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.
Here's where the A-Class falls down: more modern rivals are now offering as much interior space, with more cabin versatility. The rear bench seat will really only accommodate two adults - the central perch is tiny - though at least those two have plenty of head- and legroom.
The three-door's rear seats can be folded flat, but this involves removal of the squabs (they can be stored in under-floor compartments), which is fiddly, and while the five-door's rear bench can be removed completely, it is heavy, and it can only be folded forwards onto its base thus limiting the load-bay options.
Given the clever sliding/tumbling/flat-folding seats of cars like the Vauxhall Meriva, Nissan Note and Renault Modus/Grand Modus - all of which are considerably cheaper to buy - the A-Class now seems rather limited in its layout.
There's no five-door option either, which is a poor omission.
The cabin's a pleasant place to be, however. Noise levels are generally low, though the 2.0-litre diesel is rumbly on start-up. The ride is generally good but the low-rolling resistance tyres can make life jittery on less-than-smooth surfaces. The front seats are well-shaped, and should prove supportive for long journeys or tedious city commuting.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning, a CD player, Bluetooth interface, front electric windows and all the necessaries; Classic SE models sit on 15" steel wheels.
Avantgarde SE models have brushed aluminium trim and different detailing. The Active Park Assist option is £550, and further options include the Comand APS control system with sat nav and voice controls. Comand is fiddly and not always intuitive, however, and the sat nav's not the smartest system.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes A-Class
wrote on 16 08 2006