Test drive Mercedes Benz A-class w169 2004-2007 hatchback

When childhood leaves

He in all respects is older and more serious than his predecessor. Still, after all, almost a billion euros have been spent on the development of a second-generation A-class.




He made himself respect
Even despite the fact that I knew about such impressive costs, the new Stuttgart baby still surprised me very much. I surprised, of course, very nice. On a narrow, abundant lifts and descent of the snake of the Mashkinsky highway, we did such that the same A-class in the most fantastic dreams did not dream of. Until now, I was sure that the little Mercedesic is exclusively a female machine, soft and fluffy, designed only for urban promenade. And now I do not think so at all and treat him with the same respect that I have a big Mercedes-Benets.
 

The little car is so cool and clearly passes in turns that I wanted to repeat it again and again. Neither the krenov, nor the delay in the turn of a completely informative steering wheel: I seem to be sitting in a sports sedan. Yes, that's right, because, despite the fact that the growth of the new Ashka is almost sixty meters, planting in a car due to the branded double sex is not at all miniva, stool, but reclining sports. Which, undoubtedly, sets up in a combat mood.
 

And the new 116-horsepower engine with a volume of 1.7 liters paired with a manual gearbox allow the driver a lot. True, the box is not enough for a little clarity when switching, but nothing more. If you do not turn the engine more than 3000 rpm, then it itself is flexible and meekness accelerates the car evenly and not very quickly. But you can ride in a different way, sending the tachometer arrow to a mark of 5000 r/min. In this case, accelerations become very tangible even in IV gear. True, the salon fills the bass roar of the motor, but it does not bother. By the way, in the reserve, the German also has a 136-horsepower 2-liter unit imagine how a car weighing only 1270 kg will go with such an engine!
 

But the car will still not allow you to say whatever you say, and the breed is felt in this. The ESP system, by the way, is a very competently, which is included in the basic equipment of the A-class. It is worth a little overdoing at the speed at the entrance to the turn and cause the demolition of the front wheels or, worse, the skid of the rear, smart electronics immediately enters and suppresses the ugliness of this kind.
 



And the smoothness of the course is completely free!
Not only the ability to prescribe steep turns in the asset of our hero. He holds the high -speed line no worse, even if the road has a large number of transverse and longitudinal waves. Neither give nor take this Mercedes-Benz on the road is far from a boy, but a husband.
 

Everything, of course, is an explanation. Firstly, the wheelbase of the car increased to 2570 mm, which is only 25 mm less than that of its elongated predecessor. And secondly, the rut of the current Ashki is 1555 mm in front and 1550 mm behind, almost like on M-class. Naturally, with such data, the car on the road is much more confident in the previous one.
 

But the engineers did not limit themselves to an increase in size. Although the front suspension remained almost unchanged, the back became completely different. Now it is addicted, moreover, with Watt’s mechanism, which prevents the transverse displacements of the body during the suspension course.
 

What else pleased a lot of stunning smoothness, no worse than that of Stuttgart sedans. The reason lies in amazing shock absorbers, which, depending on the condition of the road, automatically change rigidity. When the highway is even and there are few defects on the asphalt, you are driving in the car, as if you are sailing on the ship. And when the bump on the bump is on the way, then the shock absorbers do not let the car sway very much. But even in the latter case there is no feeling that you perform solo on the washing board with your fifth point. What is important, it is not necessary to pay extra for such a good and the Eurocent adaptive shock absorbers are installed on all A-class Mercedes without exception.
 

Yes, the engineers worked very seriously on the driving characteristics, but it is worth noting that the designers also did not sit back.
 



Equal! Smiryo!
No liberties and toys! Yes, yes, in the cabin of this car exactly so. Neither the previous ornate front panel, nor the instrument shield with a huge semicircle of the speedometer and a large red arrow. All those are strictly frayed. Clear chopped torpedo forms. On the board of the devices are two large circles of tachometer and speedometer, between which the display of the route computer settled, and at the edges there are two smaller indicators of the temperature of the cooling fluid and fuel level. Even somehow a little in the folkvagenovsky. The central console is also strict and laconic on top of the audio system with a CD player, and a little lower three round handles and several air control buttons. It all looks very stylish and, importantly, in use is easy and understandable.

There are absolutely no complaints about the materials of the finish very high quality and expensive. Sitting behind the wheel is also very convenient, and although the steering column is adjusted only along the angle of inclination, there are enough seats for convenient planting. And how damn it is nice to hold on to the chubby three -spoke can in a leather braid and a gear lever trimmed with the same material!


The Mercedes-Benz would not, of course, be himself, if he had not had the only steering wheel switch, which is hung so much that you won’t immediately get it, how to use it all. However, after an hour of driving, I accurately learned to turn on the wipers, and for those who already dealt with cars with a three -beam star, there will be no problems at all.
 

