A NEW A-class provides Mercedes-Benz with a chance to make a real impact on the light/small car market. It replaces weird looks with trendy style, harsh road manners with a smooth, compliant ride and a surprisingly large cabin with an even larger one. And the quality of the interior, once condemned roundly, is now Benz-compatible. It’s cleanly presented, classy and simple, and is as comfortable to ride in as it is to move around in. And despite its apparently plodding nature, the 1.7-litre eight-valve four-cylinder engine is appropriately lively. Safety levels, of course, are benchmark-setting. Unfortunately the pricing reflects all this.