GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

Car reviews - Mercedes-Benz - A-class - hatch range

Launch Story

17 Oct 2008

MERCEDES-BENZ this week launched its facelifted A-class in Australia, including the first diesel-engined model in the range - in the form of the A180 CDI.

Company spokesman David McCarthy said he expects the new entry-level diesel model to add incremental sales for the brand, estimating between 300 and 400 unit sales a year on top of its current annual sales rate of around 1000 units.

Sales have slumped by 33.4 per cent this year, but Mercedes-Benz puts this down to the impending introduction of the facelift and expects a recovery in the latter part of this year and in 2009.

Priced from $39,900, the new A180 CDI is available only in the five-door ‘saloon’ model but comes with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) option as well as the standard six-speed manual.

Other models in the revised and upspecced A-class range have increased in price by between $300 and $900, with the base A170 three-door ‘coupe’ with 1.7-litre petrol engine rising by $500 to $35,500.

The A-class facelift is mainly cosmetic, with revised headlights, radiator grilles (different for each model level), front bumper with wider intake, tail-lights, rear bumper, wing mirrors (in body colour), wheels and three new metallic paint finishes.

Inside are some trim variations, the addition of leather steering wheel and gear knob trim, the addition of rear electric windows in the five-door models, Bluetooth connectivity and new audio systems, including iPod integration.

Mercedes has upgraded the electronic stability control system to include a hill-holder function that maintains brake pressure until you touch the throttle when you are stopped on a slope so that the car does not roll backwards.

Also new to the A-class range is the availability of an active parking assist system called Parktronic, which automatically steers the car into a parallel parking space while the driver operates the throttle and brakes.

Parktronic is standard on the A200 and A200 Turbo models and on other models comes as part of the optional ($4680) Metro that also includes the CVT transmission and cruise control.

Although the new turbo-diesel model is called an A180 CDI, the four-cylinder common-rail injected engine is actually a 2.0-litre unit – the same as has been available for some time in the larger B-class – and produces 80kW of power at 4200rpm and 250Nm of torque from 1600-2600rpm.

In the five-door A-class, the diesel provides 0-100km/h acceleration of 10.8 seconds and fuel consumption of 5.2L/100km

The A180 CDI comes in standard specification, which includes ESC, ABS with brake assist, eight airbags, a full-size spare wheel, climate control, a split-fold rear seat and a multi-function steering wheel.

The revised A-class range is on sale now.

Click to share

Click below to follow us on
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

GoAuto can help you buy a new A-class

Customer Terms and Conditions – New Car Lead enquires

Agreement

This is an agreement between GoAutoMedia Pty Limited ACN 094 732 457 of PO Box 18, Beach Road, Sandringham, VIC, 3191 (“we/us”), the owner and operator of the GoAuto.com.au website (“the website”) and the person wanting GoAuto.com.au to provide them with a lead for the purchase of a new car (“you”).

By completing a New Car Lead Enquiry, you agree to the terms and conditions and disclaimers and acknowledge the policies set out below.

Terms and Conditions

  • In order for us to effect a lead you must you must complete a New Car Lead Enquiry (“Enquiry”).
  • We will call you as soon as possible after you complete the Enquiry and certainly no later than the next business day. When we call, we will discuss with you your new car requirements.
  • You consent to our passing on the Enquiry and your requirements to an appropriate authorised motor car dealer as a lead.
  • We will contact you again in approximately eight days following your initial enquiry to check on the progress of the Enquiry.
  • While we will provide the dealer with the Enquiry and details of your new car requirements, we take no responsibility for what happens after passing on that material as a lead.
  • You acknowledge that we are a new car information service providing new car editorial information, pictures and prices to our customers as a guide only. Any new car prices published on the website are the manufacturers’ recommended retail prices and do not include delivery charges and on-road costs. Any authorized motor car dealer to which we pass on your Enquiry as a lead will provide you with full details of the price at which the vehicle will be sold to you.
  • You acknowledge that we do not sell motor vehicles. Any sale of a new car to you by a dealer after we have passed on your Enquiry to that dealer as a lead, is a sale by that dealer not by us.

Privacy Policy– New Car Lead Enquires

  • We take privacy very seriously. We understand that you will only complete an Enquiry if you can trust us to protect your personal information and use it appropriately. Our policy is to ensure that the personal information collected when you make an Enquiry is only used for the purposes of connecting you with an authorised motor car dealer.
  • We do not on-sell information collected from you or any other customer.
  • From time to time, we may email you with information or promotions that may be relevant for car buyers. You will continue to receive communications from us unless you tell us that you do not want to receive any advertising or promotional information in the future by unsubscribing from these communications.
close
* Denotes required field
** Australian inquiries only

A-class pricing

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here