A-Class [Official] Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W176)

[Wolfgang]

The two most 'stylish' nations! LOL

LOL

 

[alebonau]

Hi alebonau, the above sound video is the Engineered by AMG version indeed. The one here below to be exact, one of the first in Paris (from a french forum i follow):

thanks kd ! thats excellent. great to see an a250 out and about as a first from an owner as well ! has the owner put forward any feedback that you could convey to us ?

I must say it looks lovely in white

 

[alebonau]

lines and other design stuff aside, don't you guys think the grille looks way too gigantic for a car that is so short and doesn't even have a trunk?

thinks suits it well...in the pics have seen anyways. way better front than the bmw 1 series for instance. but yeah how it looks in the metal will reserve my judgement !

 

[alebonau]

Hi Ale. My dealer called me on Friday to report the same thing. He said the car was sensational. But of course a dealer would say that lol. He said he was going to email me some photos, so if he does, i'll post the A250 Sport for you.

I'm pleased to hear the ride was not harsh. The B-class hasn't been fairing that well in reviews here because of the runflats and subsequent ride quality.

hehe ofcourse they would say the same. thats great to hear he will email pics. the a250 sport they have is read and would love to see some real shots of one

ps read an article of the c250 coupe today, also an amg sport (engineered by amg)

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/first-drive-mercedesbenz-c250-sport-coupe-20121207-2b0gj.html

interesting to see it gets the same interior as the a250 amg sport but is quite a bit more expensive, not as gutsy engine only a 1.8 turbo and not as quick as the a250 as a result. probably still a very nice car though.

agree some euro pricing on mercs is crazy. where we usually get the raw deal on cars looks like we're not doing too badly for a change !

 

[Kdcorp]

thanks kd ! thats excellent. great to see an a250 out and about as a first from an owner as well ! has the owner put forward any feedback that you could convey to us ?

I must say it looks lovely in white

Yes indeed, here it is, after passing through google translate:

A small CR good as promised!

I have drove about 80 km today and I am both the town from the highway, the device plugs in and even driving in fog. It allowed me to test almost everything.
There is a gap between my monster and my new Polo GTI class A in terms of finishing, details etc..

Design and finish:

Ca good we all know, externally it is sublime. I had lots of flashing headlights during the day, at first I thought it was to prevent the cops ... but no.
Inside is great too, cut the red is beautiful, it is very well end up with two or three small caveats:

- No seal on the inside of the doors, white ca makes good on certain colors but ca risk to the bodywork a bit odd apparent.
- The locks of door latches .... Looks like they come out of a 205 they are so basic.
- The electric handbrake is too low I think, not a great location.
- The rear visilibité ugh. Fortunately there is a rearview camera and an APA but even with that, it's been a little freaked out.

Apart from that, it's flawless for me. I just have a few hours of training to learn how to manage everything. The LINGUATRONIC, options etc etc..

Comfort:

A small regret, at this price it would have been nice to have a controlled suspension. That said, it's still relatively comfortable for a car with sports suspension and 18-inch wheels, the seats are in my opinion a lot. I recommend the pavement anyway.

It is well seated in the car seat you hold well, the shuttle lands in the hands, anyway it is adjustable in all directions. The seats with electronic memory is the ball, too, I am already a function cap completely lowered.

Conduct and performance:

Suffice to say that I have not pushed the engine today, but I have tested the city highway and sport mode quickly.

Eco mode first, I was very surprised because the engine makes almost no noise (unlike the GTI or there are inputs connected to the engine under the seats and therefore makes the racket all the time), we can ride in silence which is nice when Madame and baby on board. The box is actually unresponsive, you still need to press the pedal have a true acceleration but I think it is wanted to limit the cons. For info I taf party tonight, with only 10km from the city and county of 500m hand I consolidated 10L per hundred. On a new engine as big and cold is not bad.
CC told me that the box adjusts to the driver's driving and amends, I wait to see what it gives. ^ ^

In Sport mode, I tested very quickly without climb beyond 4,000 rpm. We hear the engine very well and the car made a heel-toe downshift in auto I find excellent. ^ ^ It is a sport mode too exaggerated (the polo box went to switch on each report and therefore unusable in everyday life). If the pedal is not too deep, the box changes gear at 3500 4000 rpm. It can also be used as a circuit.

