We've seen the hatchback, we've seen the stretched Chinese sedan, and now we finally get to see the American-market 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan, available in one guise for now: the A 220 in either front-drive or 4MATIC all-wheel-drive versions. The compact luxury car is the follow-up to the first-generation CLA-Class ( which is getting a second generation) and is the new base of the Mercedes-Benz lineup. And in its Americanization, the A-Class sedan will differ from its overseas counterparts in a few ways.
Obviously, the car differs from the European A-Class offering in the fact that it is not a hatchback. It does look extremely similar to the Chinese sedan, though. Despite the similarity, the American sedan's wheelbase is 2.4 inches shorter than the lengthy A-Class L. While we're on the topic of size, the new A-Class sedan is very close in size to the current CLA-Class. The A-Class slightly shorter in overall length, but slightly longer in the wheelbase department. It's also barely wider and taller than the CLA.
Under the formal but sleek body is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It makes 188 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, which are solid numbers for a compact car, but they're also less than the 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of the current CLA-Class. The engine is coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with power going either to the front or all four wheels. Up front, all A 220s will have MacPherson strut suspension. Base A 220s with front-wheel-drive and the basic 17-inch alloy wheels will have a torsion-beam rear axle, but opting for the 19-inch wheels or all-wheel-drive will also add four-link independent rear suspension.
Inside, the A-Class sedan looks just like its overseas cousins. It has the same monolith instrument panel that holds the screen for the gauges and the screen for the infotainment system. The standard setup uses a pair of 7-inch wheels and 10.25-inch screens are optional. The infotainment uses the much-hyped MBUX system and can be accessed with the touchscreen, touch pad on the center console, and the touch buttons on the steering wheel. It also has a voice system that will respond to commands similar to those you would use for talking to Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa or Google. The interior also features typical Mercedes cues such as the multiple detailed round air vents and the availability of ambient lights, wood and leather.
The Mercedes-Benz A 220 and A 220 4MATIC go on sale here later this year. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it will likely be revealed closer to when it hits dealer lots. The current Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 starts right around $34,000, so we would expect the base A 220 to start at a similar price, if not slightly less to position the A-Class below the CLA.
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Obviously, the car differs from the European A-Class offering in the fact that it is not a hatchback. It does look extremely similar to the Chinese sedan, though. Despite the similarity, the American sedan's wheelbase is 2.4 inches shorter than the lengthy A-Class L. While we're on the topic of size, the new A-Class sedan is very close in size to the current CLA-Class. The A-Class slightly shorter in overall length, but slightly longer in the wheelbase department. It's also barely wider and taller than the CLA.
Under the formal but sleek body is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It makes 188 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, which are solid numbers for a compact car, but they're also less than the 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of the current CLA-Class. The engine is coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with power going either to the front or all four wheels. Up front, all A 220s will have MacPherson strut suspension. Base A 220s with front-wheel-drive and the basic 17-inch alloy wheels will have a torsion-beam rear axle, but opting for the 19-inch wheels or all-wheel-drive will also add four-link independent rear suspension.
Inside, the A-Class sedan looks just like its overseas cousins. It has the same monolith instrument panel that holds the screen for the gauges and the screen for the infotainment system. The standard setup uses a pair of 7-inch wheels and 10.25-inch screens are optional. The infotainment uses the much-hyped MBUX system and can be accessed with the touchscreen, touch pad on the center console, and the touch buttons on the steering wheel. It also has a voice system that will respond to commands similar to those you would use for talking to Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa or Google. The interior also features typical Mercedes cues such as the multiple detailed round air vents and the availability of ambient lights, wood and leather.
The Mercedes-Benz A 220 and A 220 4MATIC go on sale here later this year. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it will likely be revealed closer to when it hits dealer lots. The current Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 starts right around $34,000, so we would expect the base A 220 to start at a similar price, if not slightly less to position the A-Class below the CLA.
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Featured Gallery 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class
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