Take a close up look at the Mercedes A Class and you’ll see it has a brand new look. Mercedes have themselves commented that this change “revolutionises the compact class from the inside with a new feeling of spaciousness.” With a unique architecture and avant-garde design of the dashboard this changes offers Mercedes drivers generous amount of interior space.
This year, the new A-Class heralds the beginning of a new generation of compact cars set to replace a bestseller that has definitively contributed to a younger brand image for Mercedes. The average age of drivers in Europe in this most progressive compact class model is now 13 years lower than for the preceding series. This innovation is set to continue as the up-coming A Class completely redefines luxurious modern interiors. With oodles more utility value this model from Mercedes is set to be both youthful and grown-up like never before.
“The new A-Class embodies the next stage in our design philosophy of sensual purity, and has the potential to usher in a new design era,” commented Chief Design Officer Daimler AG Gorden Wagener. “The interior presents modern luxury at a level previously unattainable in this class, and transports the user interface into the digital age.”
So what’s changed? Well, the architecture of the interior and the control and display systems of the new A-Class are a unique selling point in this car segment. The dashboard is split into two three-dimensional, horizontal sections. Firstly, the lower section is separated visually from the main body of the dash by a “trench”, and it appears to float in front of the dashboard. Optional ambient lighting enhances this effect, emphasising the free-floating effect of the substructure.
The standard widescreen cockpit is free-standing, and there are absolutely no cowls above the instruments. Another highlight to look out for is the sporty air vents which have a turbine-look.
The A-Class is also influenced by the luxury Mercedes-Benz models with features like the multifunctional steering wheel which comes from the S-Class, for example. The front seats also take comfort features from higher segments, like seat climate control, massage function and multi-contour seat. Trim elements feature a “wrap-around” design, and the choice of materials (e.g. open-pore wood) underscores the advancing, high-quality positioning Mercedes want to achieve.
A greatly enhanced feeling of spaciousness is achieved on the interior which features better all-round visibility and more space. Utility value is maximised with more shoulder-room (front +9 mm, rear +22 mm), elbow-room (front +35 mm, rear +36 mm) and headroom (front +7 mm, rear +8 mm). Access to the rear seats is more accessible is another plus point of the new A-Class.
This model is versatile to with a luggage compartment behind the rear seats that is more suitable for family and recreational use, and has a capacity of 370 litres – 29 litres more than the preceding model. Thanks to two-section rear lights, the loading aperture is 20 cm wider than previous models, and the luggage compartment floor is 11.5 cm longer. If desired the rear seat backrest can be moved more upright, e.g. to accommodate bulky items. All-round visibility has also been considerably improved by around ten percent. Well done Mercedes, great job!