New Mercedes A-Class gets tweaked design, upgraded infotainment and new mild hybrid engine technology. Here's everything you need to know, including the price, specs and release date...
On sale: Spring 2023 | Price from: £34,000 (est)
One thing the Apple Watch has shown is that even the smallest products can be packed with the latest and greatest technology. The same can be said for the Mercedes A-Class, because despite being the brand’s smallest model, it still gets technology usually found on larger and more luxurious models.
So, to help keep it up-to-date, Mercedes has given the A-Class a midlife refresh, meaning you can now get features found on other new models, including the Mercedes C-Class. Most notable are the changes under the bonnet, though, because mild hybrid technology has been added across the range. This means a small electric generator has been added to assist the engine under hard acceleration, while also improving fuel efficiency.
Two petrol and two diesel engines take centre stage in the line-up. The petrols consist of two 1.3-litre four-cylinder units, named A180 and A200, which produce 136bhp and 161bhp respectively. Fuel economy for both engines are rated at 49mpg combined.
The diesels, named A180d and A200d, consist of two 2.0-litre four-cylinder units and produce 114bhp and 148bhp respectively. Combined fuel economy for those are rated at 56mpg and 58mpg respectively. All models across the line-up are fitted as standard with seven or eight-speed automatic gearboxes.
The A250e plug-in hybrid has also been updated, and it combines a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor to produce 215bhp. Thanks to a 15.6kWh battery, the A250e can also travel up to 50 miles in electric-only mode according to official tests. That’s more than the Volkswagen Golf eHybrid and Audi A3 40 TFSI e can travel in electric-only mode – both of those cars have official ranges of 43 miles and 37 miles respectively.
As with the regular A-Class models, the Mercedes-AMG A35 and A45 S hot hatchbacks have also received mild hybrid technology. These cars utilise a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, but as before, they both produce same outputs of 302bhp in A35 form and 415bhp in A45 S form. Performance is also unchanged, and both can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.7sec and 3.9sec respectively for the A35 and A45 S.
The updates to the A-Class’ styling are fairly minor, and consist of a new grille design (which features multiple mini three-pointed stars, as found on the new C-Class and GLC) and two new bulges on the bonnet. Other updates include new front and rear bumpers, plus updated LED headlights and tail lights. AMG models will also receive a bespoke AMG grille, bonnet-mounted AMG emblem, boot lid spoiler and exhaust tips.
Inside, updates include the addition of the latest ‘MBUX’ Mercedes infotainment system, which gets new software to help improve responsiveness and usability. The driver’s display also gets new styles (and is customisable between various modes and settings). What’s more, the A-Class now gets a new fingerprint recognition system for identification of the driver and the driver’s settings.
All models get a 7.0in digital driver’s display and 10.25in infotainment screen as standard, and both combine to form a flush panel-like screen that sits on top of the dash. As before, the former 7.0in screen can be upgraded to a 10.25in display, and all models get a new steering wheel design (which can be used to control the screen via the touch-sensitive buttons).
UK specifications are yet to be confirmed, but the new A-Class will be offered in both saloon and hatchback forms, and similar updates will be applied to the B-Class. An all-new EQA electric hatchback is also rumoured to be on the cards for launch in 2024, however this is yet to be confirmed.
Pricing will start from approximately £34,000, which is a slight increase over the current car (which starts from £32,250). It’s also more than the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 will cost you – those cars currently start from £27,245 and £25,495 respectively.
Keyword: 2023 Mercedes A-Class revealed