2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan First Look: Going Global

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan has finally made its debut, and the automaker chose to unveil it in the latest market to receive the compact Benz: the U.S. Once available in other markets outside of North America, the A-Class arrives in the U.S. market exclusively with a trunk. Sorry, hatchback lovers, the A-Class hatch is still forbidden fruit.

In terms of looks, the 2019 A-Class sedan borrows a number of design cues from larger cars like the new-generation CLS-Class. The headlights, for instance, have a similar shape, and the A-Class’ side profile is reminiscent of the larger C-Class. Its grille is an evolution of the old radiator design found on the outgoing A-Class, CLA-Class, and GLA-Class, featuring an embedded three-pointed star flanked by a chrome strip on each side. Dimensionally, the 2019 A-Class is 179.1 inches long, 70.7 inches wide, and 56.9 inches tall. It rides on a 107.4-inch wheelbase.

Initially, only the front-drive A 220 and all-wheel-drive A 220 4Matic will be available when the car goes on sale in late 2018. Under the hood is a familiar 2.0-liter turbo-four paired to a seven-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission also found on the CLA 250 and GLA 250. However, in this application, the engine’s output has been reduced to 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. Expect high-performance AMG models to follow a year or so after the A 220 and A 220 4Matic.

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class will come standard with the new MBUX multimedia system, which features two 7.0-inch screens as standard. If those aren’t big enough, you can opt for two 10.25-inch units. Controls are no longer limited to the touchpad and knob because the center display is now a touchscreen. MBUX also supports car-to-X communication, allowing the A-Class to record events from its sensors and warn drivers of accidents on the route.

A full suite of active safety features will also be available on the 2019 A-Class, including Active Distance Assist Distronic, which reads the route to adjust the car’s speed accordingly to navigate turns safely. Automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and forward collision warning are standard as part of the Active Brake Assist system. Other available active safety tech will include blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, and lane change assist.

Standard features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, 17-inch alloy wheels, a drive mode selector, keyless start, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, and full LED headlights. Like its larger siblings, the 2019 A-Class is available with a long list of options including ambient lighting with 64 colors, a Burmester surround sound system, heated and ventilated front seats, Dynamic Body Control (adaptive dampers), navigation, and a wireless charging pad. Two suspension setups will be offered: front-drive models will feature a McPherson strut setup in front with a torsion beam in the rear, and all-wheel-drive models get a more sophisticated multilink configuration out back.

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class will go on sale in late 2018. Production will take place in two facilities, Mercedes’ own manufacturing plant in Rastatt, Germany, and in the COMPAS (Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes) plant in Mexico. The latter is a joint project with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Daimler, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company, holds a 50-percent share and Nissan holds the other half.

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