Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018) Review

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018) At A Glance

High quality interior. Strong diesels. A250 AMG Sport 4MATIC the best of the range. Big sellers and generally reliable.

Handling not up to BMW 1 Series. Suspension fairly firm. Lot of complaints about 7G-DCT in B-Class, but not in A-Class.

Real MPG average for a Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

Reviews for Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018)'s top 3 rivals

Audi A3

More practical version of the A3 has more passenger space and a larger boot. Wide choice of engines including...

Volkswagen Golf

Plenty of second-hand choice, excellent cabin quality, efficient petrol and diesel engines.

Honda Civic

Punchy and efficient diesel engines, class-leading practicality, excellent reliability record.

Ask Honest John

Should I continue to have my car serviced by the dealer?

"I have a 2015 Mercedes-Benz A-Class with 10,000 miles, which has been serviced at a Mercedes dealership. Would you recommend I continue dealership servicing? My service plan has expired, should I pay annually or take out another plan? Thank you."

A premium car like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class will always be more desirable when it is sold with a full dealer service history than one without. That said, if you plan to keep the car for the long term then you may prefer to save money and have it serviced outside of the dealer network. There are some excellent independent Mercedes-Benz specialists out there. And the quality of the work will be just as good as the dealer and a lot cheaper. The only drawback will be the fact your car may miss out on updates that are usually applied by the dealer during the annual service.

Answered by Dan Powell

My car isn't reliable and keeps refusing to start. Can I get my money back?

"I got my car - a 2015 Mercedes A-Class - at the end of January. Twice it’s been recovered from my drive as it wouldn’t start. The dealer I got it from is saying it’s a software update that needed doing that’s why it wouldn’t start the second time. I don’t understand how a software update will stop your car from starting! I’ve had a warning Light on saying “without changing gear consult workshop". Where do I stand? Can I ask for my money back? The dealer has covered the cost of everything so far but I have lost all faith and it’s not reliable."

If the dealer is unable to fix the car then you may be entitled to a refund, minus a fair deduction for the usage you've already had from the vehicle. However, given that these deductions can be quite expensive, it may be better to work with the dealer to find a solution. Personally, I would return the vehicle and ask them to replace it with another 2015 A-Class in similar spec. For your legal rights, see: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-consumer-rights/

Answered by Dan Powell

Can you trade-in a car that's worth more than the vehicle you are buying?

"A friend of mine has a three year old Mercedes-Benz A-Class, valued at around £16,000. She wants to buy a new Fiat 500 and expects to spend £14,000. Is this something a dealer will consider? "

They'll consider it. But the price they offer for the A-Class will probably be low, unless the dealer has a buyer lined up for the trade-in car. Your friend will be better selling it privately.

Answered by Dan Powell

The turbo on my diesel car needed replaced after just five years. Should the manufacturer contribute?

"My five year old Mercedes-Benz A-Class diesel has done 36,000 miles. The turbo failed, resulting in a garage bill of £1700. It was repaired by a local Mercedes specialist as the dealer couldn't deal with the car for a month. Mercedes-Benz refuses to contribute. What's the general lifespan for a turbo on this model? Should Mercedes contribute in your opinion? Thanks."

The turbo is designed to last the life of the car. But problems in diesels usually develop when the vehicle is used for short journeys. Those 36,000 miles suggest that this car covers 7200 miles a year. This isn't enough for modern diesel engine. It has probably resulted in oil starvation to the turbo and/or oil contamination caused by the diesel particulate filter (DPF) failing to complete its regeneration cycle. Unless you plan to increase your mileage, my advice would be to sell the car and replace it with a petrol. Otherwise, further mechanical problems will be inevitable.

Answered by Dan Powell

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On the inside of an Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018)

• Boot space is 341–1157 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

The boldly styled exterior creates high expectations for the cabin. Thankfully it matches for the most part. The bucket style seats look the part and are comfortable, easy to adjust and supportive. The driving position is low down, the controls are all easy to reach and everything is laid out in a logical fashion. The controls are pleasingly solid to operate and give a high quality feel, with neat Mercedes-Benz details like the ‘cross’ air vents.

That quality feel is present in the materials too. There’s a soft touch dash covering and most of the plastics feel as though they’ll stand the test of time. Higher grade models get some top quality seat coverings that further add to the upmarket feel. It’s not perfect, though – the sat-nav and infotainment screen could be better integrated – it looks ‘plonked on’ where it is at the moment.

That said, it’s a good system to use. Navigating the menus is as simple as turning one chunky dial and it’s easy to access the features you’ll need. Key information can be displayed in a small screen in the instrument binnacle, so you can keep your eyes on the road more easily.

