Yahoo Autos The 2019 Mercedes A220 Sedan Is America's New Baby Benz
A little over 35 years ago, Mercedes-Benz debuted a new model, the 190. It might have been the company's smallest, cheapest car, but it was one of the most advanced, too. The 190 since morphed into the C-Class, which is bigger and more luxurious than ever, creating room for a new entry-level sedan. Meet the A220 Sedan, the new baby Benz.
Let's take a step back first, though. The A-Class has existed in hatchback form outside the US market since 1997, and in the US, we even got a coupe-ish four-door version of the last-generation A, the CLA. But, this is the first time Mercedes has done a real A-Class sedan, and it reminds us a lot of the old 190.
When it goes on sale later this year, the A220 will be the smallest, cheapest Mercedes available in the US, and the most high-tech. It'll be available with all the active driving assistant features found in larger Mercedes products, and it gets the company's nifty new infotainment system, MBUX.
The new A-Class is about the same size as the 190, too, measuring 179.1 inches long, 70.7 inches wide, and 56.9 inches tall, with a 107.4 inch wheelbase. All of those figures are no more than 5.0 inches more than those of the 190. Back when the 190 was developed, Mercedes was obsessed with aerodynamics, which resulted in the old baby Benz having an impressive 0.33 drag coefficient. The same true with the new A-Class sedan, which has a drag coefficient of just 0.22, the lowest of any car on sale today, Mercedes claims.
Its slippery bodywork reminds us of the new CLS, while the sides resemble the current C-Class. The interior is handsome, too, especially with the optional 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster and infotainment screens (seven-inch screens are standard).
Unlike the 190, the A-Class is based on a front-wheel drive platform, though 4Matic all-wheel drive is optional here. The front suspension uses McPherson struts, while there are two rear-axle configurations-a torsion bar for base front-drive models, and a four-link setup for higher-spec cars. Adaptive dampers are optional, too.
For now, the only engine available in this US-spec A-Class is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission.
If that sounds boring to you, don't worry-AMG is working on two versions of the new A-Class, the A35, which should have around 300 hp, and the A45, which should have over 400. Those sound like more our speed.
Pricing for the A220 hasn't been announced yet, but Mercedes says the car will go on sale towards the end of this year. The 190 did a brilliant job of bringing big Mercedes style, tech, and quality to a compact sedan. The A-Class sedan looks like it'll do a great job of honoring its legacy.
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