Mercedes outs initial A-Class pricing
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 13th Jul 2018
MERCEDES-BENZ has announced pricing for the first variant of its all-new fourth-generation A-Class small hatch, with the mid-spec A200 set to touch down in August priced from $47,200 plus on-road costs.
Other members of the A-Class range, including the entry-level A180 and A250, will be available later in the year, while the A250e mild-hybrid and A35 and A45 hot hatches will follow further down the line.
The A200 is priced slightly above its competitors, such as the Audi A3 1.4 TFSI hatch ($40,300) and the BMW 120i ($46,990), but Mercedes has added a number of new features to the brand’s smallest model. It also adds a $2900 premium over the outgoing model.
Power comes from the new M282 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which develops 120kW/250Nm teamed to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission while sipping 5.7 litres of fuel per 100km.
The A-Class will be come the first Benz vehicle in Australia to feature the brand’s new MBUX infotainment system, projected onto its widescreen dashboard and instrument cluster displays, each measuring 10.25 inches in size.
MBUX uses artificial intelligence to learn the preferences of its user, such as predicting radio station preferences or offering to make phone calls at certain times if it has detected a pattern previously.
It can also set the navigation system if it detects a commonly-travelled route, factoring in traffic updates and congestion warnings.
The infotainment system is shown in three different display styles – Classic, Sport, and Discreet – while different ‘theme worlds’ can be individualised, which programs climate settings, seat adjustment, radio station, navigation destination and driving mode.
MBUX also includes the new Linguatronic voice recognition system, which controls commands such as destination input, phone calls, music selection and writing messages.
According to Mercedes, the system “recognises and understands nearly all sentences from the fields of infotainment and vehicle operation”.
Ride comfort is enhanced with MacPherson-strut front and multi-link rear suspensions, and optional adaptive damping control.
Boot space is 29 litres larger than before, while shoulder, elbow and headroom have all grown, thanks to exterior dimensions increasing in all directions.
New standard equipment in the A200 includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with adaptive high-beam assist, keyless start and wireless smartphone charging.
Safety equipment includes nine airbags, autonomous emergency braking, park assist, Parktronic park assist, active lane-keep assist, blind spot monitoring with exit warning, traffic sign assist and a reversing camera.
No diesel engines will be offered locally in the new A-Class range.
