Page 87 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

COTY I Finalists

PRO Slick interior • Next-gen voice control • Content rich, well priced CON Coarse, non-premium ride • Cut-rate sound system • Cheap materials

Mercedes-Benz A 220

he Mercedes-Benz A-Class track,” Markus said, noting the
made its debut in 1997, but it A 220’s good body control.
Tonly now comes to the U.S., But on the ruts of real-world
as the lowest entry point into the roads, it fell apart. Every editor
three-pointed star. noted its rough and noisy ride.
In prior iterations, Mercedes “Isolation from coarse pavement
got a little weird in the entry-level is just OK, but—holy moly—broken/
space with the B-Class and CLA choppy pavement is a real
hatchbacks. Not so in the A 220, problem,” Walton said. “There’s so
a handsome subcompact sedan little isolation from the road, even
that seats five and hides its front- to carry flagship S-Class style the floorpan was vibrating.”
drive proportions well. “More throughout its entire product line The more time spent with the lower the front of the seat, push
mature, more defined, with much and does an amazing job here. car, the more weaknesses were the lumbar in and out a little, and
less sag in the surfacing than the There are dual-color screens for revealed. “Once you get past all do a slight back-and-forth with
previous car, the A-Class looks like the instrument cluster, and the the Mercedes jewelry, you start the backrest.”
a much more expensive car than infotainment system is loaded to notice where costs have been It’s worth noting, the A 220’s
its predecessor,” MacKenzie said. with crisp graphics and infor- cut, particularly below eye level, target audience among our
The 2020 A-Class comes in mative displays. Mood lighting, where hard plastic is everywhere,” judges was willing to look past
two main flavors: the A 220 and A laser-drilled speaker grilles, even Theodore said. “Lesser cars use these foibles. “It’s not bad,”
35 AMG. Front-drive A 220s start door-mounted seat controls, all higher-quality materials—but I millennial Cortina said. “There’s
at $33,495, with all-wheel-drive surrounded by metallic accents doubt the target customer will a ton of tire noise and other NVH
models adding $2,000 to the and leather trim, feel very much notice the corner-cutting.” problems, but other than that, this
sticker. The $45,000 AMG variant on brand. Rechtin was not impressed by is a pretty compelling product. It
is expected in the spring of 2020, From a performance perspec- the thin sheetmetal and flimsy has a youth appeal; the leather is
with revised aerodynamic bits, a tive, our A 220 test vehicle interior door handle; he called the soft, there are few spots with hard
tuned-up version of the 2.0-liter comported itself well at the test A 220 an “ersatz Mercedes that plastics, you’re getting a great
turbo-four delivering 302 hp and track. Our editors liked its linear feels like it should have a Kirkland design inside and outside with air
295 lb-ft of torque, and goodies power delivery, generally smooth label on it.” Massaging seats are vents that light up.”
like a torque-splitting all-wheel- upshifts, and sporty, tail-happy rare at this price point, but the A Callum agreed: “Mercedes will
drive system and launch control. handling. “It’s a remarkably fun 220’s didn’t deliver much. Markus sell every one they can make.” But
But before we get carried little bugger on the handling said it “seems to just raise and at what cost? Edward Loh
away, let’s check out the base
model. Benz has tried very hard

SPECS 2019 Mercedes-Benz A 220
Base Price/As Tested $33,495/$45,200
Power (SAE net) 188 hp @ 5,800 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 221 lb-ft @ 1,250 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 6.8 sec
Quarter Mile 15.2 sec @ 94.3 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 125 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.87 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 26.5 sec @ 0.68 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 24/35/28 mpg

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/7-speed twin-clutch auto
Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 3,308 lb (61/39%) Wheelbase 107.4 in Length x Width x Height 179.1 x 70.7 x 56.9 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 140/96
kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.69 lb/mile

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