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Mercedes-Benz A-class (2012-2018) review – interior and tech

A conventional hatch now, the A-class fights hard in the premium hatchback class

Evo rating
Price
from £19,990
  • Neat interior, head-turning looks and comparatively cheap to own and run
  • Dynamically it doesn’t live up to its visual promise, space and comfort are issues

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.

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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.

 

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