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A weekend with the new A-Class
02 Oct 2018
Brendan Cox, unashamed petrol head and Somerset County Gazette's Motoring Representative, gets to take home and review the very best vehicles the automotive world has to offer. A job to be envied at the best of times... but particularly so this weekend as his car of choice was the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
Get a first look at his review ahead of its publication in this week's paper:
Speaking of innovative thinking, the new A-Class is the first Mercedes-Benz to feature the MBUX infotainment system.
MBUX, which to you and I means Mercedes-Benz User Experience, is a very, very highly intelligent system where all that is needed is your voice to speak to the “Mercedes” interface via speech recognition. The system will reply to you vocally and help deliver all your driving and comfort requirements from as little as changing the radio station and heating the driver/passenger seats to changing the cabin temperature and programming your destination on the SatNav. All without even removing your hands from the wheel or your eyes away from the road - fantastic! I have to say this is definitely the most clever piece of vehicle technology I have had the pleasure of using to date.
The A-Class maintains its smart upmarket look with sharply curved edges and larger wheel arches which keep the slightly larger rims (ranging from 16 to 19 inches model dependant) tucked away nicely. The A-Class also looks great from the backend with the rear window blending nicely into the smoothed tailgate which has been perfectly finished with slimline two section tail lights giving the rear a very high quality, distinctive Mercedes finish.
In the cabin on the “Sport” trim you are greeted with a multitude of amazing features including a DAB radio, Artico man-made leather and Bertrix fabric upholstery for extra comfort. Plus Active Lane Keeping Assist, Speed Limit Assist, a Keyless-Go starting function, air conditioning/climate control, auto lights/wipers and many many more. There is a downloadable 'Mercedes Me' app that connects you to your car and can tell you things like local fuel prices or the availability of parking spaces at your destination, what a fabulous tool to have, which can save you precious time and money.
I have truly enjoyed driving this vehicle and the fantastic, futuristic features it has available which can only be described as the Mensa of technology. Don’t just take my word for how fantastic this vehicle is, go and have a test drive and try it for yourselves……
Mercedes-Benz A180d Sport (Driven and Reviewed)
The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class now offers a stronger proposition to buyers in the premium compact hatchback category. I have had the pleasure of driving the new A-Class Mercedes-Benz for a weekend and, as we are all aware, the brand has always been very well known for its fantastic build quality, sharp styling and driving pleasure. So it comes as no shock that the new A-Class follows suit and, alongside its siblings in the range, it has a very impressive record of innovative thinking. The brand is now bolder, more forward thinking and is aiming to appeal to a wider and more varied audience. The A-Class is now sitting even more directly against sporty premium compact family hatches like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series: it comes with new key driving features, sharper looks and extra media connectivity which makes this vehicle a great contender in its category.
Speaking of innovative thinking, the new A-Class is the first Mercedes-Benz to feature the MBUX infotainment system.
MBUX, which to you and I means Mercedes-Benz User Experience, is a very, very highly intelligent system where all that is needed is your voice to speak to the “Mercedes” interface via speech recognition. The system will reply to you vocally and help deliver all your driving and comfort requirements from as little as changing the radio station and heating the driver/passenger seats to changing the cabin temperature and programming your destination on the SatNav. All without even removing your hands from the wheel or your eyes away from the road - fantastic! I have to say this is definitely the most clever piece of vehicle technology I have had the pleasure of using to date.
The A-Class maintains its smart upmarket look with sharply curved edges and larger wheel arches which keep the slightly larger rims (ranging from 16 to 19 inches model dependant) tucked away nicely. The A-Class also looks great from the backend with the rear window blending nicely into the smoothed tailgate which has been perfectly finished with slimline two section tail lights giving the rear a very high quality, distinctive Mercedes finish.
In the cabin on the “Sport” trim you are greeted with a multitude of amazing features including a DAB radio, Artico man-made leather and Bertrix fabric upholstery for extra comfort. Plus Active Lane Keeping Assist, Speed Limit Assist, a Keyless-Go starting function, air conditioning/climate control, auto lights/wipers and many many more. There is a downloadable 'Mercedes Me' app that connects you to your car and can tell you things like local fuel prices or the availability of parking spaces at your destination, what a fabulous tool to have, which can save you precious time and money.
I have truly enjoyed driving this vehicle and the fantastic, futuristic features it has available which can only be described as the Mensa of technology. Don’t just take my word for how fantastic this vehicle is, go and have a test drive and try it for yourselves……