Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback (2023 - ) review

Helped along by a marketing-friendly link to F1, Mercedes’ hybrid tech is among the most effective in the business. A shame, then, the flagship A250e plug-in (PHEV, in the jargon) isn’t currently available on the more popular hatchback. If a saloon works for you it can help slash monthly costs if you’re company car user, thanks to the greatly reduced Benefit In Kind, not to mention the fact you can do your shorter journeys on electric power alone and therefore save at the pumps. Let’s hope the PHEV joins the hatchback range soon, though all petrol A-Classes now feature what’s known as mild hybrid assistance . True, the car can’t power itself on the electric motor as the PHEV can but it does fill in the gaps in power delivery from the petrol or diesel unit and expands the range of the stop/start system to include ‘sailing’ with the combustion engine off.

Like many premium brands Mercedes doesn’t have the greatest showing on reliability surveys, the additional costs of repairs when they are required partly a factor in that. To be fair these surveys sometimes lag some way behind the current reality as well, and owner satisfaction with the A-Class seems generally good. The standard three-year warranty is nothing remarkable, the unlimited mileage aspect welcome if probably irrelevant for the kind distances most owners will travel in that time, especially with the restrictions written into many finance agreements.

While Volvo has successfully marketed itself as a safety leader Mercedes has, over the years, introduced just as much if not more of the kit we now take for granted. No surprise, then, the A-Class comes bristling with the airbags and other protections if the worst happens and a host of systems to make sure it doesn’t in the first place. As such it will alert you if it thinks your attention is wandering, pull you back into lane, brake automatically for hazards if you don’t and all the rest. The only systems not standard across the range and limited to more expensive models are blind spot alerts and system to warn if you’re about to open a door into passing traffic or cyclists. While the standard safety gear is good you can also pay extra for the next level of assistance as part of an optional Driving Assistance package.

You buy a Mercedes with a level of expectation it will feel a cut above the average in quality and refinement and, generally, the A-Class delivers. There was a little more tyre noise than we’d have liked, which is one of those seemingly minor things that can become draining on long journeys. Other than that it drives with the kind of overall polish you’d expect of a Mercedes, with an easygoing manner, light controls and a decent balance between comfort and sporty composure. The regular headrests on the base model are replaced by sportier looking one-piece seat packs on the others in the range, standard faux leather gaining a microfibre centre panel to hopefully stave off sweaty back syndrome on hot days. The back seat of the A-Class isn’t especially spacious, meanwhile, so if you want a more family friendly and practical Mercedes hatchback you may be better off with the related, and more upright, B-Class.

In an interesting move Mercedes launched the twin-screen MBUX operating system in the A-Class, its smallest and most affordable model laying the infotainment groundwork for the entire range. This already impressive system has been further improved in this update as well, all models getting the paired 10.25-inch screens, one in front of the driver for instrumentation and driving information while the centre one does maps, entertainment and communications. This can be touch- or voice operated via the improved ‘Hey, Mercedes!’ wake-up call, while ‘capacitive’ pads on the steering wheel spokes offer another way of interacting. This takes a bit of getting used to – the left one does the centre screen, the right does the instruments – but is logical once you get your head round it and the graphics are stylish and crisp with tons of functionality. We’d prefer actual buttons to touch sensitive ones on the basis it’s too easy to activate them as your thumbs brush the wheel when steering but built-in hard disk navigation (with a free three-year subscription to live traffic updates) is standard and phones connect and charge wirelessly for hassle-free integration with Apple and Android devices. Of the four trim levels currently available the base one is probably there to hit a price point, the top one adding garnish like a panoramic roof and memory seats but – as ever – the mid-level specifications are probably the best balance of kit and price, and the ones most people will go for.

The two fire-breathing AMG hot hatch models – the A35 and A45 – remain available and go against rivals like the VW Golf R, Audi’s S3 and RS3 and the BMW M135i but these are so different in character, performance and price to the rest of the A-Class range they’re best considered standalone models. There is still an A200d diesel but most buyers will likely be choosing between the petrol A180 and A200, which use versions of the same 1.3-litre engine. All A-Classes now come with automatic gearboxes of one type or another, the petrol getting a seven-speed unit activated by a column stalk behind the wheel that has always been too easy to mistake for indicators or wiper controls for our liking. We’d previously criticised the automatic gearbox for being a little indecisive but, by this showing, Mercedes seems to have improved things with this updated car. Both petrol models are also what’s known as mild hybrids, which means a more powerful stop/start system able to boost you off the line but not drive the car on electric power alone. For that you need the plug-in hybrid version, which is only available on the saloon. This is a shame, given it’s an effective and well-engineered system with enough battery power to do the majority of shorter journeys without waking the petrol engine while capable of driving long distances without the faff of charging stops if you do.