Concerning the conduct itself well ... the car is glued to the road, it does not move a muscle, it's going exactly where you want. This is quite impressive also. Parametric direction makes maneuvering in city relatively simple and hardens well when increasing the pace. Honestly the chassis could easily take over 100 hp, the engine does not clearly pushes the car to its limits. It brakes very hard, takes a little time to adapt also to avoid crushing all fires.

Electronics:

Well then, it's bloated, there would be for an hour so I just talk ILS and DISTRONIC because people ask a lot of questions above.

I have tested the DISTRONIC in traffic this morning on the ring and on the highway to go home. After a little time to adapt, it is quite possible to use almost no pedals. Plugs in Paris, I stretched my seat max, radio and rolls back to my chicken. ^ ^ If you frequently jams on your route or you do a lot of highway, this is a great option. If you live in the country it does not use much. I also recommend the city because it's still radar and if you grill a fire or stop because it is not terrible. ^ ^

ILS I have tested the way to work tonight with a huge fog. The advantage? Ben ca can see the headlights easily. We see the lights move perfectly depending on the angle of turn, speed. Skip full headlights when there is no light, stooping low speed when there is fog etc.. It is wonderfully effective, it is an option that I highly suggest. I realized that I had stayed open all day except headlights as the car managing beam, they never started the night before.

It remains to aid the lines, blind spot monitoring white lines etc.. Angles death is nice, monitoring straights, blah I'm not a fan, I would deselect maybe. Apart from the steering wheel to vibrate it does no good.

In the end, the car beeps a lot because of colision assist and Blind Spot but it is tolerable.

Voili voilou. If you have any questions, I will try to answer but in any case I take my foot with this car!

Original post

 

[alebonau]

thanks KD thats a great read, appreciate passing on the owners impressions

sounds like a sweet space inside and a bit of a looker as a car outside ! good to hear he's not unhappy with the ride though sounds like adjustable suspension might have been a good thing

yep can imagine rear visibility not great, though appears the rear camera a saviour ! seems to be a common theme with cars these days given styling / shape.

the city, sport and highway mode sound like an interesting thing. though from whats said not sure about the other safety tech which I think are options on it.

I understand the a250 engineered for amg model doesnt have spare wheel, or use run flats. and is provided with a tyre repair kit ? is there any feedback on the practical nature of these repair kits mercedes provide ? if discussed else where on this forum welcome to provide me a link.

read below on the kit that comes with the audi TTRS
http://www.carsguide.com.au/blogs-and-stuff/paul-gover/tyre_repair_kit_a_good_effort

just hope these kits dont mean the tyre has to be subsequently thrown away ? would be an expensive exercise ! anyone had any first hand experience with these from mercedes ?

 

[Wolfgang]

^ Here's some info on the TIREFIT kit.

TIREFIT and electric pump as standard: Getting home safely with a flat tyre

The A-Class does without a spare wheel well. This saves space and weight – the latter contributing to efficiency. In western and central Europe, all versions come as standard with the TIREFIT system comprising tyre sealant and an electric pump as well as a tyre pressure loss warning system which displays a warning in the instrument cluster in the event of a marked pressure loss.

Input variables for the system are the speeds of the four wheels, which are recorded by the ABS sensors. A relative comparison of all measured wheel speeds reveals the divergent speed of a wheel in the event of a pressure loss in the tyre. As wheel speeds are also influenced by other dynamic variables, such as tyre slip, slip angle or cornering, the sensor signals from driving assistance systems such as ESP® and ADAPTIVE BRAKE (including ABS and ASR) also receive due consideration in assessing the wheel speeds.

