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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

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Expert Rating

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

(2018 - present)

    Summary


    The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a medium-sized hatchback and saloon model. The current generation was launched in the middle of 2018 and has quickly become one of the best-selling cars in the UK.

    A saloon version joined the range in the middle of 2019, which has not been offered in previous generations. There is also a pair of hot-hatch performance model available called the Mercedes-AMG A 35 and the even-faster Mercedes-AMG A 45.

    The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has received generally good scores from most UK media sources, with most rating the entry-level models slightly higher and performance-oriented titles slightly lower. Scores for the hatchback and saloon models are very similar, which is not surprising.

    Reliability hasn’t been a strong point of the current A-Class, unfortunately. In the 2021 What Car? reliability survey, it finished dead last in the family car category, and the 19th worst new car on sale. The previous year (which was the first appearace for this model) wasn’t a lot better, when the A-Class ranked equal 19th out of 24 cars.

    A facelifted A-Class range arrived in the UK in late 2022. It consists of minor visual and trim updates, as well as improvements to the car’s infotaiment system.

    As of August 2023, the A-Class has an Expert Rating of 70% based on 50 different reviews. That currently puts it level with the Audi A3 and five points behind the BMW 1 Series, athough the scores do tend to fluctuate by a point or so as new reviews are added.

    A-Class highlights

    • Superb interior trim
    • Intuitive infotainment system
    • Great build quality and refinement
    • Plenty of space in the front
    • Wide range of variants to choose from

    A-Class lowlights

    • Rather rigid ride quality
    • Rivals have more powerful engines
    • Cramped in the rear
    • Alternatives have more boot space
    • Dead last in reliability rankings

    Key specifications


    Body style: Five-door hatch and four-door saloon
    Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
    Price: From £31,905 on-road

    Launched: Summer 2018
    Last updated: Autumn 2020
    Next update due: Winter 2022/23


    Media reviews


    Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

    The Car Expert

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    Auto Express

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    Autocar

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    Business Car

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    Car

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    Car Keys

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    Carbuyer

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    Carwow

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    Company Car Today

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    Daily Mail

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    Evo

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    Fleetworld

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    Heycar

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    Honest John

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    Parkers

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    The Sun

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    The Sunday Times

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    The Telegraph

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    Top Gear

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    What Car?

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    Which?

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    Safety rating


    Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

    Overall score: 5 stars
    Date tested: October 2018
    Read the full Euro NCAP review

    Adult protection: 96%
    Child protection: 91%
    Vulnerable road users: 92%
    Safety assist: 75%

    More safety recognition

    • Euro NCAP rated the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class as Best Small Family Car in 2018
    • The Mercedes-Benz A-Class won the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2019 Safety Award
    • Thatcham Research rated the Mercedes-Benz A-Class as one of the ten safest new cars for 2019

    Eco rating


    Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

    Model tested: A 200 AMG Line petrol

    Overall score: 3 stars
    Date tested: February 2019
    Read the full Green NCAP review

    Clean Air Index: 9.4 / 10
    Energy Efficiency Index: 5.2 / 10

    Model tested: 1.5-litre diesel automatic A 180d

    Overall score: 2.5 stars
    Date tested: February 2021
    Read the full Green NCAP review

    Clean Air Index: 4.4 / 10
    Energy Efficiency Index: 6.2 / 10
    Greenhouse Gas Index: 3 / 10

    Green NCAP has tested two versions of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class to date – one petrol and one diesel. The petrol scored a creditable three stars, which is one of the best results seen for a fossil-fuel car, while the diesel was not far behind on two-and-a-half stars.

    These scores only apply to the specific engines and gearboxes shown above. You can’t draw any conclusions about other models in the range.

    Reliability rating

    MotorEasy logo 600x167

    Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

    All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

    As of November 2022, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is bang-on average in its reliability score, according to warranty data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our partner MotorEasy. This score and data cover both the current A-Class and previous (pre-2018) models.

    The average repair cost of more than £800 is quite high for a mid-sized car and also considerably more than the cost of a used car warranty, which is worth bearing in mind.

