FIRST DRIVE | New Mercedes A-Class has matured, along with its pricing

The premium compact landscape used to be very different before the new millennium. Back in the early 1990s, the genre constituted the likes of your Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The latter was preceded by the W201 190 series, dubbed “baby Benz” as it took position beneath the W124 E-Class.

But as the year 2000 approached – and these models got bigger – there emerged an additional litter of upmarket juniors. Enter the realm of the A-Class, Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series. As the category matured, alternatives joined the fray, including the Lexus CT and Volvo V40.

South African consumers need little introduction to the contender with the three-pointed star on its nose. Now in its fourth generation, the A-Class has evolved from dinky and pram-like into a genuinely sophisticated compact, with legions of fans who either own one or desperately want one.

Hard to believe it has been five years since the current W177 A-Class was released. We attended the global launch in Split, Croatia. Impressions were generally positive, save for the rear styling, which seemed to ape the Kia Cerato of the day.

In June this year the German manufacturer released the updated version of its most attainable product. And last week we finally had the chance to get reacquainted with its virtues. Meeting at the Tshwane headquarters of the company, seat time was given in the A200 d, A 35 and A 45 S.

The visual tweaks are subtle. Note a redesigned radiator grille, complementing the existing flat, furrowing headlamps and hood sporting tailored bulges. A new rear diffuser element is on duty, as are standard LED tail-lamp clusters. There are four additional wheel designs to pick from. Inside, customers will notice a larger 10.25-inch central screen, supporting the seven-inch unit serving as the instrument cluster. It also gains the contemporary steering wheel design seen in the C-Class.

That is the extent of it, with jet-inspired ventilation slots and sculpted panels remaining as before. The A-Class is a pleasant place to be, although tactile quality might not be as rich as it is in rivals such as the Audi A3. Of course, you can configure your vehicle to exact tastes with different options, upholsteries, trimmings and shades, including paint finishes from the bespoke Manufaktur division.

Our day started with the A200 d sedan, with its 1,950cc, turbocharged-diesel, four-cylinder unit. Delivering 110kW and 320Nm, the front-wheel drive saloon makes for relaxed traffic driving and fuss-free cruising. Its eight-speed automatic was kept in the lower ratios, trying to keep up with the Mercedes-AMG C 43 support car leading our convoy.

Next we hopped into the Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC sedan. Most will agree it is all the performance car they may ever need. Powered by a boosted four-cylinder unit displacing two litres, it incorporates a 48-volt mild hybrid set-up with a belt-driven starter-generator. The output is 225kW and 400Nm, while the starter-generator adds a 10kW boost on take-off.

It certainly feels as energetic in the real world as the claimed 4.7-second 0-100km/h sprint time suggests, slicing through its eight-speed dual-clutch automatic towards higher digits in expedient fashion.

Logistics of the day meant we missed out on the A45 S, with its 310kW and 500Nm from the same M139 engine as the A 35. Expect a report on that soon as a test unit is coming our way.

Representatives of the brand also took the chance to punt the Agility proposal offered by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, a lease scheme promising customers flexibility.

It was a reminder of the significant outlay required to play in the premium space, even if you are talking compacts.

Take our A200 d sedan for instance, with a pamphlet that stated a total retail price of R1,076,795. After a 10% deposit, over a 48-month term and with a prime +1 rate, expect to pay R15,899 per month. On Agility, Mercedes-Benz guarantees the future value of the vehicle, in this case at just over 58%. Your annual mileage is capped to 20,000km. To have that A 35 sedan on Agility, you could be looking at instalments of up to R19,599.

It is a lot of money any which way you cut it.