There are plenty of cubby holes and storage bins for keeping your odds and ends while the big storage compartment between the front seats includes connections for USB devices, phones and iPods so you can keep them out of sight. There’s plenty of room for luggage too, with an ample sized boot and split-folding rear seats for bulky items.

The rear seats themselves offer a reasonable amount of leg room and headroom is adequate, but the tapering roofline means taller passengers will hit the side of their head through twistier roads. That said, access isn’t too bad and that issue won't affect children as much as it does taller adults.

While the cabin is comfortable, well designed and of high quality it can get a little noisy over rough road surfaces, with tyre noise intruding noticeably. There’s a fair bit of noise from the suspension over bumps. It’s not so intrusive that it’s distracting or problematic, but it does detract from an otherwise first rate cabin.

Standard equipment from launch (November 2012):

A-Class models come with stop/start, comfort suspension, electrically adjustable door mirrors, air-conditioning, electric windows, multi-function steering wheel, adaptive braking system, hill start assist, automatic headlights, ABS, attention assist, collision prevention assist, Bluetooth, USB and aux-in and daytime running lights.

SE models add cruciform air vents, leather gear lever, sports seats, 16-inch alloy wheels, artificial leather and cloth upholstery.

Sport trim adds cruise control with speed limiter, chrome twin exhausts, automatic windscreen wipers and 17-inch alloy wheels.

AMG Sport trim models have sports suspension, a dynamic handling package, selective damping, AMG styling, retuned power steering, run-flat tyres, flat-bottomed steering wheel with perforated leather, carbon-fibre look trim, artificial leather trim with red stitching and 18-nch alloy wheels.

Engineered by AMG models come with the seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, lowered suspension, LED tail lights, xenon headlights and diamond pattern radiator grille. 

Child seats that fit a Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

Which car seat will suit you?

Driving Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018)

• Engines range from A180 CDI to A220 d Automatic
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 22–75 mpg

You'd be disappointed if the new A-Class didn’t have the handling to match its bold new look. So Mercedes-Benz has increased body rigidity and fitted multi-link rear suspension. What that effectively means is that the car is agile, balanced and feels nimble through the bends. The steering feels heavy but precise and the driving position – much lower than the old A-Class – suits the new handling.

Unfortunately the ride has suffered as a consequence. It feels unsettled over undulations while it clatters over potholes. Balancing comfort with enjoyable handling is always tricky and the issue can be mitigated somewhat by choosing a base, SE grade or Sport model, which come with Comfort suspension. Cars in AMG Sport trim and above come with a stiffer set up are expected to be more popular.

There are three CDI diesel engines in the range – the A180, A200 and A220. The most efficient of these is the A180 BlueEfficiency manual, which is actually a 1.5-litre Renault engine. If that puts you off don't worry – it’s smooth and offers official fuel economy of as much as 74.3mpg, along with free annual VED thanks to 98g/km emissions. Rather confusingly the automatic version of the A180 diesel isn’t the same engine. Instead it’s a 1.8-litre Mercedes-Benz engine and is less efficient.

The A200 CDI offers a balance of economy and performance so no surprise that it's likely to be the bestseller. It produces 136PS and 300Nm of torque, with emissions of 118g/km when coupled to the smooth seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The diesel line-up is topped off by the A220 CDI, with a slight performance hike over the A200 but without any real hit to the economy. It’s only available with the automatic gearbox though.

The petrol range consists of the A180, A200 and A250, the former two of which are actually the same engine but tuned for different power outputs. Picking between these two comes down to preference, but both have average claimed economy of around 51mpg and emissions between 131g/km and 134g/km.

The pick of the petrol crop is the A250. It produces 211PS along with 350Nm of torque and can sprint from 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds. It makes a characterful burble and on the road it’s pretty versatile, offering a good amount of torque across the rev range. It suits the firm, stiff chassis quite well and is the choice for keen drivers. It is only offered with the dual-clutch automatic - which is generally fairly smooth and can be overridden by the driver with steering mounted paddles. Emissions are 145g/km and combined cycle economy is 45.6mpg. 

In our opinion the A250 AMG SPORT 4MATIC has proved to be the best A Class. The dual clutch transmission is not overwhelmed by the power and torque and never irritatingly hesitates when entering a roundabout or exiting a side street. The handling is fine and acceleration strong. It also grips better than the B220 4MATIC. A far better choice for day to day use than the A45 AMG.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2012 – 2018) Models and Specs

On sale until September 2018

On sale until June 2016

On sale until October 2015

On sale until August 2015

On sale until September 2014

On sale until November 2013

On sale until May 2013

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What to watch out for

Model History

• March 2012: Mercedes-Benz A-Class revealed
• December 2013: Four wheel drive A 250 4MATIC announced
• June 2015: Revised A-Class launched