    The most commonly reported faults to date have been with the car’s electrical system, which is a relatively cheap fix at less than £300. However, there have been a reasonable number of claims for engine and gearbox faults, which both have an average repair bill of more than £2,000.

    Running cost rating

    Clear Vehicle Data logo close crop

    Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

    Fuel consumptionAverageScoreVariationScore
    Petrol models45 mpgC39 – 49 mpgC – D
    Diesel models56 mpgB44 – 63 mpgA – C
    Plug-in hybrid models316 mpgA217 – 353 mpgA – A
    CO₂ outputAverageScoreVariationScore
    Petrol models136 g/kmB132 – 165 g/kmA – C
    Diesel models132 g/kmA117 – 146 g/kmA – B
    Plug-in hybrid models20 g/kmA20 – 29 g/kmA – A
    Battery rangeAverageScoreVariationScore
    Plug-in hybrid models50 milesD40 – 51 milesC – D
    Insurance groupAverageScoreVariationScore
    All models21A13 – 33A – C
    Service and maintenanceCostScore
    Year 1£231B
    Year 2£580B
    Year 3£1,060C
    Year 4£1,238B
    Year 5£1,663B
    Overall£4,772B

    Running costs for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class are reasonable for the price of the vehicle, but more expensive than similarly-sized cars from other brands. This is based on data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our commercial partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

    Fuel consumption for petrol models is average, although diesels are better. The plug-in hybrid looks good on paper, but this is deceptive – every plug-in hybrid looks great in theory, but this is because of rubbish EU/UK government lab testing. You certainly won’t get 316 miles of driving from one gallon (4.5 litres) of fuel and a bit of electricity…

    The battery range of the plug-in hybrid is surprisingly good, at 50 miles according to the official tests. That’s better than most plug-in hybrids, but you’ll still need to charge it almost daily to get best use out of the electric motor and battery. By comparison, an equivalent mid-size full EV would get more than 200 miles out of its battery so most households would only need to charge it once a week.

    Scheduled servicing costs are quite good for the first five years, so you shouldn’t have to fork out too much for your annual service.

    Awards


    Trophies, prizes and awards that the Mercedes-Benz A-Class has received

    2021

    • Carbuyer Awards – Best Plug-in Hybrid (A 250e)

    2020

    • Carbuyer Awards – Best Small Company Car (A 250e)
    • Auto Trader Awards – Best Car for New Drivers
    • What Car? Electric Car Awards – Best Plug-In Hybrid Family Car (A 250e)
    • Business Car Awards – Best Plug-In Hybrid (A 250e)

    2019

    • What Car? Awards – Safety Award + Best Family Car over £28,000 (A 250)
    • Carbuyer Awards – Best Small Luxury Car
    • Company Car Today Awards – Car of the Year + Premium Lower Medium Car of the Year
    • Carwow Awards – Game-changer

    2018

    • Euro NCAP Best Cars of 2018 – Best Small Family Car
    • BusinessCar Awards – Best Premium Compact Car

    Similar cars


    If you’re looking at the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, you might also be interested in these alternatives

    Alfa Romeo Giulietta | Audi A3 | BMW 1 SeriesCitroën C4 | Fiat Tipo | Ford Focus | Honda Civic | Hyundai i30 | Kia Ceed | Mazda 3 | Mini Countryman | Peugeot 308 | Renault MeganeSEAT Leon | Skoda Scala | Skoda Octavia | Toyota Corolla | Vauxhall Astra | Volkswagen Golf


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    Buy a Mercedes-Benz A-Class


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    Lease a Mercedes-Benz A-Class


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    Subscribe to a Mercedes-Benz A-Class


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    The top cars in every category

    The Car Expert has the ultimate ranking of the best and worst new cars on sale, based on scores from 30 of the top UK motoring websites. We'll be adding more cars and more lists all the time, so keep checking back for the latest results.

    The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has received good reviews and awards from the UK media, with praise for its comfort, refinement and safety kit.Mercedes-Benz A-Class