2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class – It’s Practicality Over Style This Time

Mercedes had a pretty rocky start when it decided to enter compact territory for the first time. First A-Class featured “Sandwich” technology which with prioritizing safety made the whole car thin and elevated or awkward both to look and sit in. As irony to that safety move, the car rolled over during famous moose test, making a big news of itself. Mercedes managed to sort out that issue, but peculiar styling relatively remained with the second generation. Real stuff started to happen with current (third) generation. Finally handsome and more usually shaped hatch arrived, glowing with funkiness, while four door coupe or CLA along with Shooting Brake body is simply stunning little thing. Hatch debuted in 2012, rakish sedan year later, and as time approaches for successors, let’s see what do we know about 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

CALMER APPROACH

Judging by Concept A sedan and spy shots of the test mules, Stuttgart aims to mute some of the current grooviness. Let’s just hope that enough dosage of elegance will supplement that. Based on the photos, new A-Class will be less fussy with its design language and less excitingly shaped, while new thinner and sleeker lights (front and rear) should lead the way in elevated tastefulness. We also know that besides CLA, the usual sedan is also planned and from photos it seems rather subdued compared to a very expressive current sibling with the slopped roof. Merc needs it to properly rival Audi’s A3 and Acura’s ILX, just in case you were wondering what’s the point. Photos of the interior also circle through the Internet, yet they are not telling much about the alluring aspect of the whole deal, but they do reveal total visual revamp. Dash shape, steering wheel, instrument panel and its plastic surrounding are all new, along with infotainment screen now integrated into the center console.

IT IS NOT WITHOUT A REASON

If you are worried about calmer this and calmer that, do know that it partially comes with a reason. One of the main problems with current hatch and coupe-sedan is space. Small boots, cramped rear benches with the compromised head area in case of CLA, collided with stylistic expressions. German maker obviously decided to change a course a bit and gave certain space to practicality. Whether it is approvable or not, it is up to you. Upcoming more conventional shaped hatch promises actual space for adults at the rear, while one look at the usual roof line of the new sedan explains everything. Still, CLA should carry over with coupe-ish flavor, in case new sedan is just too boring for you.

MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS SPECS

New A-Class will use the new version of MFA platform dubbed MFA2, intended for brand’s FWD models, while it also supports AWD. Updated architecture elongates wheelbase and brings weight figures down. In Europe, the new model will continue to use the whole array of four-cylinder diesel and petrol units, probably with upgraded figures in power and efficiency department. The possible addition of hybrid or smaller powertrains also sounds reasonable. As for the US, it is possible that offer remains on one current unit or 2.0-liter turbocharged L4 currently delivering 208 hp paired with 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. AMG 45 model is supposedly going to break 400 hp boundary with same turbocharged 2.0-liter, and it basically doesn’t have a choice as Audi’s RS3 did just that. Also expect the introduction of lesser AMG model also, possibly dubbed AMG 40, intended to tackle S and M-Performance models.

2019 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS RELEASE DATE AND PRICE

2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class should debut during next year, possibly at Geneva Motor Show. Hatch will hardly dare to swim across the ocean, CLA will remain in the US offer, while new sedan should join it. Also, the new sedan should bare lesser price than CLA, meaning staying below $33k, although probably not much, while four-door coupe might remain at current position or travel slightly north of it.

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