Tyres with run-flat capability are optionally available. These so-called MOE tyres ("Mercedes Original Extended") feature the latest generation of run-flat technology, offering the same ride comfort as conventional tyres, despite reinforced sidewalls. In the event of a flat tyre, the journey can be continued at 80 km/h. The possible range is then around 30 kilometres when there is no air pressure whatsoever in the tyre concerned, or otherwise up to 300 km – sufficient to return safely home or to reach a Mercedes-Benz partner. The MOE can be combined with all light-alloy wheels which are available for the A-Class.

Source: Daimler

http://www.germancarforum.com/commu...2013-first-drives-reviews-thread.44033/page-2

 

[Giannis]

the practical nature of these repair kits

The practical nature of all repair kits is a joke. How the @$%# can you repair your tyre when you have a big hole on the sidewall? At least, that was the reason of my flat tyre the last time I got one. The sidewall suffered a 12cm cut done by the sharp edge of the tarmac around a pothole.

 

[alebonau]

yeah guys, more and more cars coming with no spare ! I guess they think most people just use them around city. just would have thought many would use a mercedes for some nice runs in the country etc. and where far from the city merc dealers and service centres having a spare comes in handy. what happens otherwise if the tire repair kit doesnt work ? a tow truck back to the city ? anyways, is what it is I guess !

ps mercedes australia seems to be ramping up the social media presence of the A class ! all in preparation of the march 2013 launch I guess. looks like volvo will have the jump on them with the v40 hatch. but anyways would be nice to drive and a250 sooner rather than later !

 

[Human]

I won't join into the tire debate, no spare or run-flat...there aren't enough swear words to describe how sick it makes me feel and how sick the pre-mentioned "alternatives" actually is. Not to mention the cost involved in having Run-Flats on your car. So back on topic. MBSA needs to introduce the A-class ASAP, i'd really like to see the car IRL...especially the interior/perceived and tactile quality.

And the French buying into the A-class is a class act indeed

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

yeah guys, more and more cars coming with no spare ! I guess they think most people just use them around city. just would have thought many would use a mercedes for some nice runs in the country etc. and where far from the city merc dealers and service centres having a spare comes in handy. what happens otherwise if the tire repair kit doesnt work ? a tow truck back to the city ? anyways, is what it is I guess !

ps mercedes australia seems to be ramping up the social media presence of the A class ! all in preparation of the march 2013 launch I guess. looks like volvo will have the jump on them with the v40 hatch. but anyways would be nice to drive and a250 sooner rather than later !

Hey Ale, apparently there is one on display in South Yarra in front of a hotel on Chapel Street. That's all I know lol. Go check it out if it's close by. I can't wait to see it in person. I really hope they have an A250 up in Birsbane sooner rather than later.

Given that the A-class ride is reportedly very firm, I don't mind the fact that it's not being fitted with runflats and has Tirefit. I rarely leave urban areas as it is. Runflats can also be very noisy.

 

[Kdcorp]

Some more pics from Switzerland

Same model/colour as my future one, alas, not mine yet:

And another one i just found laying around...might even be from this forum

Also, hearing some very worrying reports that the A250 Sport fuel economy isn't exactly as advertised of 6,5L/100km but closer to 11L/100km, on a 50L tank, it's pretty much 400-450km endurance, which imo for a 211hp car is not good enough (the tank capacity that is)

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

That would be extremely surprising to have 11L/100km. They might be flooring the thing constantly, it might be a 'break in' situation, or there could be engine managment issues.

When are you expecting your car Kd? What engine and specs did you end up ordering?

 

[Zafiro]

According to Autobild latest test A25o uses 8.9liters/100km. I think its accceptable.

 

[Kdcorp]

That would be extremely surprising to have 11L/100km. They might be flooring the thing constantly, it might be a 'break in' situation, or there could be engine managment issues.

