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

Contender

Mercedes-Benz A-Class has grown to the European segment C, turning into a big problem for its prestigious representatives, at least in the Russian market.

The first Mercedes-Benz A-Class was a truly revolutionary car. It is difficult to give another serial example of such a rational use of the body in length: even the designers pushed even the power unit under the feet of the driver and the front passenger. But on the market, the smallest Mercedes did not even become a serious player in Europe. In the small class, in demand for prestigious stamps is small, and for the first average, the salon is still small. The long -term version did not greatly change the situation: the legs for the legs were added pretty, but it was no more spacious in width. Yes, and the design of the cabin is original, stylish, toy-spring, but hard-plastic as prestigious was not perceived.

The new A-Class retained all the advantages of the layout of the predecessor, but became noticeably larger both in width and length. Moreover, an increase falls on the salon and trunk. Now no one will doubt that Baby Benz finally moved to the golf class, of course, to the most prestigious part of it. We are talking about the segment where Audi A3 had previously been upset, which has recently been added to Golf V and BMW 1-Series.

It can be assumed that the BMW in this company will stand a little due to a special driver image. The rest will have to think about the prices that the Russian importer installed for A-Class: they are almost the same as in our homeland. The cheapest three -door A 150 Classic costs 17,800 euros, a five -door 18 600. At the same time, the standard equipment includes a stabilization system, as well as the front and side airbags. It is clear that the ceiling of the price is determined by the price list, the imagination of the buyer and the size of the wallet. However, it is more profitable to purchase a special series in a fixed but very decent configuration. This option is noticeably cheaper than with a separate order of additional equipment. Judge for yourself. There is already air conditioning, and heating the front seats, and a decent audio system, and the protection of the crankcase, and an increased road clearance.

It was such a five-door Mercedes-Benz a 150 that we took to dating. He would cost the buyer 20,400 euros, and taking into account the color of metallic in 20,900.

The kid matured

The meaning of words recognition, a characteristic appearance and continuity in the style, which are declared by designers Mercedes-Benz, can be understood by a simple example. Imagine that some person sees a new A-Class on the street and immediately understands what a car in front of him, while not realizing that he had met the car for the first time. But it is worth putting it next to the previous one ... it was not difficult for us to find the old version on the streets of Moscow and parked next door. The differences are obvious: A-Class has become larger and significantly changed the design.

There are even more changes inside. There is no question of continuity in the interior. No frivolity. From now on, the salon gained strict features and solidity in the decoration. Not only the panel, but even the cover of the glove box and armrests of the front doors are covered with soft plastic, which fingers under the fingers. The door panels are covered with a fabric with a noble texture. Slightly rough buttons and keys from the warm material pleasant to the touch are pressed with a well -calized effort and a barely perceptible click, and the regulators gently resist the rotation. The sound of the opening and closing of the doors is muffled and solid. In general, everything is expensive and prestigious so much that the buyer immediately understands why he paid blood euros.

New dimensions from the inside are felt right away. This is especially true for those who are sitting behind: there are not crowns in the width of three, and the legs for the legs are enough even when a two -meter basketball player is located in front. Yes, the range of longitudinal adjustment of the seat is enough for him, or maybe he will also remain. The seats in the new car turned out to be quite convenient with the decent Mercedes-Benz for the brand with lateral support. Nevertheless, there are clearly not enough two adjustments: the decay of the steering wheel and the lumbar support.

Another advantage of the novelty is the convenience for long-legged people who will especially thank the creators of A-Class during planting and landing. In tall driver and passengers, the seat is always pushed back far back. Sitting in the car, they carry their heads closer to the middle rack in the highest place of the doorway. Those who move the seat closer to the steering wheel, first touch their heads for a sloping arc near the windshield.

A-Class can be considered a compact mini-van. However, you can sit behind the wheel here, as in Porsche or Ferrari, that is, lowering the seat to the stop down and setting the steering wheel vertically in front of you. Of course, the hood will not be visible, but it is not visible and when raised the seat is too short. It is not confident in your eyelet to order parking sensors, and the rest we advise you not to hope that A-Class overhangs are almost absent.

On the contrary, we will praise the review for a successful solution to the problem of the front racks, so familiar to modern machines. However, there is a reason for the comments here: wipers do not reach four centimeters, so in dirty weather at the intersection will have to be twisted. And a little lack of fields of external mirrors. This is not so much due to their size as due to the spectacular inclination of the lower border. By the way, note: the small side windows traditional for mini-wenes did not make ahead here, and the review only improved from this.

