Mercedes-Benz A-Class (98-04) - Review

Review by Parkers on
A-Class scores on several counts. It's an intelligent compromise between city car and people-carrier, it's undoubtedly practical, reliable and stylish and it's got the Stuttgart star on the grille. Pumped-up small hatches might not be to everyone's taste, but they're certainly the flavour of the moment. Daewoo's Matiz does a similar sort of job at half the price, but A-Class is the small family car of choice from Chelsea to Cornwall, combining prestige with practicality and reliability. The stretch models from mid-2001 are roomier but still usefully compact.
3 out of 5

Other Mercedes-Benz reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

Good on petrol, reasonable to insure and re-sale values are strong despite the fleets of former hire cars on the market. Servicing can be pricey.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,574 - £1,805 *

Diesel

£1,034 - £1,335 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

As indicated by the on-board computer.

Warranty

Mechanical three years (one year to '99) + 30 year Care Plan.

Road tax (12 months)

£30.00 - £250.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

3 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
    119
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
    197
  • K
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

A-Class performs well on the eco front. With an average of 161 g/km CO2 across the model line-up, its emissions are relatively low for a small family hatchback. However, it's worth noting that the line up has a high number of diesel models, bringing the average down and giving buyers more choices of low-emission versions. Diesels typically produce less CO2 than petrol engines with similar power outputs. The range is also fairly economical, averaging 44 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2