Mercedes-Benz A200. Excellent

 

Mercedes-Benz A200. Price: from $21,117 (162,000 UAH) On sale: since 2008.

In school, as a rule, only straight-A students are in the “A” classes. This rule is confirmed by the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Our proving ground tests allowed us to expose this quiet one. Like a diligent student, it did everything that was required of it, coping even with the most difficult tasks


Test pilot

Maksym Yehorov, 23 years old, automotive journalist, 5 years of driving experience, personal car - Mitsubishi Lancer

Expert

Eduard Shyvorshynov, 35 years old, test engineer, 17 years of driving experience, drives a Mercedes-Benz G300 TD

Even if engineers create a subcompact and paint it in a sky-blue shade, it will still remain a Mercedes-Benz. It was exactly such a compact A200 that we had for a long-term test and put through proving ground trials.

Mercedes-Benz approaches the development of each model with special care. Let's start with the exterior. In city traffic, it doesn't catch the eye, although in our case it stands out with a nice body color. But it can't be called faceless — the design is refined, all elements are harmonious and balanced. It is the youngest in the family, yet its headlights are like those of the S-Class, and the rear design with the trunk lid and lights echoes the ML. A unified design language is evident across all models of the brand.

The A-Class length doesn't reach four meters — 3883 mm, and from the outside it looks very compact. But inside it's spacious thanks to the one-box layout. In terms of cabin width and height, the Mercedes-Benz A200 surpasses its formal classmates. Distance to the ceiling at the front is 990 mm, at the rear — 965 mm. Cabin width at the front is 1440 mm, at the rear — slightly more, 1445 mm. There's no question of crampedness. The car is a five-seater, and five people will fit without difficulty. The front seats deserve special attention. The main audience of the A-Class is women, but even a tall, large man will easily settle in both the driver's and passenger's seats.

With such a roomy cabin and modest external dimensions, it seems that there is no trunk at all — at most a small compartment for a suitcase. But that's not the case: the minimum volume is 435 liters, and with the seats folded down, all 1370. Moreover, the low and convenient opening allows you to easily load large items, such as a stroller.

The main thing in a Mercedes-Benz is comfort and ride smoothness. And every time, when getting acquainted with a new model, you understand that engineers strive to bring these qualities to perfection. A moderately stiff suspension and an informative steering wheel improve handling without sacrificing comfort. Any maneuver is performed under the full control of the driver. Even on a broken road, the car does not lose control, confidently holds its trajectory, and comfort remains at a decent level. But if comfort is a subjective concept, then handling can be measured.

Despite the high seating position and raised center of gravity, the measurements only confirmed the feeling of reliability in handling. In the “moose test” for stability of an empty and loaded car, the entry speeds differ by 1 km/h — 72 and 71 km/h. At the exit — 44 and 42 km/h. There are rolls, especially on the short lane change, but there was never a situation that could not be corrected with the steering wheel. Exceeding speed during a maneuver leads to sliding, which is quite expected. On the long lane change and slalom, the A200 shows good results.

The A200 pleased with its dynamics: acceleration turned out to be faster than the official data. Not by much, but still: 9.6 seconds versus the stated 9.9. The result is good, considering the 136-horsepower two-liter engine and the CVT. The latter copes perfectly with its task — it provides comfort. The car accelerates intensively, without jerks or dips. True, neither manual nor sport mode radically changes the picture.

Without good brakes, all the speed advantages would lose their meaning. But everything is fine here too. From 100 km/h, the car stops in 44 meters, from 140 km/h — in 77 meters. Even with heated brakes, the indicators are stable. Safety is ensured not only by active but also by passive systems. The A-Class body has an original energy-absorbing “sandwich” floor structure. As a result, the car received the maximum score in the Euro NCAP crash test.

The youngest in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, the A-Class, is not in vain bearing the letter “A”. It is a diligent student who does everything excellently. Let it not be the brightest and most noticeable — but it is reliable and docile. A Mercedes-Benz in the full sense of the word: both comfort, and quality of materials, and verified settings of all systems.

 

In detail

The instrument panel is devoid of frills — simple and clear, which is what is required of it. Simple

Managing the on-board systems raises no questions: everything is familiar and convenient. Familiar

 

Expert opinion

The A200 is compact on the outside and spacious on the inside, which is not always found in this class. For home, for family — an ideal option. Proving ground tests showed that the A-Class is comfortable and handles excellently, and this is the main thing for a family car.

Our assessment

The Mercedes-Benz A200 is definitely a niche car: both in terms of class, and because it is a Mercedes-Benz, that is, not available to everyone. As befits the brand, it is comfortable and attractive, the interior pleases with quality materials. The proving ground once again confirmed this.

 

Body
+ compact
+ spacious cabin and trunk

 

Ride comfort
+ comfortable suspension
+ convenient trunk

 

Powertrain
+ acceptable fuel consumption
- low power

Handling
+ good handling
+ informative steering wheel
- presence of rolls

Safety
+ airbags, active and passive safety systems

Ecology
+ compliance with toxicity standards

Test results of Mercedes-Benz A200