2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Pros: Good ride and handling balance; nicely finished cockpit; projected fuel economy

Cons: Tight rear seat; prices quickly escalate with options

CG Says: The 2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class makes blind-spot alert standard and the MBUX Interior Assistant is now stand-alone option. Mercedes-Benz brought its A-Class compact sedan to American shores for 2019. The A-Class is the smallest and least expensive Mercedes sedan in the US; it joined the CLA-Class and C-Class to round out Mercedes-Benz’s compact-car roster.

Both the A-Class and CLA-Class have standard front-wheel drive, but the CLA rides a slightly different platform and is 3.2 inches longer overall. The C-Class has standard rear-wheel drive and is 5.4 inches longer than the A-Class.

The base A 220 model comes in front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive form, powered by a 188-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired with a 7-speed automated-manual transmission. The high-performance AMG A 35 model has a 302-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and standard all-wheel drive.

Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian/cyclist detection, blind-spot alert, drowsy driver alert system, and Crosswind Assist (a vehicle-stabilization feature that works in gusty conditions).

Available features include park assist, lane-keep assist, evasive steering assist, lane-change assist, and keyless access and starting.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is an impressive entry into the premium compact car segment. It offers decent interior room for its size, a host of high-tech available features, and nicely balanced road manners. As the entry-level “gateway” to Mercedes-Benz ownership, it improves on the CLA-Class in most every way.

2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class