2015 Mercedes Benz A 200 CDI review, test drive

What’s it like to drive?

The added 27bhp and 5.1kgm of torque on the A200 CDI are immediately evident from behind the wheel. Flat out, the A200 CDI will hit 100kph in just a shade above 9 seconds, that's about 2 whole seconds quicker than the older A180 CDI. Also, the motor pulls more cleanly to the 4,800rpm redline and the crisper part-throttle response (especially in Sport mode) makes it much nicer to drive in an everyday setting.  The motor feels its strongest between 2,000 to 3,500rpm and though there isn’t much turbo lag to speak of, there is a bit of hesitation at speeds lower than 1,500rpm but that’s largely down to the gearbox. That’s because, the seven-speed automatic, though a smooth shifting unit, is slightly slow to swap cogs.

Mercedes had softened the suspension a bit and increased the ride height of the A-class for the A-class ‘Edition 1’ back in June 2014. The new A200 CDI continues with that setup. The A200 CDI rides quite flat and this makes the Mercedes feel rock solid at highway speeds. Body control is good too and the A-class doesn’t roll much even when you enter corners a bit quickly. The downside of the slightly stiff setup is that sharper bumps do tend to crash into the cabin if you don’t slow down sufficiently. That said, over most undulations, the ride is sufficiently cushioned and the suspension, silent.