Introduction

Mercedes-Benz India’s sales exploded in 2013 and the surge has a lot to do with the German brand making its vehicles more appealing to younger buyers. By introducing cars like the A-Class and the B-Class, Mercedes managed to bury its conservative image and create a new breed of entry-level premium vehicles for value-sensitive young customers.

A year later, both these vehicles continue to perform well in their respective segments. The A-Class, in particular, was a real game changer for Mercedes-Benz India when it first arrived. While its ability to please most of the younger lot is a big plus for the brand, the A-Class (the diesel variants especially) indeed pleads for a better-equipped interior. With the new limited run A-Class Edition 1, Mercedes hopes to amplify its premium hatchback’s appeal in the value-conscious entry- level premium segment.

Exterior

Globally, Mercedes likes to celebrate the launch of a new car by introducing a special ‘Edition 1’ version of it. The brand, in the past, has sold Edition 1 versions of the CLA, the GLA and the A45 AMG. For the Indian market, however, Mercedes has launched the A-Class Edition 1 with all the essential upgrades the standard A-Class diesel always needed. Speaking of essentials, the Edition 1 benefits from a higher ground clearance and the upshot of this is that the car sits a bit higher off the ground compared to the standard A-Class.

Give it a fleeting glance or two and you will notice the new alloy wheels and the ‘Edition 1’ lettering on the sides. The new 5-spoke Tremolite Grey (as Mercedes calls it) alloys are particularly sporty. While the design is very similar to the ones found on the standard A-Class, the dull grey finish goes well with the Cirrus White paint on our test car. Other differentiating design elements include glossy black wing mirrors and Edition 1 decals which run alongside the entire wheelbase of the car.

Besides these upgrades, there’s very little to distinguish the Edition 1 from the standard A-Class range. The rest of the car, in fact, remains unchanged for the good. The low-slung sporty stance is still there, so is the striking pair of LED headlights and tail-lights. Mercedes reckons everyone loves the A-Class’ diamond radiator grille and yet, it doesn’t offer this distinctive visual treatment as standard, which is disappointing really because the diamond-studded grille flanked by the LED headlights lend the front a very aggressive stance. The BMW 1 -Series – despite its wide, hunkered-down stance – looks dull in comparison and doesn’t leave as good an impression as the A-Class.

Interior

Going by the tradition with all recent Mercedes models, the interior of the A-Class is really well done. The dashboard is dominated by high-quality soft surfaces and a leather-like material which is accented with contrast stitching. The existing A-Class diesel range is not exactly feature-rich, which may be the reason why Mercedes opted to offer the Edition 1 only with diesel power.

Feature-wise, the interior of this new model is vastly improved and the cabin now feels like a legitimate luxurious place to be in. For starters, Mercedes has fitted panoramic glass sunroof, a reversing camera and electrical adjustment for the front passenger seat; all of which are missing in the regular A180 CDI. The instrument panel also sees a minor revision with the addition of a gear shift indicator.

Oddly enough, the Edition 1 misses out on climate control and parking sensors at both front and rear; features, Mercedes should have included in the first place. Even the fixed tablet-like screen for the COMAND infotainment system is smaller than the petrol-powered A-Class.

The interior, otherwise, remains unchanged meaning it’s spacious enough only for four occupants. While the seats themselves are remarkably comfortable, there’s isn’t much space to move around. Visibility all around, too, is compromised a bit by portly A-pillars and a high window line. All in all, the cabin is adequately spacious for urban commutes or a short weekend getaway. Any longer and things get a bit tiring especially if you have got a load of occupants on board; having said that, the A-Class still fares better than the BMW 1 -Series when it comes to absolute luxury and the feel-good factor. Although both these premium hatchbacks have received criticism for placing style over substance, it’s the 1- Series which feels more spacious inside largely thanks to the greater rear headroom and slightly larger windows, and it features a bigger boot as well. Ultimately, the A-Class fights back with its generous equipment list, representing better value of the two.

Engine

Mercedes-Benz India has made no changes to the engine or the drive-train of the A-Class Edition 1. The car continues to be powered by a 2143cc, four-cylinder diesel engine. This is the same power-plant that Mercedes fits in its B-Class, C-Class, E-Class and ML-Class. Now this may not sound very fair to owners of other Mercedes models, but the difference here lies in the hardware and the overall tuning. Beneath the hood of the A-Class, this 2.2-litre diesel unit is offered in the least state of tune – 107bhp of power and 250Nm of torque, to put it in numbers.

While some might be put off by the displacement to horsepower ratio, the turbocharged four-cylinder unit is impressively quiet and smooth. Like all diesel engines, it is tuned to offer punchy midrange performance, which means there’s always more than enough grunt for quick overtaking manoeuvres.

To get the most out of the engine, the A-Class is equipped with Mercedes’ 7G-DCT dual clutch gearbox. It’s a 7-speed automatic unit that delivers jerk free and very smooth shifts. As for the speed of the shifts, the gearbox isn’t bad, but it’s a little slow on the upshifts. Those looking for performance equivalent to BMW’s stellar ZF 8-speed gearbox will have to look elsewhere.

While the A-Class is no match for the BMW 118d and its 2-litre turbo diesel engine producing 143bhp and 320Nm, one can be sure that it is powerful enough for most driving conditions.

Ride and Handling

Despite its suspension setup being altered to offer a comfortable ride on varied Indian road conditions, the standard A-Class’ ride is fully on the stiffer side. The suspension doesn’t even take moderately bad roads too well. Having taken this into consideration, Mercedes India decided to tweak the suspension further with the A-Class Edition 1, and the results indeed are commendable.

The ride comfort on the A-Class Edition 1 is much better and the suspension now takes on big jolts without letting out any form of unnerving clunks. A welcome upgrade from Mercedes-Benz India is the additional ground clearance which comes in real handy over big speed bumps.

Despite the softened suspension setup and a marginally higher stance, the A-Class remains among the best handling Mercedes models currently on sale in India. The steering weighs in very well with speed and despite its front- wheel- drive architecture; it’s as good, if not better, to drive as the 1 -Series. There is a bit more body roll than before as a result of the higher ground clearance but it’s still negligible and doesn’t hamper the dynamic abilities of the A-Class.

The rear- wheel- drive 1 -Series, on the other hand, is a better bet for those who always prefer to take the wheel themselves. In fact, on a properly winding y piece of road filled with crests and bumps, the1 -Series just feels a little more rewarding to drive with its sharper steering and better body control. The downside to this is the slightly fidgety ride quality over rough ground when compared to the A-Class.

Verdict

Even with the substantial list of upgrades, the A-Class Edition 1 isn’t as powerful or doesn’t feel as spacious as its arch rival – the BMW 1 -Series. But it might well be more likable of the two among first- time premium car buyers. Great to look at, fun to drive and armed with worthy upgrades, this new limited edition model has ironed out quite a few shortcomings of the standard A-Class.

At Rs 27.90 lakh (ex-showroom), the A-Class Edition 1 comes in at a premium of just Rs 80,000 over the model it’s based on – the A180 CDI. Factor in stylish design, distinctive interiors and sporty road manners and the A-Class Edition 1 looks in a good position to compete with its nearest rivals including the new A3 – Audi’s entry-level luxury sedan that will arrive early next month.