The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class was officially launched

In Amsterdam, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled its compact car, the new generation A-Class, which has a new exterior and interior design and is built on the new MFA2 platform. In addition, the new car will officially meet the public at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, which opens in March. Subsequently, the new A-Class will be domestically produced at Mercedes-Benz Beijing and launched in a trim level.

From the outside, the new car adopts the latest exterior design style of the Mercedes-Benz family, with sharp headlights shaped with L-shaped daytime running lights very similar to the new generation CLS model. The front grille continues to adopt the Mercedes-Benz family-style star design, adding color to the front. Both sides of the front bumper adopt a very sporty design style, which has an overall improvement compared to the current model.

On the side, the overall lines of the new car are more fluid than the current model, and the stiff waistline also adds a bit of dynamism to the new car. In addition, based on the new MFA2 platform, the new A-Class will have a larger body size and interior space, the official said the new A-Class models compared to the current model in terms of wheelbase increased by 30 mm. rear, the new car has also gone through a new design, slender taillight shape to change the previous "thick" shape, addition, full The LED light source also makes the rear detail more refined.

The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is 4419 mm/1796 mm/1440 mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2729 mm. compared to the current model, the wheelbase has increased by 30 mm, and the front wheelbase by 14 mm. therefore, its interior space has been upgraded. The new A-Class has a certain advantage in size compared to its competitors in the same class. At the same time, due to the increase of the body, the interior space part also increased, and the passengers will get a more comfortable riding experience and more convenient storage space.

In the interior, although the new A-Class is the entry-level model of the Mercedes-Benz family, Mercedes-Benz still gives the new generation of Mercedes-Benz A-Class family-style luxury design language, hug design concept, supplemented by wood grain decorative panels look extra tonal, while the new car is also available, black leather and brushed aluminum decorative panel combination, presenting another very sporty interior style.

As for the center section, the air conditioning control area is simple in design, and the floor block of the previous model is replaced with a pocket block, thus providing ample storage space below. The new COMMAND human-computer interaction system eliminates the physical knob design while increasing the size of the handwriting screen.

In terms of configuration, Mercedes-Benz has decentralized the configuration of other members of the family, making the new generation A that has a richer selection of configurations. This includes two conjoined 10.25-inch LCD screens (the entry version has two 7-inch LCD screens), the same air conditioning vents as the new CLS, a new three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, multi-color interior ambient lighting, and more. In addition, the new car will also be equipped with an active adjustable damping suspension. In terms of safety features, the new generation A-Class has active blind spot monitoring, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, and lane change assist that can sense oncoming traffic and other features rarely seen in the class.

The new A-Class is also equipped with the new MBUX Smart Connect system, which can be woken up by the command "Hi Mercedes", and then the user can send commands to the new A-Class, including phone calls, music, navigation, air conditioning and even the color of the interior ambient lights. This feature is a great simplification of the operation steps.

Power, the new car will be equipped with a 1.4T/2.0T turbocharged gasoline engine and a 1.5T turbo diesel engine, of which the 1.4T turbo engine has a maximum power of 163 hp (120kW), 2.0T turbo engine has a maximum power of 224 hp (165kW) and 1.5T turbo diesel engine has a maximum power of 115 hp (85kW). 85kW). In terms of transmission, the new car will be equipped with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a 6-speed manual transmission option. In addition, the new car will be available in a plug-in hybrid version and an all-electric model, and will also be available with four-wheel drive.

Model History

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has gone through four generations since its birth in 1997. The first generation of the A-Class, internally codenamed W168, was born with the front-wheel drive and its precise positioning in the family market as its biggest highlight. The second generation of the A-Class is more like a facelift, with an overall design that is very similar to the first generation, but with upgrades in power and configuration. We are most familiar with the third-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which was born in 2012. The stylish and sporty appearance of the A-Class has been well-received since its debut, and it is from the third-generation A-Class that the competition in the compact car class of luxury brands has become more and more intense.

Competitors

When it comes to competitors, everyone must be thinking of the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. Indeed, it is hard to find other models in the luxury compact car market now. The Audi A3 model has been localized early, and the BMW 1 Series was officially launched in the domestic market in 2017 with a trim-level version exclusive to the Chinese market, at which point Mercedes-Benz was a little late. However, it is predictable that the release of the new generation A-Class is enough to make the competitors in this class feel the pressure, and then the domestic market will also launch the A-Class trim level to further meet the needs of consumers.

Summary

In fact, before the official release of the new A-Class, we can probably guess what it will look like based on spy photos or hypothetical pictures. Indeed, the new car is very much changed in terms of appearance, and it is a matter of opinion as to whether the exterior looks good or not. But when you look at the interior, you have to marvel that Mercedes-Benz is gradually showing its advantages in technology and luxury atmosphere creation, constantly devolving new technology to lower-level models, I believe it is also to compete in the future, more than a hint of a head start, and this is also a good thing for consumers.