Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £14,290 to £18,645
Economical diesels; stop-start technology; clever parking aid; easy to drive; safe; Mercedes image.
Cabin not very versatile; not really a five-seater; very expensive for what it is.
A ground-breaker in its time, but rivals can now do the job as well - and cheaper.
Once you've got past the shock of the purchase price, and take into account the hourly rate for work at Mercedes dealerships, the A-Class should be affordably to run on a day-to-day basis. All engines are economical, with low-ish tax bandings, though not class-leading.
The A150 returns 45.6mpg and 148-159 g/km of carbon dioxide (depending on wheel/tyre combination) with manual gearbox and 42.8mpg and 157-166g/km with Autotronic, and the A170 does 42.8mpg/157-163g/km (manual) or 42.8mpg/157-169g/km (Autotronic).
As for the diesels, the A160 CDI does 57.6mpg and 128-137g/km (manual) or 52.3mpg and 142-154g/km (Autotronic), and the A180 CDI 56.5mpg and 134-138g/km (manual) or 52.3mpg and 142-154g/km (Autotronic). The real money-saver will be the upcoming A160 Blue Efficiency FE (to be three-door, manual gearbox only). With its aerodynamic and weight-saving enhancements, it should slip in below the 120g/km mark and thus into tax band B and exemption from the London congestion charge.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes A-Class
wrote on 16 08 2006