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Mercedes-Benz A-Class Hatchback boot space, practicality and safety

2013 - 2018 (change model)
Practicality rating: 3 out of 53.0

Written by Richard Kilpatrick Published: 22 February 2024

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2013)
  • Interior and boot space aren’t strong points
  • Reasonable number of storage cubbies
  • Five-door bodywork; no three-door this time

Buyers on the look-out for a premium hatchback were a picky bunch, and along with the cachet of the Mercedes badge, a comfortable ride, solid performance and fuel consumption they wanted a quality interior with bags of space.

The A-Class did offer a decent amount of space for the driver and front passenger but it didn’t have much legroom in the back and the boot is surprisingly small – practicality wasn’t a strong point of this Mercedes.

The luggage compartment is a bit short and not particularly deep although the bootlip is helpfully shallow. There’s some extra space available underneath the boot floor but the chunky rear lamp clusters eat into the width, restricting the size of the rear aperture.

With the rear seats in place there’s 341 litres of space, expanding to 1,157 litres with both sections of the standard 60:40 split bench folded over.

The awkwardly-shaped rear doors seem somewhat restrictive because of the sloping roof and the intrusive wheelarches. There’s storage space in the central tunnel behind the gearlever – automatic models have an extra space where the manual’s lever is located – a couple of cupholders in front and averagely-sized door cubbies as well as a glovebox that’s not exactly capacious, either.

Forward visibility is fine, but the small rear window and chunky pillars can cause a few problems when you are trying to reverse park.

Safety

  • Score five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests
  • One of the safest hatchbacks available
  • Optional kit to bolster safety

There’s little argument that the Mercedes-Benz A-Class was one of the safest cars in this segment when new, as acknowledged by its five-star score by the crash-test experts at Euro NCAP back in 2013.

As standard it came with seven airbags, driving fatigue warning and radar-controlled collision prevention that brakes the car automatically if the system thinks a crash is imminent – no surprise given Mercedes’ decades-old commitment to improving standards and preserving life.

Euro NCAP rating

Overall NCAP safety rating 5 out of 5
Year tested: 2012
What is Euro NCAP?
Adult Occupant: 93%
Child Occupant: 81%
Vulnerable Road User: 67%
Safety Assist: 86%

Equipment and options

Each trim level will have different equipment offerings.
Basic equipment (19)
  • 3x3 point rear seat belts
  • ABS
  • Alarm
  • Body coloured bumpers
  • CD
  • Driver`s airbag
  • Electric mirrors
  • Heated mirrors
  • Height adjustable drivers seat
  • Isofix child seat anchor points
  • PAS
  • Passenger`s airbag
  • Rear electric windows
  • Remote locking
  • Service indicator
  • Side airbags
  • Steering wheel rake adjustment
  • Steering wheel reach adjustment
  • Traction control
Standard Equipment
Optional Equipment
Standard Trim Standard Equipment (5)
  • Air conditioning
  • Cloth seat trim
  • Front electric windows
  • Lumbar support
  • Steel wheels
Standard Trim Optional Equipment (1)
  • Sat Nav
250 AMG WhiteArt Standard Equipment (9)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
250 AMG WhiteArt Optional Equipment (2)
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
AMG Standard Equipment (9)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
AMG Optional Equipment (2)
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
AMG Line Standard Equipment (6)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Lumbar support
  • Partial leather seat trim
AMG Line Optional Equipment (5)
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
  • Heated seats
  • Parking sensors
  • Sat Nav
AMG Night Edition Standard Equipment (8)
  • Air conditioning
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Headlight washers
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
AMG Night Edition Optional Equipment (1)
  • Lumbar support
AMG Sport Standard Equipment (6)
  • Air conditioning
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Partial leather seat trim
AMG Sport Optional Equipment (2)
  • Lumbar support
  • Sat Nav
AMG Yellow Night Edition Standard Equipment (12)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
  • Front electric windows
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Metallic Paint
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
AMG Yellow Night Edition Optional Equipment (2)
  • Climate control
  • Headlight washers
Engineered by AMG Standard Equipment (6)
  • Air conditioning
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Partial leather seat trim
Engineered by AMG Optional Equipment (3)
  • Headlight washers
  • Lumbar support
  • Sat Nav
Motorsport Standard Equipment (9)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
Motorsport Optional Equipment (2)
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
SE Standard Equipment (3)
  • Air conditioning
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
SE Optional Equipment (7)
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
Sport Standard Equipment (4)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
Sport Optional Equipment (8)
  • Air conditioning
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
Sport Edition Standard Equipment (5)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Sat Nav
Sport Edition Optional Equipment (7)
  • Air conditioning
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
WhiteArt Standard Equipment (9)
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Cruise control
  • Front electric windows
  • Heated seats
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • Sat Nav
WhiteArt Optional Equipment (2)
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric passenger`s seat

Dimensions

Length 4292mm - 4367mm
Width 2022mm
Height 1417mm - 1438mm
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