MERCEDES-BENZ recently scooped the AutoTrader South African Car Of The Year 2019 award with its sporty A-Class hatchback.
Daily Sun took the A200 for a spin.
Who would have thought the A-Class would evolve into such a desirable hatchback?
The first two generations were boxy SUV-shaped cars aimed to be more versatile and sensible.
In fact, they were just plain boring!
But then in 2012 Mercedes spiced it up and transformed the A-Class into a more desirable hatchback as a proper rival to the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.
The third generation was an immediate hit for Mercedes. and when it launched the fourth generation in 2018 it built on this winning recipe.
The latest model looks even sportier and has some potent power.
Though the A200 is powered by a tiny 1,3-litre turbopetrol engine, it’s a case of dynamite coming in small packages.
It generates 120 kW of power and 250 Nm of torque.
The claimed average fuel usage is a decent 5,2 litres/100km.
Top speed is an impressive 225 km/h and it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 8,0 seconds.
Power is fed to the wheels via a slick seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The interior design is outstanding.
Furthermore, the A-Class is also one of the most tech-laden cars on sale, of any size while the infotainment system is quite possibly the best you can get.
The A-Class doesn’t aim to be a perfect fit for families but There’s more than enough space for four passengers.
A big improvement on the previous model is the boot space, which is 29 litres greater, at 370 litres.
All-round visibility in the new A-Class has also been improved, with the area obscured by the pillars reduced by 10 percent compared to its predecessor.
There’s little doubt the A-Class now leads the pack but its rivals are ready to go into battle. It’s clear the A-Class is ready to defend its crown., Model: Mercedes-Benz A200, Engine: 1,3 litre turbopetrol, Power: 120 kW @ 5 500 r/min, Torque: 250 Nm @ 1 620 r/min, Price: From R499 126
A new BMW 1 Series is due to be revealed soon, while Audi is also readying an all-new A3.