The updated Mercedes-Benz A-Class is now on sale in the UK with prices starting from just under £32,000. The compact premium model, which is offered in five-door hatchback and four-door saloon guises, now comes with fresh headlights and new interior technology, including the new MBUX infotainment technology.
As before, the fresh-faced A-Class will be offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, all of which come with a mild-hybrid system that is designed to make the engine start process quieter and allows the car to ‘sail’ with the engine switched off when cruising steadily or coasting to a stop. A seven- or eight-speed automatic gearbox will also be included with every model.
At launch, a wide range of engines are available, but the mainstays are the 180 and 200 petrol engines, and the 200d diesel. The two petrol engines are both 1.3-litre turbocharged units that produce 134 bhp and 161 bhp respectively, while the 200d is a 2-litre diesel engine with 148 bhp. Naturally, the diesel is the most efficient of the three, achieving 47.9-52.3 mpg on the official economy test, while the petrol engines both manage identical figures of 44.1-48.7 mpg.
However, those three engines will be joined by the 212 bhp 250e hybrid system, which combines a petrol engine and an electric motor with a rechargeable battery. That in itself is nothing new for the A-Class, but the plug-in hybrid has gained 11 kW AC charging capability, while a DC charge from 10 percent to 80 percent will take approximately 25 minutes.
Those engines will also be joined by the AMG 35 and 45 ‘hot hatch’ versions of the A-Class, both of which use 2.0-litre petrol engines to produce 302 bhp and 415 bhp respectively. Both cars also use all-wheel-drive systems to transfer that power to the road.
All those engines are available alongside a choice of trim levels. The range kicks off with the basic Sport Executive model (from £31,880), but AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus, and the new Exclusive Launch Edition trim levels will also be on offer.
Every version now comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system as part of the facelift, while 17-inch alloys are fitted to entry-level Sport Executive models and rim diameters rise to 19 inches for top-of-the-range models. LED headlights are standard, too, along with lumbar support in the seats and ambient lighting, plus a choice of either black or grey interior colour schemes.
More on the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class:
Gallery: Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2023)
