2018 Mercedes A-Class officially unveiled in Amsterdam [Update]

Update - New image gallery added at the end of the story with 25 images showing the exterior and interior in detail.

Mercedes-Benz has officially unveiled the 2018 Mercedes A-Class at an event in Amsterdam. The company will start taking orders for the car in first markets next month.

The Mercedes A-Class has entered its fourth generation with the latest lifecycle makeover. The compact hatchback's proportions have not changed much, but the sharper element at the front and rear have made the design much more dynamic now. Gone are the curvaceous headlamps and tail lamps, and in their place, are slim flat headlamps inspired by the Mercedes Concept A Sedan and slim two-section tail lights. The increased dynamism is further emphasised by a more heavily sloping bonnet.

The interior of the 2018 Mercedes A-Class is a lot more sophisticated and modern than that of its predecessor. There’s no cowl above the cockpit in the redesigned model, and as a result, the wing-shaped main body of the dashboard extends from one front door to the other seamlessly.

The dashboard is divided into two 3D, horizontal sections. Its lower section, separated from its main body by a “trench”, appears to float. Enhancing this floating effect is ambient lighting available in 64 colours. The illuminated five round air vents are inspired by a jet aircraft turbine. The dual-display setup has made it to the smallest Mercedes-Benz now, with a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch central display. The BMW 1 Series rival features a colour head-up display as well now.

The fourth-gen Mercedes A-Class is the three-pointed star’s first model to feature the new infotainment system - MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience). The system's unique feature is its ability to learn, thanks to artificial intelligence. It is customisable and it adapts to suit the user, creating an emotional connection between the vehicle and the driver. Mercedes-Benz says that its highlight is the comprehensive touch operation concept - the combination of a touchscreen, a touchpad on the centre console and touch control buttons on the steering wheel. It also features new LINGUATRONIC voice control, which the driver can activate by the words “Hey Mercedes”.

Another highlight of the 2018 Mercedes A-Class is that it is able to drive semi-autonomously. The car uses an improved camera and radar systems that allow it to see up to 500 m ahead for this. It makes use of map and navigation data also for assistance functions.

The 2018 Mercedes A-Class is 4,419 mm long, 1,796 mm wide and 1,440 mm tall. It has a 2,729 mm wheelbase. The compact hatchback offers 370 litres of boot space - 29 litres more than its predecessor. Comfort has increased for the passengers with the following interior improvements:-

Mercedes-Benz will offer the 2018 Mercedes A-Class in three engine variants at launch, or shortly afterwards - A 200, A 250 and A 180 d.

The A 200 is powered by the new M 282 1.33-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with cylinder shut off. It offers 11% higher output compared to the previous 1.6-litre engine. Developed in cooperation with Renault, it is produced at the Kolleda plant in Thuringia, Germany. The A 250 is powered by the new M 260 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that is essentially a further development of the previous M 270. It offers 6% higher output compared to its predecessor. This engine’s production also takes place at the Kolleda plant. The A 180d employs the new OM 608 diesel engine, which is based on the OM 607 unit. This engine, also co-developed with Renault, offers 5 kW (6.70 hp) more than its predecessor.

The 2018 Mercedes A-Class’ production will take place at five plants, beginning with the Rastatt plant in Germany, and then in Hungary, Finland, Mexico and China. Production at the other plants will commence this year itself.

2018 Mercedes A-Class - Specifications

2018 Mercedes A-Class - Image Gallery (Live Images)