Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2018-present) review | Mercedes gets the recipe right

What is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

The A-Class has evolved massively during its lifetime, from its introduction as an unusual, MPV-like vehicle back in the 1990s to the smart, svelte hatchback or saloon you can buy today.

Mercedes has tried to ensure that A-Class customers get the full three-pointed star treatment, so its styling is heavily inspired by larger models. The interior also has a very modern look and uses high quality materials, mirroring some of Mercedes’ more expensive models from when the A-Class was launched in 2019.

Even with a mid-life facelift in 2023, the interior has now started to fall behind the design aesthetic of newer models in the range, although the tablet-like infotainment screens still look impressive.

Rivals for this car include the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, as well as higher-spec versions of the Volkswagen Golf. Like the A3, the A-Class has been available as a five-door hatchback (known as the W177) and a four-door saloon (V177), whereas the third-generation A-Class was sold as a hatchback only. From 2025, however, production of the A-Class saloon came to an end. That means if you’re buying brand new, your only option is a hatchback.

How practical is it?

There’s decent space for four adults in the A-Class, although getting three people across the rear bench will be a squeeze. There is slightly less rear headroom in the saloon than the A-Class hatchback, but overall this feels like a more spacious car than its predecessor, which made rear-seat passengers feel hemmed in.

Boot sizes vary slightly, depending on the model year, but the biggest variances come from engine choice, as the fourth-generation A-Class introduced hybrid power for the first time. Pre-2023 facelift petrol and diesel hatchbacks have 345-360 litres of storage capacity with the rear seats up, then 1185-1195 litres with them down. Post-facelift cars, meanwhile, offer 345-350 litres with the rear seats in place, or 1185-1190 litres with them folded.

Opt for the saloon and there is a larger boot across the board, with 420 litres pre-facelift and 360-370 litres post-facelift. But whether you go for a saloon or hatchback, the plug-in hybrid A250e’s boot is compromised due to the batteries stored beneath the floor. On top of that, be aware that the saloon body has a narrow boot opening compared to the huge hatch of, well, the hatchback.

The driving position is quite high, which is worth noting if you’re a taller driver, but the seats are very comfortable, especially the sportier chairs in AMG models. Build and material quality is excellent, and really makes you feel like you’re inside a premium vehicle. That’s important, given the Mercedes-Benz badge on the grille.

Mercedes offers a number of official accessories for the A-Class. With earlier models you could have items like carbon-effect wing mirror covers and a small carbon-effect rear spoiler. These aren’t available on current models, which is perhaps no bad thing, but practicality-boosting extras include roof bars, roof boxes, Mercedes-branded child seats, rubber floor and boot mats, and boot dividers. Check what is available if you’re in the early stages of ordering a fourth-generation A-Class, as something like a rubber boot mat could be very useful if you own a dog, for example.

What's it like to drive?

The fourth-generation A-Class handles well. There’s a solid feel to the steering, and plenty of poise and composure through corners. It's not quite as satisfying to drive as a BMW 1 Series, but there's little to complain about day-to-day. It's also a quiet and comfortable motorway cruiser, particularly if you avoid the larger wheel sizes offered.

When it comes to engines, it depends what age of A-Class you are considering. You’ll find less choice after the car's 2023 facelift, when the range was slimmed down. Before the 2023 update, the diesel lineup started with the 114bhp, 1.5-litre A180d and progressed through to the A200d with 148bhp and the A220d with 187bhp – both of them 2.0-litre units. The two higher-powered diesels use an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while the A180d has a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic. As of the time of writing, however, only the A200d remains on sale.

Petrol choices initially included the A250 with a 2.0-litre engine producing 221bhp. This was later dropped, leaving the 1.3-litre turbocharged A180 or A200. The former puts out 134bhp, while the latter develops 161bhp. Both could be specced with manual or automatic gearboxes, but today they can only be ordered with a seven-speed auto. We’d avoid the entry-level A180, because although it’s capable of acceptable performance, it has to work very hard to deliver it, so it becomes noisy during even moderate acceleration. The A200 is a much better bet.

As for the plug-in hybrid A250e, it has a 1.3-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor and battery, which gives you 215bhp and a claimed 48 to 52 miles of electric-only driving (although you can expect less than that in the real world). It’s the quickest of the ‘normal’ A-Class models, hitting 62mph in 7.4 seconds where the others are one or two seconds slower. But if you do go for the A250e, ensure you charge it regularly. If you don’t, you’ll be using extra fuel to needlessly carry around a heavy electric motor and batteries.

