2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Review

　　

2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　Can Mercedes-Benz build an affordable entry-level sedan that doesn't seem cut-rate or compromised in some fashion? The brand's previous attempts, such as the CLA, suggested the answer is "no." But the A-Class, which Mercedes introduced just last year, has impressed us by offering a true luxury experience at an affordable price.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class A 220 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$163/mo  for A-Class A 220

　　A-Class A 220

　　A 220 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) (Most Popular) - $32,800 MSRPA 220 4MATIC 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $34,800 MSRPAMG A 35 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $44,950 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　The 2020 A-Class is nothing short of transformative. Why? For one, interior materials quality is top-notch and exceeds anything else in this price range. You also get some of Mercedes' most advanced features. The new MBUX infotainment system, for example, debuted with the A-Class. It's the best in the business and can't even be found on a lot of Mercedes' more expensive models yet.

　　The A-Class also drives like a proper Mercedes. The ride quality is comfortable and composed, and the engine is refined. The standard A 220 is respectably quick, and there's a new, performance-focused AMG A 35 that turns up the performance dial even further. In its attempt to improve upon every past misstep, Mercedes has managed to craft a nearly perfect small luxury car.

　　There are only a few competitors in the subcompact space. The most compelling new rival is the  BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. It's comparable to the A-Class in a lot of ways, including style, performance and price. And, interestingly, Mercedes is rolling out a redesigned CLA for 2020 that's very similar to the A-Class. But considering how much we like the A-Class, it seems likely that it will continue to shine above the rest.

　　Notably, we picked the 2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class as zzdcar' Top Rated Luxury Sedan of 2020. See all of the Top Rated Vehicles on our Best Cars page.

　　

What's it like to live with the A 220?

The zzdcar editorial team purchased a Mercedes-Benz A 220 to test as a part of our long-term vehicle program. We wanted to know what it was like to drive for 12 months and 20,000 miles. Does the A-Class provide an authentic Mercedes luxury experience over the long haul? To learn more, check out our Best Cars, where we cover everything from seat comfort to real-world reliability.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the A-Class drive? We tested the A 220 and found it surprisingly entertaining to drive. It pulls away from stop signs smoothly and silently with almost no delay. It's not as quick as the Audi A3, but overall the Mercedes is punchy. In zzdcar testing, it covered 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds. The dual-clutch transmission is one of the better examples but still exhibits clunky action in traffic.

　　The feel of the brake pedal is immediately intuitive. It's easy to stop smoothly and with confidence from any speed. We also like the A 220's handling. There's more than enough grip thanks to the optional summer tires, and the available all-wheel-drive system can also help get the power down quickly when exiting a turn. Overall composure is excellent.

　　

Comfort

8.5/10

　　How comfortable is the A-Class? Mercedes is out to prove that compact luxury cars can be just as comfortable as their bigger, more expensive siblings. The A-Class leads the charge with a compliant suspension that absorbs most bumps at high or low speeds with ease.

　　The A 220's cabin is thoroughly comfortable as well. There's very little road or ambient noise. The seats are well contoured and agreeable to many body types, though taller drivers might wish for more upper-back support. The system provides plenty of airflow from the fancy-looking turbine-style air vents.

　　

Interior

8.5/10

　　How’s the interior? The driver and front passenger enjoy ample headroom, shoulder and elbow room, which is a pleasant surprise in such a small car. While rear passengers have decent headroom, legroom is a bit tight. Thankfully, the backs of the front seats are sculpted to provide some additional knee room. Outward visibility is OK, but the thick rear roof pillars and small rearview mirrors obscure your rearward view slightly.

　　Mercedes includes a bunch of luxury and technology features in the A 220. Thankfully, they are pretty easy to access and figure out. There's excellent redundancy in the controls, so most drivers should find a suitable way to operate it.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The A-Class is one of the most tech-forward vehicles on the market, small sedan or otherwise. The high-resolution center display responds quickly via touchscreen, buttons or touchpad. The optional Burmester audio system is remarkable for a car in this price class.

