Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine review: A thriller of a ride

Before you begin to wonder why this car is called a limousine rather than a sedan, the answer is that in Germany, sedans are called limousines, and what we normally think of as a limousine (a really long sedan) is called a stretch-limousine there. Additionally, it sounds nice as a piece of marketing speak, so there it is – the A-Class Limousine.

At one point, the smallest and cheapest Mercedes-Benz you could buy in India was the A-Class hatchback, but things (and times) have changed, and those who want a three-pointed star but who can’t quite afford a C-Class still want a lot of car for their money – Mercedes-Benz is hoping this car fits that bill nicely.

It’s a good-looking car, too. It’s not as striking as its competition, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, but it’s very elegant and understated – which is what a Mercedes is all about, anyway. The car’s lines sweep backwards in a cohesive and attractive manner, and it looks best when viewed from the side-on angle, with its rather racy roofline and beautifully integrated boot.

Look closely and you’ll see that its alloy wheels have aerodynamic aids between the spokes, which is probably part of the reason that this car has a world record Cd value of 0.22. This car will look good standing in your garage, and will give you some cred when you rock up to a nightclub in it, so that’s a very important aspect taken care of.

Let’s Talk Interiors

Just because it’s an entry-level model doesn’t mean that its cabin has been skimped on—far from it. It’s just as well built and finished as its stablemates, other than the somewhat thin fabric that’s been fitted to the sunroof mechanism. There’s very tasteful wood inserts on the dashboard and the piece de resistance is that spectacular panoramic screen, which doubles up as the instrumentation and the touchscreen infotainment system; it’s very high resolution, extremely responsive and pretty easy to use.

You get the latest version of Merc’s connectivity suite, mercedes me, which brings with it Amazon Alexa and Google voice integration; these are a bit hit and miss, honestly, but I suppose millennials and Gen Z absolutely must have connected tech at all times. The seats are fabulous all round, with great leather used and plenty of space in the cabin; it doesn’t feel like you’re in a ‘small’ Mercedes. Four passengers will find themselves in great comfort, although a 5^th one won’t be too happy over long drives. Up front, the driver has a commanding view of the road, as does the front passenger.

Let’s Talk Performance

You’ll be able to buy this car with one of three engines – a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder turbo petrol, a 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel and the range-topping 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbo petrol in the AMG version. I’ll deal with the smallest engine here, because it’s the most interesting one. You may raise an eyebrow at the idea of such a small capacity engine sitting in a Mercedes, but the 1.3-litre (co-developed with Renault) is an astounding performer.

It makes a very healthy 163 bhp and 250 Nm of torque and, other than a few gruff engine noises making it into the cabin during hard acceleration, it’s refined too, with none of the characteristics of a small, turbocharged petrol engine. In any driving mode – Eco, Comfort or Sport – there’s gobs of motive force available at the press of the accelerator, and turbo lag is non-existent.

At full chat, the A-Class is quite thrilling to drive, and there is plenty of fun. At city speeds, it’s absolutely relaxed and easy to drive, and the 7G-Tronic automatic transmission is crisp and refined, with paddle shifters also available when you feel like a bit of F1-style shifting.

In the ride and handling department, the A-Class is a winner too. It doesn’t get Merc’s AIRMATIC suspension, but what it does come fitted with is enough to smoothen out everything but the biggest craters on the road. Extra-high speed breakers do scrape the underbelly every now and then, but that’s not a deal breaker. The suspension is also a perfect match for the sprightly engine, and you can fling the A-Class around corners with absolute confidence in its adhesion, steering and brakes; suffice to say that it’s a true Mercedes-Benz.

At an expected price of Rs 45 lakh, give or take, the A-Class is indeed a lot of car for the money – and Merc is throwing in a fantastic 8-year warranty, valid across its dealer network and fully transferrable to another owner. It looks stately, it’s beautifully built and appointed, the engines on offer are exceptionally good and it’s fun to drive. What more can you ask of a car?