Revised Mercedes-Benz A-Class will arrive in Australian dealerships from Q2 2023.
Mercedes-Benz has revealed the new-look A-Class which is scheduled to arrive in Australia in the second quarter of 2023. Mercedes has given the A-Class plenty of tweaks inside and out to freshen it up.
As suggested by previous spy shots, the exterior of the A-Class has been given a mild revision in both sedan and hatchback form. The front bumper gets a slightly different lower grille opening and the main grille itself has been reshaped – although the quintessential larger three-pointed star badge is still there. The bonnet gains two bulges for some added aggression. Around the side you’ll find a new selection of alloy wheels up to 19 inches in size, and to the rear there’s a new diffuser and brake light unit.
The new A-Class will once again rival the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series in the premium hatchback market and a key battleground will be interior technology. The outgoing model featured a seven-inch screen and 10.25-inch display as standard, with a pair of 10.25-inch displays available as an option. Mercedes has retained this line-up for the facelifted model.
What has changed is the infotainment system itself, because the car gets latest generation of MBUX. The display style can be changed between “Classic”, showing the usual relevant driver information, “Sporty” with a more pronounced rev counter and “Discreet’ for less information on show overall.
Extra equipment, such as an additional USB-C port and a fingerprint sensor, is also available and as you’d expect, there’s smartphone compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Wireless. The MBUX upgrade also means the voice assistance is “even more capable of dialogue and learning”, claims Mercedes.
There’s a boost in safety tech, with a new “Driver Assistance Package” adding lane-keep assist and active steering control. The new A-Class now features a “Parking Package” which supports bay parking and offers a 360-degree camera to help with parking using 3D images.
Mercedes has given the facelifted A-Class some new powertrain options as well. Every petrol engine is now electrified, with a seven-speed or eight-speed automatic transmission as standard. The new mild-hybrid system includes a 48V motor which Mercedes says “supports agility when starting off with an extra 13bhp (10kW)”.
While pricing and specifcations for Australia are yet to be confirmed, it is expected that the local line-up that starts from $50k will remain similar.
Kicking off the range is the A 180 with 100kW and 230Nm of torque from its mild-hybrid, 1.3-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine. Acceleration stands at 9.2 seconds for 0-100km/h and the top speed is 215km/h. The 165kW A 250 goes from 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds and on to a 250km/h top speed.
As for the plug-in hybrids, the A 250 e’s powertrain has been fettled to improve power, says Mercedes. There’s 5kW more (now 120kW in total) and 270Nm of torque on offer. That’s enough for a 7.4-second 0-100km/h time in the hatchback.
Efficiency has also been upgraded with this facelift. The A 250 e hatchback can now reach 80km of pure-electric running and charging has been upped from 7.4kW to 11kW. Mercedes claims the DC charge to 80 per cent is unchanged, with an expected charge time of 25 minutes.
Prices will be revealed in the coming months, along with confirmation of Australian models and specifcations.
Automotive Daily