One and a half liters and one and a half meters

Once in a class with normal, a 1.3-liter engine was considered normal, now we are not enough and a 1.6-liter sometimes is not enough. Alas, a modern car, even small, is not easy. There are a lot of all kinds of equipment in it, and passive mass safety adds. The baby A-Class weighs more than 1,100 kilograms even without passengers and baggage, and the 1.5-liter engine has to work hard to ensure decent dynamics.

I must admit, he succeeds. Not to say that it was breathtaking, but the necessary minimum for the city is provided. The engine is confidently pulling at low speeds, and in urban jams it often manages to crawl in the first gear without resorting to the adhesion pedal. And press the accelerator, and A-Class, slowly, but confidently and evenly, will begin to accelerate with the same small ones. And if you want to frolic, then a number of gear rates are successfully selected. Feel free to twist for five thousand revolutions and switch at a fast pace. A fairly accurate and clear mechanism for choosing the programs to you in that assistant, and the void of the adhesion pedal will not be an obstacle: its course is small, and there are practically no errors, except at first drown out the motor a couple of times when touched.

With the brakes, it is worth training in advance, because A-Class will fit another sports car. Slowing is very powerful, and even at low speed, the car can stop as if dug. At the same time, the pedal force is completely small. This is not to say that the drive is uninformative. You feel it, but only it is better to wear shoes on thin soles. Yes, and getting used to sensations will not hurt. And then, it’s not even an hour, in the city stream the rear overhang your A-Class is generally eliminated.

The younger Mercedes-Benz is more than one and a half meters. Seeing how he confidently, with small rolls, divers in turning, you understand that the engineers had to work with his pendants. This time they did not frivolously rely on primitive solutions, and the result is evident. The small Mercedes has become a gambling car. Small dimensions and small overhangs for its class simplify maneuvering in urban tightness, and steering and suspension allow you to go actively, with pleasure.

A-Class reacts to the rotation of the steering wheel quickly, as if without nerves, responding with common effort. He prescribes an arc of turning without errors, only on an uneven steep turn can slightly move off the course. True, sometimes there is not enough feedback, and in long turns, it happens that you have to slightly adjust the trajectory. But this is rather nit -picking than claims. And on straight and in gentle arcs, A-Class demonstrates excellent stability, practically without responding to possible disturbances. The cruise from it will also turn out well.

Recall that since the time of the previous A-Class, the stabilization system has been included in standard equipment. She behaves quite correctly, sometimes allowing the gas to slide in the bend in a bend under discharge of gas. But attempts to destabilize the car with jerks right and right are suppressed immediately and very tough.

True Mercedes

The most pleasant thing is that, with success in the controllability, A-Class has achieved no less success in the smoothness of the move. There was no trace of the stiffness of modernized after the known events of the ancestor. Today it is a collected but comfortable car, for which special thanks to the suspension and shock absorbers of a special design. And, of course, at a proprietary height, soundproofing. The motor is barely heard in the cabin. The main sound background on the road will be a rustle of air flows or tire noise. It's like lucky with a road surface.

In our country, the Mercedes-Benz brand enjoys special authority, and some of the buyers will choose A-Class, focusing exclusively on the guiding three-beam star. It seems that he will not disappoint them. But there will also be those who bypass competitors and will make a decision, covered by avenues and price lists. A-Class here has their trump cards. A special series of 1.5-liter A 150 if there is air conditioning, airbags and stabilization systems are in a 3-door version of 19,700 euros, in a 5-door 20 400. 1.7-liter A 170 will cost 20 900 and 22 900, respectively, The euro, moreover, the 5-door car will be equipped with alloy wheels. Automatic transmission adds to the price of 2000, and the color of metallic is 500 euros. Competitors definitely have something to think about!

Equipped mass, kg 1150
Full mass, kg 1690
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm 3838/1764/1593
Base, mm 2568
Maximum speed, km/h 175
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, from 12.6
Average fuel consumption (according to NEDC), l/100 km 6.2
Engine:
- Type of benz., row., 4-cylinder.
- working volume, cm3 1498
- Power, L.S. at MIN-1 95/5200
-torque, NM at min-1 140/3500-4000
- power supply system distributed injection
Transmission Mech., 5th.
Tire size 185/65r15
Wheel suspension: from stub. cross. mouth.
- Front nonsense., springs., Mcpherson
- The rear horses., springs., with a breath, fur. Watta
Brakes:
- front disk, ventilated
- rear disc
Price, euro 20 900

Text: Sergey Kosenchuk
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [12/2004]