With the A-Class, Mercedes has taken a radical turn in public perception. For two generations, it was a vehicle that particularly impressed the older generation. The third generation had different priorities and primarily appealed to younger drivers.
With the third generation of the Mercedes A-Class (W176, 2012 to 2018), the Swabians finally completed the image change of their compact model: away from slightly dusty and towards youthful and modern. And the A-Class became a competitor to the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and VW Golf, and also a favorite of TÜV inspectors.
High seating position, sandwich floor, variability - all characteristics with which the first two A-Class generations scored. The third edition, on the other hand, relied on a sleek design. Nothing should be reminiscent of a practical car for hat wearers. Since then, the B-Class has had to serve for the practice-oriented clientele. On the other hand, if you want a compact SUV, a coupe with four doors or a stylish station wagon, the offshoots of the A-Class GLA, CLA and CLA Shooting Brake come into play.
The sporty look of the 4.30 meter long A-Class with its long side line and coupé-like lines already indicates it: Plenty of space was not at the top of the specifications. In the front on the low-mounted seats it is quite comfortable, but it gets cramped in the back. The trunk volume of 341 to 1157 liters with the rear seat backs folded is rather average. Depending on the equipment variant and the willingness of the first-time buyer to invest in nice extras, the interior is quite classy. The facelift that took place in 2015 provided chrome-plated controls, other decorative elements and fabrics. Since then, LED headlights and an adaptive damper system have been available for an extra charge: the latter was intended to mitigate the much-criticized harshness of the standard chassis.
The range of engines consists of four-cylinder petrol and diesel and is very extensive. The right engine is available for every driving style. The petrol engines range in power from 102 hp (A 160) to the top model AMG A45 4Matic with 360 hp (from 2015: 381 hp). The top speeds vary between 190 and 270 km/h, the standard consumption between 5.2 and 7.3 liters. The 1.6-liter turbo with 102 hp is still available in the expansion stages with 122 hp (A 180) and 156 hp (A 200). The two-liter turbo is not only used in the AMG A45 4Matic, but is also used in the A 250 (211 hp and A 250 (218 hp).
The diesel range also offers plenty of choice. It starts with the 1.5-liter supplied by Renault, which was available with 90 hp (A 160d) and 109 hp (A 180d). This A 180d is not to be confused with the one that was in the range between 2012 and 2013 and which is based on a 1.8-liter diesel. It was available until 2014 in the expansion stage with 136 hp (A 200d). To continue the confusion: The A 200d from 2014 is based on the 2.1-liter diesel, which was also available as the A 220d (170 hp) and from 2015 with 177 hp. According to the data sheet, the diesels are economical and require between 3.6 and 4.9 liters.
Power is usually transmitted via the front axle via a manual six-speed gearbox or seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. A 220, A 250, A 200d and A 220d were also available with all-wheel drive as an option. The top model AMG A 45 was always delivered with all-wheel drive.
Equipment and safety: In addition to the properly equipped series model, Mercedes had various design variants for the A-Class such as "Style", "Urban", "Sport" and "AMG Line" and packages such as the "Start", "Night" and " Exclusive" package and the special model "2Style" with superior equipment are on offer. The price list also made it possible to tick numerous extras, such as the adaptive damper system, the panoramic glass roof and many assistants cost extra. The 2012 A-Class achieved a five-star result in the NCAP crash test.
The A-Class (W 176) makes its owners very happy with the TÜV main inspections (HU): In the TÜV report 2022, the compact took first place in its class. The TÜV inspectors find almost nothing to complain about.
Conclusion: There is not much to be said against buying a used A-Class: the quality is convincing and fans of beautiful design will get their money's worth. However, space requirements or variability should not be at the top of the wish list. And when it comes to the price, you don't have to be petty. From around 10,000 euros there are used copies in the portals, but then with very high mileage.
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