2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class: Hatchback Vs. Sedan

Which 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class should you buy: the sporty 5-door hatch or A220 or A220 4MATIC 4-door sedan? Here's a closer look at each.

A-Class 5-door Hatchback

The Stuttgart automaker debuted the all-new A-Class in Amsterdam in 2018, looking to raise the bar in the luxury 5-door segment. Aside from the redesign with a lower sportier stance and the completely reworked cabin with free-standing displays, the new A-Class offers consumers a bit more utility and practicality to go with all that luxury you’d expect from Mercedes-Benz.

The fourth-generation A-Class, first introduced in the late 1990s, is redesigned with a compact two-box design with optimized dimensions and proportions compared to the outgoing model. The front hood sits lower for a sportier look, next to flat LED headlamps with chrome elements (MULTIBEAM LED headlamps optional).

2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback
2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Hatchback. Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The longer wheelbase, more upright front, and larger wheel arches should offer a more spirited, planted drive for a compact car that in the past wasn’t known for its ‘sportiness.’ The new A-Class now narrows that gap in the Mercedes-Benz family with a nice little 5-door rocket that finally steps it up.

A-Class 5-door interior

The new interior is what the company is calling ‘avant-garde.’ Sure, but you can decide that for yourself. But the dashboard, divided into two three-dimensional, horizontal sections, does look clean, and the 64 colours (!) of ambient lighting along with air vents in a sporty turbine look help ramp up some of the emotion. 

New tech also finds its way inside, including a new free-stand display offered in 3 versions: 2.7-inch displays, 1.7-inch and 10.25-inch displays, and two 10.25-inch displays.

In Europe and worldwide, orders begin this March 2018, with a market launch later on in spring; Canadians will need to wait until Fall 2018 to drive away in the 2019 A-Class. The US won’t be getting the A-Class hatch.

A-Class 4-door Sedan

Unfortunately for the US, the A-Class hatchback is a Canada-only offering. But if you’re a 4-door fan anyway, it’s all good; the Stuttgart automaker also offers the 2019 A-Class sedan.

The luxury compact sedan finds power from an all-new 2.0L turbocharged inline-4, putting down 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, all paired to a 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission. According to MB, the result is a 4-door offering both power and fuel efficiency.

The A220 and A 220 4MATIC find a decent list of standard features, including a panoramic glass sunroof, premium LED headlamps, and that signature diamond grille.

Unfortunately, other key features, including Blind Spot Assist, navigation, heated steering wheel, and integrated garage door opener, will cost you extra. Granted, this keeps the price of the well-priced, entry-level luxury sedan within reach for a larger pool of shoppers.

2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan
2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan. Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Sitting on either 17-in or 18-inch wheels housed in bold wheel arches, the new Benz flosses a sporty stance with short front and rear overhangs, a low and elongated hood, slimline LED headlamps with chrome element, and flashlight-like LED daytime driving lights.

A-Class sedan interior

Inside, the A-Class sedan strives to offer more space, including “above-average” shoulder, elbow and headroom, and easy rear access. The trunk keeps utility in mind with easier loading duties for more oversized items with a 950 mm-wide opening — fairly large for a sedan of this size.

New MBUX infotainment system

The company calls it Mercedes-Benz User Experience — we call it an infotainment system. Nevertheless, the all-new setup sports a completely new user interface, natural speech recognition, high-resolution touchscreens, a touchpad with haptic feedback, and built-in artificial intelligence that can learn and respond to user behaviour.

At $35k (before taxes/fees), the 2019 A-Class sedan comes at an excellent price point from a brand like Mercedes-Benz. The styling is on-point, the cabin space is ample, and despite missing vital standard features, MB has done a great job putting out a compact 4-door offering value in the premium segment.

2019 A-Class 4-Door key specs (space & cargo):

  • Length/width/height: 4,549/1,796/1,446 mm
  • Wheelbase: 2,729 mm
  • Trunk capacity: 420 litres
  • Headroom front/rear: 1,024/944 mm
  • Elbow room front/rear: 1,457/1,446 mm
  • Shoulder room front/rear: 1,400/1,372 mm
  • Effective legroom front/rear: 1,062/861 mm

The public got a look at the 2019 A-Class sedan in October at the Paris Motor Show, with production beginning at the end of 2018. Dealer deliveries of the new Mercedes-Benz compact sedan began sometime in early 2019.

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Bringing the latest news including release dates, pricing announcements, product updates. With some glossy concepts and special edition rides in the mix.