Mercedes-Benz A-class (2012-2018) review – interior and tech
A conventional hatch now, the A-class fights hard in the premium hatchback class
The A-Class interior is amongst the best in the business. Even in range-entry spec, touch points are good and everything feels nice and solid. Increased options for customisation from 2015 see range-topping variants boasting added leather and better materials.
Also now available is an optional 20.3cm nav screen, which ensures that the tech onboard the A-Class easily stays alongside a well specified BMW 1-series. Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink have also now been added.
The textures, from the soft touch plastics on the door handles to the smooth tactile finishes on the control surfaces and column stalks, the A-class feels reassuringly premium, even if the odd iffy plastic creeps in out of sight.
It’s pretty tight in the cabin for space, though; it's fine for those up front, the driving position good with plenty of adjustment, but in the rear head- and legroom aren’t at the more generous end of the spectrum. An A3 Sportback is more accommodating and less claustrophobic, while access (even though the A-class is exclusively five-door) isn’t particularly easy to the back, either.
Unusually for Mercedes-Benz the boot is the smallest in its class, it giving away a handful of litres to its key rivals.
