hawk20
MB Enthusiast
Shame About The New A Class
Here are some quotes from the WhatCar review of the new A class.
“SE and Sport cars come on 'Comfort' suspension, but there isn’t anything comfortable about the way they ride. Even on the standard 17-inch wheels, the A-Class crashes over bigger bumps, and shimmies around nervously on any surface that isn’t perfectly smooth. The optional 18-inch alloys only make things worse.
</SPAN>Surprisingly, the firmer AMG Sport and Engineered by AMG set-ups actually improve things slightly because they cure the shimmy, although they are very firm.
This is forgivable in the Engineered by AMG model because it resists body roll well. By contrast, cars with AMG Sport or Comfort suspension lean over clumsily when you turn into a corner.
It’s a shame, because the A-Class’s steering weights up nicely when you turn in and there’s a reasonable amount of grip.
</SPAN></SPAN>A-Class is available with six engine options at launch
We tried three engines: the A200 and A220 CDI diesels and the A250 petrol, all of which came with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The A220 feels significantly stronger than the A200 and isn’t as coarse and rattly, while the A250 accelerates strongly whenever you put your foot down, even if it’s nowhere near as fast as the similarly priced BMW M135i. All A-Class models generate quite a bit of road noise.
As with bigger Mercs, you operate most infotainment functions by scrolling through menus using a rotary dial between the front seats. However, the menus aren't especially intuitive, so the system can be frustrating to use – particularly on the move.
The boot is a decent size, but the space is quite shallow, and the narrow opening can make it tricky to load larger items.
Should I buy one?
Although prices and running costs are competitive, the A-Class is nowhere near as comfortable, refined or good to drive as the Audi A3 or BMW 1 Series, so it’s hard to recommend.
True, the Engineered by AMG suspension set-up does turn the car into a good sports hatch, but this is available only with the A250 model, which costs almost £29,000. There are plenty of hot hatches that are faster and cheaper. Alternatively, you might want to consider the BMW M135i, which is a vastly superior car that costs only slightly more.”
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2012-mercedes-a-class-review/263311?utm_source=Silverpop&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=WCAR%20ENews%20Bulletin%20(24.10.2012)&utm_content=article1_readmore
They rate it a paltry two stars.
Here are some quotes from the WhatCar review of the new A class.
“SE and Sport cars come on 'Comfort' suspension, but there isn’t anything comfortable about the way they ride. Even on the standard 17-inch wheels, the A-Class crashes over bigger bumps, and shimmies around nervously on any surface that isn’t perfectly smooth. The optional 18-inch alloys only make things worse.
</SPAN>Surprisingly, the firmer AMG Sport and Engineered by AMG set-ups actually improve things slightly because they cure the shimmy, although they are very firm.
This is forgivable in the Engineered by AMG model because it resists body roll well. By contrast, cars with AMG Sport or Comfort suspension lean over clumsily when you turn into a corner.
It’s a shame, because the A-Class’s steering weights up nicely when you turn in and there’s a reasonable amount of grip.
</SPAN></SPAN>A-Class is available with six engine options at launch
We tried three engines: the A200 and A220 CDI diesels and the A250 petrol, all of which came with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The A220 feels significantly stronger than the A200 and isn’t as coarse and rattly, while the A250 accelerates strongly whenever you put your foot down, even if it’s nowhere near as fast as the similarly priced BMW M135i. All A-Class models generate quite a bit of road noise.
As with bigger Mercs, you operate most infotainment functions by scrolling through menus using a rotary dial between the front seats. However, the menus aren't especially intuitive, so the system can be frustrating to use – particularly on the move.
The boot is a decent size, but the space is quite shallow, and the narrow opening can make it tricky to load larger items.
Should I buy one?
Although prices and running costs are competitive, the A-Class is nowhere near as comfortable, refined or good to drive as the Audi A3 or BMW 1 Series, so it’s hard to recommend.
True, the Engineered by AMG suspension set-up does turn the car into a good sports hatch, but this is available only with the A250 model, which costs almost £29,000. There are plenty of hot hatches that are faster and cheaper. Alternatively, you might want to consider the BMW M135i, which is a vastly superior car that costs only slightly more.”
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2012-mercedes-a-class-review/263311?utm_source=Silverpop&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=WCAR%20ENews%20Bulletin%20(24.10.2012)&utm_content=article1_readmore
They rate it a paltry two stars.