W169 A-Class Facelift

Mercedes-Benz has announced a facelifted A-Class for 2009. The facelift mainly emphasizes on reworking the exterior and make the engine more environmentally friendly. The interior remains the same except the Audio System has been improved to accommodate SD Cards. However, engine efficiency is raised by 9%.

W169 A-Class Edition 10

Mercedes-Benz celebrates 10 years of production of the A-Class with the A-Class Edition 10. Standard equipment comes with 16 inch 7-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, perforated radiator grille painted in matt silver highlights, louvred panoramic roof and black leather interior with diagonally brushed aluminium details. Nothing is especially different. However, there is a special paint colour along with a better deal.

W169 A-Class Sedan/Sports Hatch (Current)

The replacement for the W168 was the W169. Introduced in 2004, the W169 was very different. Build quality was excellent. Dimensions grew in every way, making the car more spacious.

The exterior design of the W169 A-Class was the current theme of Mercedes-Benz; sharp angles and lines, clean crisp creases and muscular wheel fenders. The A-Class also followed this principal. At first sight, the sharp sleak headlights catch your eye. Then, the you see the grille, matte black highlighted in chrome. Very sporty and aggressive front. You then step to the side and the first thing that catches your eye are those sexy AMG 18" alloys(optional). Your eye then glances up and sees the elegant curves and creases. Then, you walk to the back. The rear is equally sporty. The window, tailgate and the rear lights merge to form as one. This is perfected with an elegant spoiler to show sportiness. Sporty, yet tastefully elegant. Available as an option is a louvring sunroof. All this combined, the exterior is striking. On the base Classic model, a matte black grille is featured along with matte black plastic lower skirts. The mirrors are also matte black. The Elegance model features an elegant matte aluminium grille highlighted by chrome accents. It also features body coloured side mirrors and lower body skirts. The Elegance uses 9-spoke alloy wheels. At the top is the Avantgarde model. The Avantgarde uses a smoked grille highlighted with chrome. Lower body skirts and mirrors are body colour. It uses sporty, 5-Spoke alloy wheels.

The interior is fantastic. From the front, the first thing you notice is the superb comfort the seats offer. You then glance around you. The whole interior is designed with TAF(Touch And Feel) in mind. All the keys are designed to be convenient and easy to use. Also, they are designed to feel great to touch. Therefore, all the materials used are chosen with great care. On the Avantgarde edition, both sides of the centre console are flanked by aluminium strips. The Avantgarde is upholstered in sporty Maastricht fabric and Artico Leather. Some might opt for the Elegance model. The Elegance model replaces the aluminium strips with elegant wood trim. The Elegance model is upholstered in Antwerp fabric. Leather is available as an option. On the base Classic version, seats are upholstered in Luxemburg fabric. Trim is removed.
The drivetrain of the A-Class is very advanced. ESP(Electronic Stability Program) is fitted as a standard along with ABS(Antilock Brake System) and BAS(Brake Assist System). This is combined with a Parabolic Rear Axle for improved handling. ASR(Anti Slip Regulation) improves traction control. A Selective Dampening System is also standard. This stiffens the suspension during cornering. When on straight stretches, suspension softens to provide a comfortable ride. 6 engines are offered for the A-Class. This chart should help you understand the classification.

A160 CDI 1.6litre Inline-4 Diesel
A180 CDI 1.8Litre Inline-4 Diesel
A200 CDI 2Litre Inline-4 Diesel
A150 1.5Litre Inline-4
A170 1.7Litre Inline-4
A200 Turbo 2Litre Inline-4 Turbo

The W169 was a great improvement from the previous model. The new A-Class is high in quality and extremely reliable. Styling is aggressive and sporty. It's a fresh design. The W169 was much more profitable than it's predecessor. No longer were they recalled for quality issues. The A-Class is currently looking towards a facelift.

W168 A-Class Sedan/Sport Hatch

The W168 A-Class was a completely new concept. It is a small family car, small, sporty and affordable. It first made it's debut in 1997.
The exterior of the A-Class was given the honours of being the first in the new design trend. The exterior was rounded, curvy, flowing and elegant. The wheels are situated at the furthest ends of the vehicle; longer wheelbase. From the side, an elegant flowing window along with chrome strips adorn the car. At the front, a Tri-Star set within the grille adds a hint of sportiness. The rear is upright and sporty; bright looking tailights an a freshly designed tailgate.
The interior of the W168 is great. No matter what trim level you choose, the quality is excellent. Classic- Metallic-look trim+fabric seats, Elegance- Wood trim+Leather seats, Avantgarde- Aluminium trim+Leather/Sport fabric seats. The interior is designed with convenience and practicality in mind. The most frequently used controls are placed at the higher parts of the console while less frequently used controls are lower down. The rear passengers get plenty of legroom thanks to the relatively long wheelbase. On the down side, by modern standards, the interior is ugly and cluttered. The W168's interior isn't one of the simple, elegant interiors we see today. However, at it's time, it wasn't too bad. Personally, I feel that the interior is best in wood and second best in aluminium. The interior feels quite cheap with the metallic-look plastic. You are paying for a Mercedes-Benz but it feels like sitting in a Toyota.
The technology involved in the car were the newest of it's time. However, it wasn't that great. The infamous "moose test" proved it all. According to the report, the W168 tipped over while avoiding the moose. Also, 2,600 units were recalled. This dealt a devastating blow to the reputation of Mercedes-Benz. Immediately after the "moose test", Mercedes-Benz installed ESP(Electronic Stability Program) and also stiffened the suspension. After these additions, the ride on the W168 wasn't great. It was jittery and uncomfortable. Also, it was also aerodynamically inefficient.

6 engines were offered for the W168 A-Class. Also, a manual and an automatic transmission were offered. This chart should help you understand the classification better.

A160 CDI 1.6Litre Inline-4 Diesel

A170 CDI 1.7Litre Inline-4 Diesel

A140 1.4Litre Inline-4

A160 1.6Litre Inline-4

A190 1.9Litre Inline-4

A210 2Litre Inline-4

Most people didn't like the W168 A-Class. It badly scarred the name for Mercedes-Benz. However, everyone learns from mistakes. Mercedes-Benz realized the problems of the W168 and from these mistakes, developed the W169 A-Class.