Girl of the Week: April 29th-May 5th 2019 – Engelen Naoko & Mercedes-Benz

The A200 AMG Line and is one of four variants of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class facelift launched in early 2016 (counting the performance-oriented AMG A45) catering to different budgets and preferences. The AMG kit gives A200 sporty-looking bumpers and side skirts as well as 18” AMG alloy wheels. The AMG-style diamond grille with chrome pin pattern, redesigned LED high performance headlights (with adaptive high beam assist) and tail lights and lowered sport suspension give it a more aggressive and dynamic appearance.
With the sleeker profile, the new A-Class is more hot hatch than micro MPV. Headroom has been compromised but it’s wider and longer than the 2nd generation. However, the extra cozy feel of the 3rd generation’s cabin makes seating 3 adults in the rear extremely intimate. The seats are a combination of Dinamica and Artico leather with red stitching, matching it to the front armrest and door cards. This red stitching and silver accents help break up the monotony of the black interior; the dashboard wears a carbon-fiber finish on its face to add visual texture. Circular air vents, 8” floating color display and a flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel turn what used to be a soccer mom ride into a youthful one. The essential buttons are easy to reach and duplicated on the steering wheel controls. The Dynamic Select driving modes, car’s settings, car computer, telephone, Bluetooth and radio functions show up on the 8″ display and are accessed through the dial on the center console to make life easy. The only drawback is the complicated steps involved in selecting new radio station frequencies, but thankfully this isn’t something you need to do regularly.
The sporty semi-bucket front seats, with memory function, are supportive and comfortable for the most part. There is also a variety of storage spaces, including nettings on the front passenger footwell and boot, as well as the small drawers under the front seats. Rear cargo space is an acceptable 340 liters, large enough for a some grocery bags or weekend excursion luggage. The rear seats split 60:40 to accommodate larger items and the center armrest has access to the boot
The A200 uses a turbocharged 1.6L 4-cylinder petrol engine that’s also available in the A180, but tuned for more power – 156 hp and 250 Nm of torque. A 0 – 100km/h sprint takes 7.8 seconds, aided by an updated 7-speed 7G-Tronic transmission. Top speed is limited to 224 km/h. The power gets to the wheels smoothly via the dual clutch gearbox ensuring that you still have fun. in the middle of the A-Class pack offered locally so it’s 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 paddle shifters allow for quick downshifts for a more spirited drive. The sport suspension lowers the car by 15mm and helps with stability on winding roads.
However, the stiffer suspension might not be to everyone’s taste especially if you’re tasting a lot of our amazing urban roads. Road roughness does travel to the occupants’ bottoms even at low speeds but it isn’t jarring enough to knock out the dental fillings. There is also some engine and road noise intrusion into the cabin but what’s youth without some noise?
On the bright side, the steering wheel feels good in the hands and it provides good feedback. Dynamic Select (with Comfort, Sport, Eco and Individual modes) allows you to customize the car’s behavior according to your driving mood.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a subcompact executive car (subcompact in its first two generations) produced by the German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. The first generation (W168) was introduced in 1997, the second generation model (W169) appeared in late 2004 and the third generation model (W176) was launched in 2012. The fourth generation model (W177), which was launched in 2018, will mark the first time the A-Class is offered in the United States and Canada. This fourth generation A-Class will also be the first to be offered both as a hatchback (W177) and sedan (V177).
Originally produced only as a five-door hatchback in 1997, the second generation W169 introduced a three-door hatchback. In the markets where the A-Class is or has been sold, it has represented the entry level model for Mercedes-Benz. Having grown by 68 cm (27 in) since the original model, the 2012 third generation A-class was longer than the first-generation B-class. And although sometimes referred to by fans as the ‘Baby Benz’, Mercedes themselves actually use that moniker for the 1982 Mercedes 190 (W201), their first compact executive car model.