　　The voice recognition system interacts with a variety of vehicle systems and supports natural speech detection. We found it easy to activate the system inadvertently, however. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are two USB-C ports. Only some hyperactive electronic driver aids spoil the technological tour de force. Though generally sophisticated, they could be overbearing at times and returned a few false alarms, mostly inaccurate speed limit information, that had us scrambling to turn them off.

　　

Storage

8.0/10

　　How’s the storage? Belying its size, the A 220 can perform most duties you'd ask of a luxury sedan. The trunk is a little narrow, but the split rear seats that fold help make the most of the available space. An abundance of interior storage keeps the clutter to a minimum. The door pockets and a fairly deep center console bin aid those in front, though rear passengers can really only store items in the door pockets.

　　You can probably use an A-Class for kid taxi duty, but it's obviously not ideally suited. The child safety seat anchors are easy to access, but the lack of rear seat space makes for a tight fit if you're rocking a rear-facing child seat.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The A 220 is EPA rated at 28 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is an average figure for an entry-level luxury sedan. On our 115-mile mixed-driving evaluation route, our all-wheel-drive A 220 test car returned just over 29 mpg.

　　

Value

8.5/10

　　Is the A-Class a good value? The A 220 is fairly well equipped from the start. But as is typical for European luxury vehicles, adding desirable option packages can increase the price tag by thousands of dollars. Still, the amount of luxury and technology and overall competent nature of the A-Class make it seem as if you're getting your money's worth.

　　The standard Mercedes-Benz warranty coverage is four years/50,000 miles for both bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage, the norm among its mostly German competition. Roadside assistance coverage is also limited to the warranty period; it used to be unlimited. There's also the option to prepay for scheduled maintenance years in advance at a discounted rate.

　　

Wildcard

8.5/10

　　The A-Class excels at offering the modern Mercedes-Benz experience in simply a smaller package. It's loaded with tech, features and luxury. It's also enjoyable to drive and looks suitably upscale. Mercedes has raised the bar for the entry-level luxury sedan class.

　　

Which A-Class does zzdcar recommend?

While the new AMG A 35 offers riotous acceleration, most buyers will be well served by the standard A 220. The options list is considerable, though there are some good buys here. The Premium package is worth getting because of its keyless entry and upgraded display screens. We're also inclined to recommend the Driver Assistance package for city dwellers — the advanced driving aids are valuable for reducing driver fatigue in heavy traffic.

　　

2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class models

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class comes in two trims: A 220 and AMG A 35. The A 220 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (188 horsepower, 221 lb-ft of torque) that is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel drive is available as an option.

　　The new AMG A 35 uses a similar powertrain, but output from the engine rises significantly to 302 hp and 295 lb-ft. The 4Matic is standard here.

　　Feature highlights for the A 220 include LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, simulated leather upholstery (MB-Tex), and power-adjustable front seats. On the tech front, you get a 7-inch central touchscreen, the MBUX infotainment system, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking is also included.

　　Mercedes offers a few option packages for the A 220. Key ones to look out for include the Premium package (keyless entry, blind-spot monitoring and bigger display screens), a Multimedia package (primarily adds an advanced navigation system), and the Driver Assistance and Parking Assistance packages.

　　Mercedes hasn't released full details on the AMG A 35 yet, but we expect it will come with the Premium package as standard plus restyled exterior elements, a sport-tuned suspension, larger brakes and additional driving modes.

　　Notable stand-alone options for the A-Class include an adaptive suspension, adaptive headlights, leather upholstery, massaging multicontour front seats, a wireless charging pad, a head-up display, and a 12-speaker Burmester surround-sound system.

　　

2020 A-Class Highlights

Type: SedanAMG A 35Sedan

　　Trim: A 220A 220 4MATICAMG A 35A 220

　　

Base MSRP	$32,800
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	28 MPG
Cost to Drive	$163/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	8.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles