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FireFlyz ~ 67
Wheels
0 - 100 km/h : 7.8s
Fuel Consumption : 5.4 liters / 100 km (combined cycle)
Price : RM 205,888
Extras : 4 years unlimited mileage warranty
Fast Facts
car’s settings, car computer, telephone,
Bluetooth and radio functions show up
on the display and are controlled via
the dial on the center console tomake
life easy. Selecting new radio station
frequencies however, is not so straight-
forward with the new interface but it is
not something that one needs to do on a
regular basis.
The supportive sporty semi-bucket
front seats, withmemory function, make
up for those drawbacks, as do themulti-
tude of storage spaces, including nettings
on the front passenger footwell and boot
area, as well as the small drawers hidden
under the front seats.
TheDrivetrain
Power comes courtesy of a turbocharged
1.6L 4-cylinder petrol engine that is good
for 156hp and 250Nmof torque and good
enough to punch its way to 100km/h in
7.8 seconds with the help of an updated
7-speed 7G-Tronic transmission. Speed is
limited to 224km/h.
TheDrive
The A200 sits in themiddle of the
A-Class pack offered locally so it is pretty
middle ground in terms of power and
speediness. Power is applied surely and
smoothly to the wheels via the 7-speed
dual-clutch transmission. The sport
suspension which lowers the car by 15mm
compared to the regular set-up helps the
car track on winding roads.
However, the A-Class is a front wheel
drive so the sporty engagement is less
than its immediate class rival. The stiff
suspension is also not everyone’s cup of
tea, especially on uneven roads. Rough
roads can be felt by the car’s occupants
even at low speeds, leading some to
believe that Mercedes-Benz had the
enthusiastic and youthful driver inmind
as the primary target; one who also will
not mind the engine and road noise
intrusion into the cabin.
On the bright side, steering feedback is
good and the Dynamic Select allows you
to customise the car’s behavior according
to your drivingmood, with Comfort,
Sport, Eco and Individual modes to pick.
The Features
The A200 comes with a host of equip-
ment including seven airbags, Pre-Safe
system, Collision Prevention Assist
Plus (an updated systemwhich can
autonomously apply the brakes to
prevent a rear-end collision if it senses
the driver is not slowing the car enough),
Attention Assist, adaptive brake lights,
cruise control, Active Parking Assist and
rearview camera. It also comes with
Tirefit tire repair kit because there is no
spare.
In Conclusion
The newA-Class helpedmake this pre-
miumbrandmore youthful, bolstering
Mercedes-Benz’s position with a younger,
more aspirational crowd which, in
subsequent years will (hopefully) move
on to the brand’s moremature offerings.
Undeniably, the A-Class can sell itself on
just looks but it’s not for everyone. The
ride quality can be polarizing and it’s
clear that I’mnot the target buyer even if
I were looking for a premiumhatchback.