The A-Class was the first swallow of the expansion of the Mercedes model range — it appeared in 1997. At that time, no one suspected that the Germans would then release the unusual for themselves B and R classes. That is why the compact "baby-Benz" was under close scrutiny of both the press and the public. It was criticized for anything: for its unusual appearance, for its specific handling, for the fact that it stands out from the overall style of the brand. And yet the car sold, and, contrary to expectations, quite briskly. There were enough people wanting to join the club of Mercedes owners for relatively little money, although the A-Class differed from the "adult" models in everything except the star on the radiator grille.
In 2004, seven years later, Mercedes apparently finally became convinced that the course towards expanding the lineup was correct. The A-Class changed its body, and a year later the B-Class was built on its extended platform. This year both models underwent a facelift. We went to the Moscow region roads to get acquainted with the updated junior "Mercedes" at the invitation of the company's Russian office.
I will immediately note: the Germans did not radically change or reinvent anything — all the edits are purely cosmetic, the technical filling remained the same.
The junior models received new headlights, bumpers, and a radiator grille. From the side, the 2008 model year versions can be recognized by different mirrors and wheels of a different design. At the rear — updated lights that now "blink" during hard braking, and other exhaust pipes.
Inside — fresh trim materials and an expanded standard list. It now includes a light sensor, an automatic emergency lighting system, a luggage compartment curtain, and rear door lighting. Options were also added: both cars can be ordered with active parktronic, a COMAND APS complex with hard drive navigation and voice control, as well as a multimedia connector for external audio devices.
Versions A 150, 170, and 200, as well as B 170 and 200, will be brought to the Russian market. Theoretically, they can be equipped with a five-speed manual, but all the cars at the presentation were only with a CVT, which has seven "pseudo-gears". Therefore, the ECO Start/Stop system, offered for versions with manual transmission and 1.5 or 1.7 L engines, could not be tried. The principle of its operation holds no surprises: fuel savings and reduced emissions are achieved by stopping the engine at neutral gear. The simplest modification — the A 150 — was also not found in the parking lot of the Strogino yacht club. And it's a pity: it is after all the most affordable Mercedes.
The route prepared by the organizers was a bit short and did not allow fully assessing the driving qualities of the A and B. Plus, it rained all day. But some conclusions can still be drawn. Those who drove these cars before the facelift can skip the next paragraph — nothing has changed in behavior. They are still very similar to each other. The differences are in the details, the main one being: the B-Class, due to its longer wheelbase, rides more smoothly on the road. Both cars adequately obey the steering wheel, which has to be turned on a fairly large wheel, confidently hold the trajectory, and in the limit safely slide with the front axle. ESP protects against skidding. The CVT works perfectly, the suspension feels elastic. But on the highway, overtaking needs to be planned in advance — small-displacement engines are not helpers in this matter. But within their class, both cars perform very decently.
Nevertheless, these little ones do not give the full "Mercedes feeling" that I experienced when moving into the C-Class. But for young drivers, for whom such a car will become the first "Merc", the offered set will most likely be enough to make them want to decorate their next car with the three-pointed star. And after all, this task is far from the last place for the little "Mercedes"!
