Compact Benz lives up to its name
The current – and probably last – Mercedes-Benz A-class has been with us since 2018. It was a revolutionary car when it was introduced, because for the first time a new multimedia system debuted not in the top model S-class, but in the ‘baby Benz’. Does the MBUX system work well in practice and is it enough to keep drivers happy? You can read their experiences in this article.
After the current A-class, Mercedes-Benz will most likely pull the plug on the model. Mercedes prefers to opt for higher segments with corresponding margins. Based on the experiences of owners, this is not a good choice, they are generally very satisfied with their A.
MBUX infotainment with ‘hello Mercedes’
To start with the revolution, the MBUX infotainment system represented a revolution for Mercedes-Benz. The system brought a host of new features, including augmented reality navigation directions. Almost all owners are enthusiastic about the navigation, especially the speaking of destinations is often used. “You don’t even have to say a street name, just enter the name of your destination and it will be in the system,” enthusiastically reports an A180 d driver. That does not apply if you want to go to a large electronics retailer in Den Bosch, the owner of another 180 d experiences, “that question led me to shops in the middle of the country.”
Not only the navigation screen can be controlled by voice, it applies to almost the entire car. That also seems to work fine. “It’s not perfect yet, but it’s already very good. Close the roller screen, operate the heating, change the color of the interior lighting, turn on the seat heating, change the radio station, control the reading lights and navigation, it can all be done by voice.”
Interfering lane keeping assistant
In the field of driving assistance, the A-class also scores highly, the number of safety systems is not inferior to that of its bigger brothers. Adaptive cruise control and more semi-autonomous systems can be ticked on this compact model. This fails to hold the attention of owners, they mainly mention the aggressive intervention of the lane assistant.
“The car intervenes, steers back and brakes,” writes the owner of an A200. “This is really frustrating.” He even asked the dealer to disable the system permanently, which turns out to be impossible.
The system provides positive assistance from an unexpected source. “On my way to work, I received a phone call from Mercedes,” says the driver of this Belgian A200, “with the message ‘Your coolant level is a bit too low’.” He continues: “I had not yet received a report. They were told that they received the report a little earlier, so I drove by the garage and topped it up. It gives a good feeling that my car is also under remote control.”
Few malfunctions
Owners of the A-class report no structural problems, failures that are experienced appear to be incidents. The MBUX screens were replaced on one car, while another had to be updated with software to eliminate malfunctions in the assistance systems. In the same A-class, a sensor of the climate control also turned out to be defective, so that the ventilation only delivered warm air. The owner of an A200 sedan had real bad luck: “Recently experienced a malfunction while driving, which meant that the car no longer had any power. This ‘lack’ was quickly resolved by stopping my car and restarting it.”
Slow automatic transmission, oil consumption A180 d
Most comments are about the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is of the less alert type. “If you have to get out of the blocks quickly at a mini-roundabout, things react slowly,” according to the driver of an A200 Launch Edition. Another commented that switching from D to R is a bit slow.
It is striking that two owners of an A180 d, so the diesel, notice oil consumption. “At about 17,000 km, one liter is added and the level is almost back to minimum again”. Another owner makes it even worse. “I had to add oil after 8,000 km, but that may be more due to my driving style than the car.”
Seating comfort and space
Mercedes-Benz has done a good job when it comes to seats, as long as it’s the front seats. “The seats are very comfortable, offer sufficient support and are also very comfortable over long distances. The interior space is fine.” This applies to most experiences on Autoweek.nl, although there are exceptions. Those who want to use all seats must take into account complaints from the back seat. “Five large adults can go in the car, but for long stretches the seat in the middle of the back is not suitable. My friends describe it as a wooden board with a piece of leather.”
Drives like a Mercedes
The handling of Mercedes’ smallest pleases most drivers. They are positive about the suspension comfort and tranquility on board, even with the 1.3-liter turbo engine that you will find in most petrol versions. “A wonderful engine with plenty of power. You don’t have the idea that you are on the road with a small motorcycle. The bike feels mature.”
A disadvantage of the comfortable chassis manifests itself at speed bumps. Several drivers complain that the front touches the ground quickly, so some caution is required. “The low position of the car remains a point,” writes the driver of an A180 d, “I now take thresholds much more slowly, which means that I occasionally hit the ground.”
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl