Top image source.Mercedes Benz "The A Class

Boarding A180 to Itami Airport

I recently wrote an article about the first part of my trial cruise experience with Mercedes Me, and today I would like to finally bring you the second part.

Went to Mercedes me at Grand Front!

The new A-Class was fully remodeled last October. At a quick glance, it was larger than I had imagined. It is said to be 4,420 in length, 1,800 in width, and 1,420 in height.It felt much larger than the Golf.

The headlight design and front grille were also new, giving it the latest Mercedes feel.

I was also shown the trunk, which is quite spacious.Rear seats can be folded down to easily load a golf bag.Yes, it is. I asked him to put in my work bag to see if he could tell how big it was, but it's even harder to tell... (laughs)

Finally, we get into the car. The doors are as you would expect from a German car.It felt very solid to hold and close.Also, when the door is opened, the door projector function(Is that what they call it?)I was also surprised that the logo was illuminated by the

Most surprising of all was the coolness of the interior.

What's with the A-Class interior, it's so cool!

With all due respect, I'd taken the liberty of thinking the A-Class had a cheaper interior with a more plastic feel.It is surprising that this is the standard specification.The digital readouts on the meters are sporty and sophisticated, the 10-inch touch panel has a strong presence and is easy to read, and the overall impression is of a young person's sports car.

In addition, theElectric seat adjustment and even heated front seats are standard.He said.

Amazing...

Another feature that is highly recommended by the staff is the MBUX(Mercedes-Benz User Experience)(at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusionNatural interactive voice recognition.When the user says, "Hi, Mercedes," the device can be operated by voice alone, without the use of hands.

At this time, I asked the driver to set the destination by voice only as a trial, and he was able to do so without any problem. Also, the seat heater can be turned on and off by voice only, but for this, there was no problem with the "It's faster to push the button yourself.He said, "W

In addition, the new model has more buttons on the steering wheel.More functions for simple operation without taking your hands off the steering wheel.Yes, it is. As for cruise control, it could now be operated with only the right thumb, rather than with a lever as before.

I find it convenient that all the controls are completed by the steering wheel.

The car was also packed with safety features, such as a brake hold function useful when waiting at traffic lights and a function that alerts the driver with an audible warning if he or she tries to change lanes when there is an oncoming car in his or her blind spot.

These features allow theDrivers are able to concentrate on driving and achieve a high level of safety.Yes, it is. Well, well, well - it's a Mercedes, indeed.

And finally, the test ride begins.

This time, we decided to take a test drive on the route from Grand Front Osaka to Itami Airport on the Hanshin Expressway. Nervously stepping on the accelerator pedal, I was so surprised that I couldn't help but let out a yelp of surprise.

The gas pedal is so light! And the steering wheel is so light (phew!)!

It was unintentional.The steering wheel, it's so light!I said out loud, "I'm sorry. He said it was so light that he had to be careful not to cut around too much before he got used to it.

The ride is very smooth and smooth. Even on the slope from the underground to the ground level, the car climbed without feeling a lack of power.Engine is a 1.33L turbo engine with 136 horsepowerThe explanation was that it seemed to have more power.

From the Grand Front, I headed toward the entrance of the Hanshin Expressway, and as I passed through the ETC gate, I stepped on the gas pedal with a gulp. Here, too, theThe acceleration was smoother than I expected.

On the highway, it is indeed a German car.The rigidity of the car was high and it was as stable as in town.According to a staff member.

In this Class A, theAccelerator response is improved andIt is so much better. The Mercedes is well made in braking, handling, and acceleration.Safety and comfort are firmly achieved.The company is doing so.
It is the same for all Mercedes models, whether it is the A-Class or the S-Class. Compared to the same grade of other domestic cars, the difference is obvious.

And.

Indeed, the car turned nicely and stably, and braked well when taking curves on the highway.Very well made, even for a compact modelI felt it was a good idea.

The transmission was said to be a 7-speed DCT, but it was so smooth and smooth that I had no idea when it was changing gears.

After a short while on the highway, we got to theI decided to use cruise control to try it out.The buttons on the right side of the steering wheel can be operated simply by lifting them with a flick of the thumb, which is easy to do.

The cruise control function itself was usually smart enough to respond well to side interrupts, but I don't think I felt that much difference from the Golf's cruise control function.

It occurred to me here that "Is there even a sports mode?I asked.

Yes, the modes can be changed from Sport, Comfort, Eco, and Indivisual, so that even the A-Class can enjoy a proper sporty driving experience.But the test ride is in comfort mode only.The first two are the following.

This was the case. I wish I could have experienced a bit about the difference between the Sport and Comfort suspension and how the engine response changes.

In the course of our conversation, I mentioned that I was now driving a MT car, and he said, "You know what?"Please try driving with paddle shifters!I tried driving with paddle shifters to test the system.

The meter display changes from "D" to "M," which is easy to understand, but there is no shift shock and the sound is quiet and smooth.It didn't feel like a sporty driving sensation.I wonder.

In the meantime, we arrived at Itami Airport in no time and decided to return the way we came. There was no time to operate the navigation system without getting stuck at a traffic light, but in such a case, we were able to use theHi, MercedesCue the "+". This feature is still useful.

On the way home, I asked a lot of questions as I was getting a little used to driving.

Q: What kind of people buy Class A?
A: I like the hatchback design.Switching to a domestic car hatchback.is quite a bit.(I hear there are quite a few people switching from L cars)I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that. Of course, there are some who are switching from import hatchbacks. There are also quite a few people who currently own an S-Class or E-Class who purchase an A-Class as an additional foot passenger car that they can drive casually.

Q: How much was the A180?
A: A new car starts at 3.28 million yen, and the A-Class on display in the Mercedes-Mi store has a lot of options, so it's about 4.5 million yen.

Q: Are they selling pretty well?(That's a very rude question.)
A: Yes, thanks to your help, it is selling well. Last I checked, if you order now, you can getDelivery will be in October at the earliest.This was the first time I had heard of this. October at the earliest, so it could be much later. For diesel, though, delivery is relatively quick.

Q: What is the fuel consumption?
A: A15km/L on averageAnd so on!

Q: Class A seems to be popular with wives and women.
A: Yes, I do. However, I would like to point out that women whoGLA more popular than A-ClassI think that there are easier to drive with a slightly higher line of sight, and as a result, many people choose the GLA.

While we were asking questions like these, we arrived at Grand Front Osaka in no time. The cruise lasted less than an hour, but it was a lot of fun.

Incidentally, the A-Class has a(Cannot be operated out of the car like the S-Class)It also had a function that would automatically park the car in the garage. This is amazing. Even those who are not confident in their driving skills can park their cars with confidence.

When we got out of the car at the end of the test drive

Please come and test drive our other models!"

He showed us a variety of other models in person.

If you ask, in all models, you can test drive by yourself instead of sitting in the passenger seat. However, in the high-end lineup models, you can test drive the "Only test ride routes fixed in advance within 3 km"Left-hand drive requires at least six months' experience in Japan.It would be a good idea to check in advance because there are some "I'm sorry, I don't know" etc.

The G-Class also hasBoth conventional and new models are available.So, if you have never driven a G-Class before, you can experience the conventional model first and then test drive the new one to feel the difference. That sounds like fun!

(Above is the conventional G-Class)

After the test drive, we went back to Mercedes Me and finished up by filling out a short questionnaire. They are now offering a half-price option campaign for the A-Class.

I went home with a Class A pamphlet and a magazine featuring the Class C. Incidentally, thisThe C-Class feature was quite voluminous and quite interesting in content.So, I will read it carefully at a later date.

Impressions of Mercedes Me

After using the Mercedes Me trial cruise this time around.It was better than I had imagined and I was very satisfied.Perhaps "theI happened to be lucky enough to get a highway test drive and was allowed to drive for about an hour.I think the big thing is that it's called.

Also, when I go to a dealership for a test drive, I worry about whether I should go unless I am considering buying, or whether I will be bombarded with sales calls afterwards, but this is not the case with Mercedes-Miami.Good to experience Mercedes in a casual way.I thought.

Also, while most dealers are located in the suburbs, Mercedes Me is conveniently located in Umeda, Osaka, so I felt it was a good point to stop by on my way to Osaka.

Impressions after test driving the A180

So, what were my impressions of the A180 after the test drive?Overall excellent and well-made car anyway.I was under the impression that it was a "Mercedes". As one would expect from Mercedes.The high quality and luxury of the interior, the latest safety equipment, the high level of standard specifications, and the high level of driving performance are all well done.

I think it's brilliant.

So, "A180, do you want it?" If you ask me...5 years ago, I would have loved it so much, I would have asked my husband to "Buy it!" I would have asked my husband to buy it.Five years ago, we had an Audi A3 in our home.I was the main passenger.

At that time, I was not a confident driver at all and often rubbed or bumped my car. In those days, I would have been able to drive this Class ASafety equipment, small turning feeling, luxurious interior, and the coveted Mercedes-Benz brand.I must have definitely wanted it in terms of

But time has passed, and now I am... in a car.Driving pleasureOf course, the ride comfort, safety features and interior luxury are appealing, but it's more than that.The feeling of driving by yourself" and "the joy of driving."The weight on the

I prefer a firmer ride.Dashi.I enjoy the feeling of running more if I could hear the engine sound more.I think. So, if I were to choose a Golf with the same car rating today, I would choose the 3 million yen Golf, which is fun to drive, over the 4.5 million yen A-Class with options.

However, driving a variety of cars in this way provides a good opportunity to learn about cars objectively and comprehensively, and to learn about the characteristics of each manufacturer's cars. The Mercedes-Me also has a "Feel free to come for a test drive.He said, "I will definitely go there again.

I encourage everyone to go there.