Buying, Owning & Improving
Ian Cushway searches out new and used parts prices
From ugly duckling to swan, here’s why the Mercedes-Benz A-Class now makes sense as a used family hatch.
The sophisticated third generation A-Class seen here is a far cry from its geriatric, mini-MPV ancestor which first saw the light of day in 1997. That car, the W168, was the German firm’s first stab at making a compact car and it wasn’t exactly a raging success. You’ll no doubt recall the embarrassing episode when it flipped over in the ‘elk test’ severely denting the new car’s image as well as costing Mercedes 300 million Deutsche Marks to implement the necessary modifications to make it more stable. Reportedly, for every vehicle sold the company lost £1200.
The Mk2 from 2009 was a significant improvement and the subsequent revisions that followed eventually made up for the model’s inauspicious start, the A-Class becoming the UK’s fourth bestselling car by 2021.
The ‘A’ we’re talking about here though, the more muscular Mk3, broke cover in 2013 and believe it or not has sold in even greater numbers. In fact, it’s been a sales sensation for the brand – which is great news because it means you’ll be spoilt for choice when buying.
The improved Mk3 (W176) was based on a concept car first shown a few years earlier and it will be a relief to many that it bares no resemblance whatsoever to its predecessors. It’s bigger for a start – something that’s allowed it to become a true family hatch contender. Its USP, though, lies elsewhere. It’s a car that offers the same premium feel as its bigger, more expensive siblings but in an altogether more wallet-friendly – and dare we say, more practical – package.
The engine line up featured a variety of petrol options from a wheezy 100bhp 1.6-litre petrol to the pokey 2.0-litre, while diesel offerings included everything from a 1.5 to the torquey 168bhp 2.1. All were available with either a dual clutch auto or six-speed manual gearbox.
The turbocharged A45 AMG, introduced in the summer of 2013, was the wild child of the family and featured the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine producing 354bhp and able to rocket the car to 60mph in just 4.5 seconds. Oh, and there was a four-wheel drive version, too – the A250 4 MATIC – which came along in early 2014.
There was a mild facelift in the following Autumn at the same time as the introduction of Drive Select (an adjustable chassis option) and a couple of new models, including the A220d 4MATIC and an even more fuel efficient A180d. Incidentally, you can distinguish a facelift by its diamond grille, different bumpers and lights and the fact that Mercedes dropped the CDI badging on the diesels, opting for a more subtle ‘d’ after the numerical designation instead.
The Mk3 made way for the subtly different Mk4 (W177) in 2018 – and
