Mercedes-Benz A-Class (05 on) - Review

Review by David Ross on
The A-Class is the smallest - and most affordable - model in the Mercedes line-up. As a small family car, it's an alternative to models like the Audi A3 or BMW 1-Series, but it's unusual upright styling makes it look more like a people carrier. It stands out, however that odd shape means it's not the most practical of cars - and rear space is limited, especially on three-door models. The five-door version is a better choice if you have kids. Build quality is good, as you'd expect from Mercedes - but the handling and comfort levels are a let down. Ultimately, while it's a huge improvement over the old A-Class, there are better and more affordable hatchbacks around. In mid 2008 it was facelifted with new headlights and bumpers plus an upgraded interior and more efficient engines.
3 out of 5

Other Mercedes-Benz reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

Even though it's the entry-level Mercedes, the A-Class is still quite expensive to begin with and adding necessary options pushes prices up further. Mercedes servicing costs are high, but residual values should hold fairly well and fuel economy is good - especially on the diesel models.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,279 - £1,805 *

Diesel

£1,002 - £1,308 *

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

According to on board computer.

Warranty

Three years/unlimited miles.

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

4 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
    116
  • 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

The A-Class performs very well on the eco front - and the introduction of BlueEFFICIENCY has improved things further. It's not as green as a BMW, but the majority of engines provide decent economy. The best model is the A160 BlueEFFICIENCY which emits 116g/km of CO2 (meaning it's cheap to tax) and averages 64mpg. With an average of 152 g/km CO2 across the 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 impressively frugal, averaging 46 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2