As it will not become a problem for anyone to accommodate in the back seat of this Mercedes, if he is not a basketball player, of course. I, with my 186 cm, was comfortable and spacious. Between the knees and the back of the front seat, and three centimeters remained above his head. Many senior cars will envy such a spacious salon. And not only the case will fit in the trunk: its volume is 435 liters, and if you fold the backs of the rear seats almost two cubic meters. There is nothing to be surprised here, because now the smallest A-class is longer than the previous model performed by Lang 63 mm and wider by 42 mm. It is clear that in such a situation, the need for the elongated body disappeared by itself.

 
   
Removing head restraints improve visibility back

The interior decoration with a light fabric Antwerp and inserts under the tree distinguishes the Eleganes equipment

Having folded the back of the rear seat, you can get an absolutely flat floor in a matter of seconds


Naturally, outwardly, Ashka has become much more solid. The fault is not only sizes. Having lost the partitions on the glass of the front door and the window behind the back side stance, this Mercedes ceased to be like Mikroven, and the new narrowed headlights and pronounced side stamping added severity and swiftness. And 3-door cars are now and they look like, in my opinion, even sports.
 

You probably thought that, having matured in all respects, a-class is much more expensive than the previous one. Not at all. The car not only did not rise in price, it became ... cheaper!
 



Believe your eyes
It happens the same. Previously, for the cheapest (unless, of course, you can say so!) Ashka was asked for 19,900 euros. Now it costs 1300 euros less, and a 3-door version is even cheaper than 17,900 euros. Despite the fact that this is not an A140 with an 82-horsepower engine, but A150 with an engine of 13 liters. With. more powerful. And the basic equipment will now be richer. All new cars have tire pressure sensors and on -board computers.
 

In fairness, we note that our Mercedes-Benz was not at all in the basic performance. The inscription of Eleganes implied 4 electric windows, light alloy wheels, fog lights, leather steering wheel and lever KP, decorative wood inserts, trunk curtains and a central armrest with boxing. Moreover, the car was additionally installed by air conditioning, an audio system with a CD player, heating the front seats and glass miners. And the motor, as I already mentioned, was 1.7-liter. All together pulled exactly 25,000 euros.
 

Someone will say that you can buy Camry for that kind of money. I do not argue, you can. But the Mercedes-Benz is bought from us first of all to emphasize their social status. Therefore, for the buyer, the emblem on the hood of cars is much more important than the price of it. And the new A-class is good not so much reduced price as that which has become much more solid and older. And it does not look any more toy against the background of other cars from Stuttgart.
    
Their own characteristics

The new A-class can be ordered with a 3- or 5-door body and any of three gasoline engines with a volume of 1.5 liters, 1.7 liters and 2.0 liters. A 59-horsepower diesel is also supposed to be 5-door. The gearbox is 5-speed mechanical or variator (CVT), and a 6-speed mechanics are provided for a machine with a diesel engine.

The basic configuration of 4 airbags, ESP, combining the anti -lock and anti -boom systems and an emergency braking amplifier, a route computer, front electric windows can be supplemented by a lot of additional equipment. But for the convenience of buyers and significant savings in their means, dealers offer the so -called special series.
 

Such cars have air conditioning, an audio system, heating the front seats and glass miners, a curtain in the luggage compartment and a pendant with an increased road clearance. Special Mercedes will cost the buyer 20,600 euros for A140, 22,900 euros for A170 and 28,400 euros for A200. The variator will require another 2200 euros. But if you liked 3-door, then save 700 euros. Moreover, if you order the above options separately, they cost at least 670 euros more.
 
PER

A wide selection of modifications, good handling and smoothness, spacious interior, high quality of the finish
AGAINST

Not very clear work of a mechanical gearbox, the high cost of additional options
 
Mercedes-Benz A170

common data
 
Body (number of places/doors)
hatchback (5/5)
 
Equipped mass, kg
1240
 
Length x width x height, mm
3840x1765x1595
 
Base, mm
2570
 
Front/back, mm track
1555/1550
 
Speed, km/h
188
 
Acceleration time 0100 km/h, with
10.9
 
Fuel consumption, l/100 km highway/city
5.5/8.6
 

Engine
 
Design
gasoline, in-line, 4-cylinder
 
Working volume, SMZ
1699
 
Power, L.S. at rpm
116/5500
 
Torque, kgsm at rpm
15.8/3500-4000
 

Chassis
 
Drive unit
On the front wheels
 
Transmission
Mechanical 5-speed
 
Suspension:
with reptile stabilizers
 
front
Independent, such as McEferson
 
behind
Dependent, spring
 
Steering
rheck -type with an electric power
 
Brakes
disk, in front ventilated
 
Tires
185/65 R15
 
Andrey Koltun, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 
 
 

 
 

Source: Magazine buy a car [06/2005]