Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £14,290 to £18,645
Low emissions, cheap to run, comfortable, high driving position, quiet cruiser on motorways.
Noisy on start-up, drab interior, slow, no five-door option, pricey.
A serious option if 'green' driving is a priority.
The A-Class is expensive to buy in the first place, but its residual (resale) values have improved. It made a great rental car but that contributed to a glut on the used market for a while and it took the car's image downmarket. However, it now has a strong and loyal following, with a high proportion of its owners opting for the same again.
The Blue Efficiency diesel should hold its value well and much better than the petrol equivalents. Expect to get around 48% of the original purchase price after three years/36,000 miles.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes A-Class
wrote on 16 08 2006