Review: Merc A-Class

The first generation of the A-Class was launched by Mercedes-Benz in 1997. From the design front, it was a peculiar car from the brand considering that it was a front wheel drive and resembled a minivan.

The second generation, introduced in 2004, got significantly better in the areas of design and safety. This was a move from the German company to woo young buyers and that is when they decided to design a completely new series of cars with a new design language. In its third generation now, the A-class garnered 90,000 bookings worldwide. Obviously, Mercedes saw the potential of this car in India and now its here to stay.

The most striking feature on the exterior of the car is the 302 piece diamond grille. The grille is a replica of the AMG grille found on the A45 AMG model sold internationally, and is unique to the cars sold in India. Coupled with the eyebrow LED daytime running lamps, the front end attracts the most.

Step inside and you are greeted by an all-black cabin. There is not much playing with colours in this cabin, and the black and metal combinations look high class. The F1 inspired sports seats and the 3-spoke steering wheel just invite you inside the car and gets you all revved up to take it out for a spin.

The central console is dominated by a 14.7cm TFT screen on the top. The display shows audio playing, GPS maps and also acts as a reverse camera display. The driver seats get electrically adjusting option with 3 memory pre-sets.

The A-Class petrol comes powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine which produces 120-bhp @ 5000rpm and 200Nm of torque @ 1250-4000rpm. Transmission duties are handled by a 7-speed Dual clutch transmission which is Mercedes-Benz's in house development. Yeah its quick to answer your call and the A-Class does not disappoint in that region.

It's a car you can take anywhere and Mercedes has priced it at a very competitive 21.9 lakhs. It is a car that stands out from the rest of its competitors purely because it looks so good. It's a car that looks pretty in the garage and a menace on the road.