Test drive Mercedes Benz A-class W176 since 2012 Hatchback
And and in sat on the pipe
And in the Trub, they sat for quite some time: and since 2004, and since 2005. So that A does not fall, and B does not disappear, the Germans conducted a logical revision of the first letters of their alphabet The first swallow of the subsequent expansion of the Mercedes model range was the generation A-class, which appeared back in 1997. It was unknown to customers that later there would be more uncharacteristic classes in and R for a German company. Therefore, A-class was under the close attention of both professional journalists and inhabitants. What was not accused of Baby-Benz then: in a strange appearance, and in ambiguous controllability, and in the inconsistency of a single style and corporate spirit of the company. Nevertheless, a Mercedesic was sold and, contrary to the opinion of the automobile community, quite briskly. There were enough people who wanted to enter the Mercedes club for moderate money, even if A-class had nothing to do with adult models, except for a three-beam star on the radiator grille.
Seven years later, in 2004, Mercedes apparently finally realized that the idea with an increase in the number of models was correct. A-class received a new body, and a year later a B-class appeared, built on its stretched platform. This year, both models underwent restyling. We went to the roads of the Moscow Region at the invitation of the Russian representative office of the company at the invitation of the Russian representative office of the company.
I will say right away: the Mercedesians decided not to open the Americas and not to invent all changes all the changes are exclusively cosmetic in nature and they did not affect the fillings of cars. The kids from Mercedes received new front headlights, bumpers and radiator grilles. On the side, the modifications of the 2008 model year can be distinguished by other rear -view mirrors and wheeled discs of another design. The lanterns (now equipped with the function of bending during sharp braking) and the exhaust system are equipped with the back of the exhaust system have changed.
In the cabin - new decoration materials and an expanded list of serial equipment. Now it includes a light sensor, an automatic emergency lighting system, a curtain in the trunk and backlight on the rear door. Yes, and the options were thrown by both cars can be equipped with active parking sensors, a COMAND APS system with satellite navigation on hard disk and voice control, as well as a multimedia connector for connecting external audio devices.
Versions A 150, 170 and 200, as well as 17 and 200, will be delivered to Russia. Theoretically, they are possible with five -speed mechanics, but all the machines presented at the presentations were equipped exclusively by variators with the possibility of choosing one of the seven pseudo -awards, which did not give it We can try the opportunity to try the ECO Start/Stop system in action, offered for cars with mechanical boxes and engines of 1.5 or 1.7 liters. The principle of operation Eco Start/Stop is not revelations
presenting. Fuel savings and reduction of emissions are achieved by stopping the motor when transferring the checkpoint to neutral. In the parking lot of the Strogino club, I did not find the simplest modification - but 150. It is a pity, because this is, after all, the most affordable Mercedes The route laid by the organizers was quite short, and did not allow fully evaluating the running qualities of A and in classes. In addition, it was constantly raining. But still, he allowed him to draw some conclusions. Those who drove on these cars before the update can skip the following paragraph in the behavior of the machines nothing has changed. They are still very similar. Differences are only in the nuances, the main of which is the best smoothness in class due to a larger base. Both cars in the management are quite adequate, sensitively respond to actions by a large steering wheel and stand good on a given path, in the limit safely gliding the front axle. The ESP protects from the drift. The variator works fine, and the suspension is quite elastic. But on the overtaking highway, you have to gnaw at the same way of small -sized motors not the best assistants in this exercise. But in general, in the framework of classes, which A and B represent, cars do everything very worthy.
But all the same, these kids do not give a complete sense of the Mercedes that I experienced, crossing behind the wheel only from the class. But the young dreders, for whom these kids will be the first in the life of the Merces, the proposed Naboa will probably be enough for their next car to be decorated with a three -beam star. But small Mercedes haunt this task far from the last one!
Dmitry Krotov
Source: Motor magazine [September 2008]
