After the release of its entire S-Class lineup, Mercedes-Benz is ready to bring its A-Class hatchbacks out to play. While it made its first debut during the Geneva Motor Show 2018 back in February, both the A 200 Progressive Line and A 250 AMG Line variants are now available in Malaysia. The premium hatchback is the smallest of the German luxury automaker’s lineup but it offers more than just its size.
On its exterior, both the A 200 and A 250 get a major facelift, which includes a much lower front end with narrow headlights flanking the grille. The character lines along both sides of the car have also been smoothened out to emphasise on its overall length. Both models also come with new headlights, more specifically LED High Performance headlights with auto high beam. Twin exhausts also make up the rear of both cars, giving it a much edgier look.
Under the hood, the engine of the Mercedes-Benz A 200 is developed in collaboration with Renault, which results in a smaller 1.33-litre M282 four-cylinder turbo. It outputs 163hp and 250Nm of torque, and when paired with the new Getrag seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, it can hit a top speed of 225kph while going from 0 to 100 in 8 seconds.
The Mercedes-Benz A 250, on the other hand, puts out 224hp and 250Nm of torque thanks to its revised 2.0-litre M260 four-cylinder turbo. It’s capable of hitting a top speed of 250kph and going from 0 to 100 in just 6.2 seconds.
However, it’s not the performance of both the Mercedes-Benz A 200 and A 250 that has gotten people talking. It is all about the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system with a Linguatronic voice control system. A simple “Hey Mercedes” will grant you various vehicle functions, which range from navigation to radio and climate control. With built-in machine learning capabilities, the MBUX infotainment system gradually learns from the driver’s speech patterns, much like how a smartphone or smart speaker would.
Other features of the interior for both the A 200 and A 250 are its circular air vents and a large singular flatscreen display panel. Other design aspects of both hatchbacks include a black open pore linden wood trim with Artico faux leather upholstery for the A 200. Meanwhile, the A 250 acquires sports seats with an Artico and Dinamica microfibre seat trim, a Nappa leather steering wheel, and brushed aluminium decor.
Both the Mercedes-Benz A 200 and A 250 are now available in Malaysia, priced at RM227,888 and RM263,888 respectively.
