Premium enough, practical enough and good-looking in black. The A200 Night Edition just forgets to be fun.
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Premium enough, practical enough and good-looking in black. The A200 Night Edition just forgets to be fun.
These days, the hatchback segment is a strange little corner of the new-car market. Bakkies and SUVs seem to get all the attention, but there’s still a case for the compact premium hatch, which does pretty much everything you need without making you feel like you are missing out.
I’m biased here. I drive a 2017 BMW 120i, the last RWD 1 Series, and I’ve always rated the formula: small enough to be effortless in daily traffic, comfortable enough for a long trip, and this is the part that really matters, it still feels like a car, not a shrunken SUV in a hatchback’s clothes. So, climbing into the Mercedes-Benz A200, there’s one thing I wanted to find out. Does it hold up against the standard I’ve set for myself, or is this segment losing the plot?
No, it isn’t. The A200 is one Mercedes-Benz entry-level model that refuses to die despite the masses moving towards high-riding crossovers and SUVs, and clearly there are still people out there who would choose an A-Class over anything. And I am glad it’s still around. The Night Edition adds a darkened aesthetic to this specific tester, which also works in its favour. The blacked-out details give the A200 a sportier stance than you might expect from what is, after all, an entry-level Mercedes-Benz.
The A200’s 1.3-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol makes 120kW and 270Nm, sent to the front wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch. It won’t pin you into your seat, but it has enough shove for everyday driving and slower traffic without much effort. More importantly, it’s a comfortable car. The ride is composed, and it settles happily into either a daily commute or a longer trip. There is one thing to be aware of, though, and it’s the front end that sits quite low. Speed bumps, particularly the less-than-giving ones, require a skewed approach if you don’t want to scrape the front lip.
The gearbox is also where things get less polished. First gear hangs on for too long when pulling away, which makes the A200 feel hesitant in traffic. There’s also a slight roll on pull-off, small, but it’s enough to ruin a clean pull-away. It doesn’t ruin the driving experience, but it takes some getting used to. At slow speeds, the engine and gearbox occasionally feel like they’re still feeling each other out.
Inside, the A200 feels premium enough, though it doesn’t take long to work out where it sits in the hierarchy. There’s less occasion here than in a C-Class, which is primarily down to the materials and touchpoints. The seats, though, are comfortable, the driving position is good and, importantly for me, there’s enough room for my family of four.
If there is one thing I still don’t quite understand, it’s that sizeable tunnel running through the middle of the rear floor. Isn’t the A200 front-wheel drive? A quick bit of research revealed that the MFA2 platform it sits on is designed to accommodate both front-wheel drive and 4Matic, so the tunnel remains whether your particular car actually needs it or not. And, unfortunately, the middle passenger pays for it. It eats into the available legroom, much like it does in my rear-wheel-drive 120i. It isn’t a deal-breaker, but when you’re carrying a family, these little compromises are noticeable.
At R899,774, this car is pricey… particularly for an A200. An Audi A3 Black Edition undercuts it at R834,500, and a BMW 118 M Sport comes in cheaper still at R753,396. Then again, nothing wearing a three-pointed star is really affordable these days. The bigger question is whether it’s easy to live with once the new-car excitement wears off, and in that regard, it makes a good case for itself. You’re paying a premium for the badge, but you get a car that fits neatly into everyday life.
For me, the most noticeable shortcoming is the lack of that fun factor. My F20 120i is older, sure, but considering it plays in the same segment, I can say that it’s considerably more fun to drive. I know I’m probably being biased here, and it’s not exactly comparing apples to apples, but isn’t the point of still owning a premium(ish) hatchback to have fun driving it? Just a thought…
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