Mercedes-Benz A-Class Saloon A 250 e AMG Line Premium Plus 8G-DCT auto 4d Owner Review

What a disappointment. The good bits are the looks inside and out - it’s a genuinely good looking car. The tech is also excellent and works well. Unfortunately everything else is well below par. It’s quick, but the hybrid system is unpredictable, with the petrol engine randomly and abruptly kicking in, often in the wrong gear and making an awful racket in the process. The ride is acceptable - but you feel the weight of the batteries - whilst the handling is lumpen and numb. Refinement isn’t brilliant and it kicks up a lot of road noise on top of the rough petrol engine, although it does settle into a reasonable motorway cruise. The worst element however is the interior quality. At 13000 miles, the car makes a riot of squeaks, creaks and rattles from all corners of the interior. Mercedes have had it back and tried to fix the worst of it, but it’s as bad as it ever was and demands the stereo being turned up to distract from all the annoying noises. The alarm regularly sounds at random when the car is locked and it’s suffered a number of loose trim issues. My first experience with Mercedes and it’s put me off the brand for life - not a patch on previous Volvos and Audis for quality and refinement. If you’re tempted, my advice is take a long drive and don’t be seduced by the gloss!