When are you expecting your car Kd? What engine and specs did you end up ordering?

Hi Mr.Mercedes,

I can of course hardly vouch for the few people that have been reporting 11L/100km, as it's forum talks, but they've made it clear that they've been getting that while in ECO mode and not abusing their accelerator pedal
I think it might be true indeed, but probably normal until the engine gets run a bit, at least 3000km..

The announced production date for mine is 1st/3 of April, so delivery should be close to end of April (order made in September! unlike the french who get them after 2 months, we're close to 6month wait in Switzerland).
I'm told however that it might get done earlier.. but no specifics.

I've ended up leaving the order at:
A250 Sport - mountain gray - Red cut interior
fully equipped (AMG exclusive pack, Command online, distronic, blablabla) except for 2 options: ILS and sunroof,

 

[alebonau]

thanks mr merc, might see if can wander past south yarra on the weekend, see whats there !

plenty of interesting info too there guys. the mountain grey if thats the pics there kd definitely have the a250 looking pretty good

wow some scary stuff re fuel consumption. the golf gti averages around 8.5L/100, even less on the highway so would hope merc can atleast match that !

 

[Kdcorp]

thanks mr merc, might see if can wander past south yarra on the weekend, see whats there !

plenty of interesting info too there guys. the mountain grey if thats the pics there kd definitely have the a250 looking pretty good

wow some scary stuff re fuel consumption. the golf gti averages around 8.5L/100, even less on the highway so would hope merc can atleast match that !

yes indeed, will be just as the pics i posted can't wait!

 

[alebonau]

Well I got to check out the new A class today and boy what a gorgeous thing it is. Inside and out I am super impressed. Particularly outside I really am suprised, I dont think photos have seen of it so far really do it justice. this one was an A200 CDI with AMG pack and it looked a treat. I really do like the styling externally very much and sitting inside fit and finish is to a very good standard.

Those rear exhausts are actually quite big and the 18" wheels dont look too big on the car. This one was fitted with the MOE contisport run flats. the A250 sport ofcourse comes with the standard non run flats and with the can of goo which I confirmed.

The panaromic sun roof is a beauty and makes the cabin internal feel quite light and airy wihtout it given the low slung feel to the car can imagine some might feel the roof running quite low. Sitting in the back seats theres plenty of room and again fit and finish back there is faultless.

the rear view is definitely limited but not terrible and good to see the rear view camera in action on reversing. smart phone integration seems seamless picking up the vodaphone 3G network. Scrolling though the options on the main screen seemed like a pretty simple task including pulling up the DAB+ digital radio thats included as part of the command pack.

The boot is perhaps a tad smaller than in cars this type, but I'd say adequate for most uses, and with the bonus can lay the back seats flat if need the extra room.

Overall a fantastic car, I love the nice touches around the place, really pleased finally got to see this car in red and can see this being quite a success for Mercedes.

I grabbed a few shots and I'll say again photos dont do it justice.

ps later in the day heading home I actually saw a similar white A class on the freeway....spotted it from a distance. It really is quite distinctive. So there you go must be atleast a couple of A classes running around the traps here

still cant wait to drive an A250 see what its like on the road.

 

[Kdcorp]

Never been fond of red cars, but gotta say red suits the A class very nicely! (ok, probably also because of black rims/windows/mirrors and sunroof)

I didn't take sunroof though, even if i agree with your above comment on how it adds lightness to the cabin, sunroofs require maintenance, often malfunction, add weight to the car (roughly an extra passenger weight i'd estimate) and, as far as I've heard, are built with cheap plastic material that breaks easily, which of course isn't much of an issue while the warranty is running, but since fixing a sunroof requires dismounting the whole roof of the car (again, hearsay) i wouldn't want to get the bill for that fix once out of warranty

..then again, it does look awesome on this car!

 

[mini_cooper4]

I strongly dislike the new A but in red it does look the thing