Mercedes-Benz has plenty of successful models that it has produced over the years. The German carmaker has revamped its current model lineup, and one model to get refreshed is the A-Class.

In 1997 the A-Class started out life as an uninspiring, tall hatchback suitable for those that needed a practical car. The second generation released in 2004 wasn’t much of an improvement. But the new third generation has had an amazing transformation!

The W176, as the firm calls it, is larger than its predecessor. But the roofline is much lower, giving it a better appearance.

You see, Mercedes-Benz wants to be a cool and inspiring brand for people from all walks of life. It no longer wants to get known as the car manufacturer for senior citizens and business executives.

The good news is they will still keep adding innovation and technology into their current and future models. It’s just their image that’s changing. And if I may so say, it’s a change for the better.

Thanks to my good friends at Inchcape, I was able to borrow an Inchcape A-Class Mercedes for a week. The following review will tell you what it was like to drive from a daily driver perspective.

Performance

All the Mercedes-Benz A-Class models have turbocharged gas or diesel engines. Carmakers are realizing the many benefits of forced induction. Better power and lower CO2 emissions are just some reasons why turbochargers make sense.

There are two gas engines (1.6-liter and 2.0-liter) available. There are also three diesel engines (1.5, 1.8 and 2.2-liter) available. You have the choice of buying them with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic gearbox.

The model I drove for a week had the 2.0-liter gas engine. With 208 brake horsepower under the hood, it was more than capable of handling any daily driving demands I made to it. For those that want silly amounts of power, there is an AMG version that offers 355 brake horsepower!

My borrowed A-Class had the automatic transmission. I found it to be quite smooth when shifting. With so many advances in gearbox technology, there aren’t any reasons to stick with manuals nowadays.

Handling

One thing that might let the new A-Class down is its suspension setup. If you don’t mind driving a car with a firm setup, you won’t have any problems with this model.

But if you prefer driving a car that doesn’t feel attached to the road underneath you, this car will soon drive you nuts! There are a couple of “comfort” settings that you can adjust. But other than that, you’ll just have to get used to the firm ride.

A benefit from having a car with a firm suspension setup is that it corners well at high speed. That is something I can confirm the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is good at! The AMG model has an even-firmer ride. But for the extra price and sore butt you will experience, it’s not worth the upgrade. Not unless you plan on driving around corners at 150 mph or something!

I hope you have enjoyed today’s review of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Thanks for reading!