Mercedes-Benz Malaysia have introduced with the all-new fourth generation A-Class here. The W177, as it is internally called, will be sold here in two variants for the moment, the A 200 Progressive Line and the A 250 AMG Line. This new A-Class is what Mercedes-Benz calls the next generation of compact cars which while featuring a more mature looking styling on the exterior, still maintains its youthful and dynamic appeal while redefining luxury and technology on the inside.
The car is super modern in every aspect. The new W177 A-Class features an evolution of the previous model. It has a more shark-like front end styling which is aggressive yet it is coupled with a more grown up look to it with more cleaner strokes in terms of character lines and how the overall shape is scuplted. A little more restrained and a much cleaner overall look in terms of the two variants offered. We like the execution of the exterior in that it actually feels contemporary which will appeal to all age groups in most aspects.
The A 200 Progressive (above) is much cleaner than the A250 AMG Line, but that is expected. However the overall execution for both is pretty clean and Mercedes-Benz even offers a more aggressive rear spoiler that sits above the very understated stock rear wing. The front end seems to have gotten its aspiration from the current Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class and it also shows off the youthfulness of the A-Class. It does not aspire to look like the Mercedes-Benz limousines, but more of a smaller take on the 4-door coupe which is the CLS. It does make perfect sense actually. A more sporty outlook for a more youthful car.
Inside, Mercedes Benz has actually raised the levels of what a premium compact car should be. The goalposts in terms of perceived luxury and technology have been moved so far ahead from the rest of its class that everyone else must be wondering what hit them. If you first step into the cabin and not touch anything, the first impressions would be how premium it looks.
From the nicely sculpted air vents to that massive looking multi-media display all grabs your attention. Then when you run your fingers and hands through the whole car it also feels pretty good with a lot of leather and quality plastics on most visible and easy to reach parts. The perceived quality of how it all looks is super impressive. The actual quality of the main switchgear is also good with everything having excellent to above average tactile feel and haptic feedback. This is my first impression of what I thought of the interior when I got into both the A200 and the A250.
It doesn't stop there. The all-new and state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) elevates the connection between car and driver to a personal level. The cockpit with a high-resolution media display with touchscreen control, digital instrument cluster, intelligent voice control and natural speech recognition as well as the re-designed touchpad in the center console is a revolutionary journey into the digital era of the automobile. You can start 'talking' to the car by saying 'Hey Mercedes' which wakes up the system. You can change radio stations, air-conditioning temperatures and a lot more stuff too.
Other notable highlights include 64-colors ambient lighting (which you can change via voice command), Intelligent Drive features, KEYLESS GO function and a multifunction sports steering wheel which feels nice to grip. The all-new A-Class seems to be a more all rounded car with improvements made over the previous model. We also have been reading that most of those who tested it seems to think it now rides better than before so Mercedes-Benz have improved where it needs to be done. In typical Mercedes-Benz progression the best in its class gets better in all aspects.
In terms of the new A-class' engine and drivetrain configurations, the A 200 Progressive Line is now fitted with a 1.3-litre inline turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine which makes 163 hp /250Nm with the 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission powering its front wheels. This new small capacity engine is smaller than the previous A200 sold here. That A 200 made less horsepower (154hp) but had similar torque. So the benefit from this would be 1.3liter roadtax. Amazing what downsizing can do these days.
The A 250 AMG Line, on the other hand, is still equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine. It makes 224 hp / 350Nm coupled to the 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission powering its front wheels. Both the A 200 and A 250 is also equipped with the four DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes “Eco”, “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Individual” to suit driving styles.
The new Mercedes-Benz A Class is now available in Malaysia with the A 200 Progressive Line coming in at RM227,888 and the A 250 AMG Line at RM263,888.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class Product Brief - The A 200 Progressive Line & A 250 AMG Line
Connected. Intuitive. Digital.
The infotainment of the all new A-Class is the first Mercedes-Benz model to feature the new, state-of-
the-art Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX). A unique feature of this multimedia system is its ability to learn thanks to artificial intelligence. The system also recognizes and understands almost every sentence occurring in the infotainment functions and vehicle operation. MBUX can be individualized and adapts to suit each user individually. The touchscreen is part of the comprehensive MBUX touch-control concept – a triad consisting of the touchscreen, touchpad on the centre console and touch control buttons in the steering wheel.
To further provide its drivers a holistic user experience, MBUX is equipped with its intelligent voice
control with natural language comprehension which can be activated by the words, “Hey Mercedes”.
This intelligent language assistant supports numerous infotainment functions such as destination input, phone call, music selection, as well as climate control and lighting. The system is said to be intelligent as it recognizes and understands sentences from the fields of infotainment and vehicle operation.
Progressive. Sporty. Avantgarde.
The design of the new A-Class is a combination of uncompromisingly dynamic design and an intuitive
operating concept. The purist, surface-accentuating design of the new A-Class is the next step in the
Mercedes-Benz design philosophy of Sensual Purity. The exterior of the new A-Class stands for
sportiness, dynamism and emotion. The progressive front design with a low bonnet, flat LED headlamps with chrome elements and torch-like daytime driving lamps ensures an emotionally appealing and alluring appearance. All these gives the new A-Class a shark-nose like look.
Modern. Exclusive. Contemporary.
The interior design of the new A-Class is, on the other hand, a revolution from within. It is completely
redefined with its modern, avantgarde look, revolutionising the compact class from the inside with a new feeling of spaciousness. Both, the Mercedes-Benz A 200 and A 250 also come with high-resolution Widescreen Cockpit with touchscreen control, setting new standards in the segment. It is featured with an all-digital instrument display which can be switched to different styles from “Classic”, “Understated” or “Sport” mode complementing the turbine-look air-vents and leather multifunction sports steering wheel.
Unrivalled. Innovative. Intelligent.
For the first time, the A-Class also comes standard with the KEYLESS-GO function, enhancing the
convenience and comfort in its daily use. Underlining its sporty look, the LED high performance
headlamps with its unmistakable, distinctive look provide now even more safety at night and illuminates the road ahead better than conventional headlamps and provide a daylight-like light colour which is easy on the eyes and illuminate the road ahead precisely and brightly.
The new A-Class also comes with a class-leading safety and assistance systems such as the Active
Parking Assist which assist the driver when searching for a parking space and when entering or leaving a parallel or end-on parking spaces. It manoeuvres the vehicle into the selected parking space and back out again.
With the generation change, the new A-Class now comes with 64 colors for the ambient lighting. Besides the increase in color variety, the ambient lighting colors are composed into ten color worlds, allowing an avant-garde lighting display with spectacular color changes. The color worlds can be matched to the different styles of the widescreen display when required, creating a harmonious overall impression.
Redefined. Dynamics. Performance.
Besides its good looks, the new A-Class models are powered by new efficient and powerful engines. The A 200 Progressive Line is also equipped with a 1.3-litre inline turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine rated at 120 kW/163 hp with the 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission. The A 250 AMG Line, on the other hand, is equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine rated at 165 kW/224 hp with the 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission. Both, the A 200 and A 250 is also equipped with the four DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes “Eco”, “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Individual”.
The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a revolution, offering a level of quality and luxury never seen in this class before. It will be the forerunner of the compact car range, rejuvenating our brand as the most desirable luxury lifestyle brand. This progressive A-Class reinterprates our definition of Modern Luxury with the Mercedes-Benz User Experience which is activated by the command, “Hey Mercedes”.
The A 200 Progressive does not have the two material fabric/leather combo but this artico leather set up. It also does not have red stitching like the A 250. (Above & below)
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