surprisingly
bulky items. Naturally, a split-fold rear seat further improves
versatility.
Unlike
the original Mercedes A-Class, which took a futuristic direction
in interior styling, the new generation is noticeably more sedate.
Indeed, you could mistake the dash area of the A-Class for that of
one of the bigger Mercedes saloons.
For
2009 there are detailed changes to the interior trim shape. This
is chiefly to give even more stowage space for knick-knacks like
phones, sunnies, wallets and so on. Bolder trim styles and a new
palette of colours and materials lift the looks of the interior,
though without upsetting the aforementioned sedateness of style.
The
pre-facelift A-Class was already a quiet car to ride in, but a
further reduction in NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) was part
of the latest design brief. Interior noise levels are pleasantly
low and even Australia's notorious coarse-chip road surfaces
don’t increase tyre/road noise to an unpleasant extent.
Riding
in the small Mercedes models gives you the feeling that you are
travelling in an upmarket car at least a size larger.
Larger
door mirrors are part of the 2009 facelift and these have been
reshaped to improve aerodynamics and thus reduce wind noise.
While
the latest generation Mercedes A-Class continues to follow the
overall styling theme of the original, it has a lot more sleekness
and should now appeal to a wider spread of buyers. From its low
nose, over the streamlined roof and down to the extra-large
tail-lights it looks special and plenty will be happy to display
it in their driveway with pride.
Interestingly,
the brake lights will automatically activate the hazard warning
flashers for a few seconds if you brake hard. Hopefully prompting
dozy drivers behind you to the fact that something is happening.
Biggest
news in the Mercedes A-Class is the option of a turbo-diesel for
the first time in Australia. The four-cylinder engine in the A180
CDI has a capacity of 2.0 litres and puts out 250 Nm of torque
over a good spread of the rev range. Peak power is apparently on
the stingy side at only 80 kW, but torque is the name of the game
and the engine is more than happy to pull from just about any revs
and makes light work of and/or climbing long, steep hills.
Fuel
consumption is likely to be in the range of five to six litres per
hundred kilometres when running in the country or on motorways,
and is unlikely to climb much higher than sevens when commuting in
traffic. These are exceptionally low figures for a full four-seater
that carries plenty of standard equipment and which is built to
Mercedes' high safety standards.
The
engine is obviously a turbo-diesel in its noise and vibration
characteristics, but not objectionably so. Indeed, once the car is
up to its cruising speed we defy most occupants to differentiate
it from a petrol variant. There's some turbo lag but once it has
passed the engine has good response characteristics and is
pleasant to sit behind.
Handling
is safe, with just a hint of understeer should you push it hard.
The car has an array of electronic aids to help you out of trouble
should you make a serious misjudgment. This is no sports sedan,
nor does it pretend to be, rather its compromise sensibly leans in
the direction of comfort.
Those
who are concerned about global warming and are moving to more
sensible cars should seriously consider this small-outside
big-inside Mercedes A180. And if caring for the planet you live on
isn’t your thing (and it should be!), then perhaps the prestige
offered by the famed three-pointed star will swing you to this
stylish machine.
AT
A GLANCE
MODEL
RANGE
A170 1.7-litre three-door hatch - $35,500
A200 Avantgarde 2.0-litre three-door hatch - $45,900
A200 Turbo Avantgarde 2.0-litre three-door hatch - $49,500
A170 1.7-litre five-door hatch - $37,900
A180 CDI 2.0-litre diesel five-door hatch - $39,900
A200 Elegance 2.0-litre five-door hatch - $47,900
SPECIFICATIONS
(Mercedes-Benz A180 CDI 2.0-litre diesel five-door hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.991 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: Four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 18.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 83.0 x 92.0 mm
Maximum Power: 80 kW @ 4200 rpm
Maximum Torque: 250 Nm @ 1600-2600 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: CVT
Final Drive Ratio: 3.24:1
DIMENSIONS,
WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 3838 mm
Wheelbase: 2568 mm
Width: 1764 mm
Height: 1595 mm
Turning Circle: 10.95 metres
Kerb Mass: 1345 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 litres
Towing Ability: Not supplied
SUSPENSION
AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson struts, three-link, coil springs,
torsion bar stabiliser
Rear Suspension: Parabolic rear axle, coil springs, torsion bar
stabiliser
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 10.8 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Diesel
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 5.2 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATTINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 8/10
Air Pollution Rating: 5/10
STANDARD
WARRANTY:
Three years/unlimited km
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Marque Publishing Company
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