Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £14,290 to £18,645
Much better perceived quality in cabin, it's very good to drive, even more spacious inside
Get the wrong tyre/engine combo and the ride quality goes off, still only five seats available
From the standpoint of dynamics and perceived quality the new A-Class is a huge improvement. Adding a three-door model was a masterstroke.
Seven years after its original launch, Mercedes-Benz has introduced an all new A-Class. The new car is longer, wider and more spacious than the model it replaces. And as the old one managed a staggering 1.1 million sales, the importance of this new A-Class to Mercedes overall business is huge. Given the history of the original A-Class, this one needs to be right. And right from day one.
When the original was launched in 1997, it went straight onto the front page of national papers across Europe. Unfortunately, that was because it had a tendency to fall over whilst in the hands of Scandinavian journalists attempting the famous 'elk test' avoidance manoeuvre. Mercedes went into damage control mode and within weeks, had engineered an electronic stability control to fix the problem. Still, the damage had been done, with some journalists criticising the ride and handling of the subsequent car. Worse was to come, as question marks began to appear over the A-Class's quality, from a standpoint of cabin materials as well as build.
Enough time has passed that Mercedes now feels free to make elk jokes at its own expense. But tellingly, the first thing journalists were told about the new car was how good the latest generation of ESP (electronic stability control) is. Read on to see whether issues over quality, ride and handling have also been buried.
One of the most significant developments is the introduction of a three-door model, which will hugely increase the appeal of the A-Class. Now, those considering a three-door Golf or A3 hatch will have another candidate for the shortlist.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes A-Class
wrote on 16 08 2006