Mercedes A-class petrol review, test drive and video

The rest of the cabin is just as plush as an E-class, but feels far more modern. The SLS AMG-style triple air-con vents, the free-standing screen for the COMAND interface, the sculpted steering wheel and the chequered-design dials add to the youthful flair. The single-piece front seats are superbly snug, and the knobs, switches and stalks work precisely. The pedals are slightly offset, but this is made up for by the fantastic driving position. However, the steeply-raked windscreen and the small rear window compromise visibility, which is bothersome in traffic and when parking.

Although Mercedes has skipped on electric steering adjustment and even a powered front passenger seat, there’s still plenty of kit; our test car had Bluetooth connectivity, seven airbags, ESP, Bi-Xenon headlamps and USB connectivity. Even the massive panoramic sunroof comes as standard.
The boot, with its 341-litre capacity, is big by hatchback standards, but for the Indian variant, the space-saver spare tyre sits inside (rather than beneath) the boot, eating into luggage space. 

The one complaint we have about this particular A-class is that the engine lacks sufficient grunt. Considering the A 180’s 1,375kg kerb weight, the 1,595cc, four-cylinder turbo-petrol motor’s 122bhp and 20.4kgm figures are rather modest. However, it is quiet at idle and, at cruising speeds, has a reasonable amount of punch in its mid-range.