For hot hatchback fans, the 302bhp A35 AMG is stiff but composed, not to mention seriously fast for what is effectively the entry-level Mercedes performance car. It will reach 62mph in 4.7 seconds on its way to a 155mph maximum. We’d recommend splashing out on the optional adaptive suspension if you can, as it broadens the car’s abilities even further.

The A45 S, meanwhile, is an absolute monster; not the most engaging hot hatch overall, but a real brute. With 415bhp from its 2.0-litre engine, and all-wheel drive for tarmac-shredding traction, it’ll do 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and top out at 168mph.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Mercedes has chopped and changed trim levels since it launched the fourth-generation A-Class in 2019. To begin with, there was SE, Sport and AMG Line, while today there is Sport Edition, Sport Executive, AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus. Other specs have come and gone over the car’s life.

As you’d expect, the trim levels represent a sliding scale of cost and equipment. So at launch, the entry-level SE – only available in hatchback form – gave you 16-inch alloy wheels and synthetic leather and fabric upholstery. Stepping up to the Sport model added dual-zone climate control and 17-inch wheels. You also got a seven-inch instrument display and seven-inch central infotainment screen, both standard-fit for all models, with the option to upgrade to 10.25-inch units. If buying used, check out period brochures and any potential purchase’s spec sheet to fully understand what was available and fitted to your car.

Today, every trim level gets the dual 10.25-inch screens, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, four USB-C ports, cruise control, front and rear LED lights, lane-keep assist, active parking assist with Parktronic (where the car can parallel park itself), attention assist, automatic emergency braking, keyless entry and start, and much more. All cars have a reversing camera, but trim dictates whether or not it’s a 180-degree device or a full 360-degree surround view. Wireless phone charging is standard on all but the base Sport Edition. You can upgrade the stereo system too, and get a head-up display.

The infotainment system, known as MBUX, uses the two 10.25 inch screens. The right-hand screen is a replacement for traditional analogue instruments and primarily shows you driving information. The left-hand infotainment display is a touchscreen, although you can also control menus using a touchpad on the centre console, or via thumbpads on the steering wheel. MBUX is slick but very detailed, so you’ll need to spend a bit of time getting to know it and setting it up to your preferences. While some of the graphics are a bit small, we love the system's quick responses. It has one of the better voice recognition systems on the market, too.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class running costs

The A-Class is positioned as a premium product and, as such, will cost more to buy than a ‘mainstream’ model such as a Volkswagen Golf. On the flip side, it should also hold onto its value slightly better.

When it comes to fuel, the A250e plug-in hybrid could be very efficient if you have somewhere to plug it in and can make journeys mostly on electric power. For higher-mileage drivers, however, the diesel models remain the ones to go for. The A180d has an official combined fuel economy figure of up to 62.8mpg, while the A200d can return 57.7mpg. The A220d, meanwhile, will give you 55.4mpg.

In the petrol range, you’ll get up to 48.7mpg with the A180 and the same figure again with the A200. Given the latter offers slightly more performance when you need it, if you can afford to jump from the A180 to the A200, we’d recommend you do so.

Unsurprisingly, fuel economy drops considerably with the AMG models, which are both all-wheel drive and geared towards performance rather than saving fuel. The A35 will, in theory, give you up to 33.2mpg and the A45 S up to 30.7mpg. But expect considerably less than that if you drive these cars in the manner that AMG intended.

Mercedes offers fixed price service plans that can help with budgeting and cover roughly one service per year. The costs will vary depending on the car’s mileage and how old it is.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class reliability

Mercedes-Benz as a brand came joint 22nd alongside Audi in the most recent What Car? Reliability survey. That sounds OK until you realise there were a grand total of 30 brands.

The A-Class fared slightly better in the family car class, securing 16th place out of 30 cars. To give this some context, the Audi A3 grabbed 17th place, the A3 PHEV 20th, and the current Volkswagen Golf 28th. The BMW 1 Series managed fourth place, though, which is one of the best reasons to test-drive one – unless you are absolutely dead-set on the A-Class.

From new, Mercedes offers a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty on the A-Class, which is nothing special by today's standards. A Toyota might not have the same badge appeal, but the 10-year warranty it comes with when serviced annually at a main dealer goes a long way to making up for that.