*TOP image source: Mercedes Benz “The A Class”

Driving the A180 to Itami Airport

I wrote the first part of my experience with the Mercedes me trial cruise the other day, and today I’m excited to share the second part.

グランフロントのメルセデス・ミー（Mercedes me）に行ってきた！

The new A-Class had a full model change last October. At first glance, it looked bigger than I expected. Its length is 4,420 mm, width 1,800 mm, and height 1,420 mm, but it felt considerably larger than a Golf.

The headlight design and front grille shape are also new, giving off that unmistakable modern Mercedes vibe.

I also got a look at the trunk, which is quite spacious. With the rear seats folded down, you can easily fit golf bags. To give a sense of size, I had them put in my work bag, but that probably made it even harder to visualize… (laughs)

Finally, I got inside the car. As expected from a German car, the doors felt solid both when held and when closed. Also, when you open the door, the door projector function (I think that’s what it’s called?) lights up the logo, which was a nice surprise.

But what really amazed me was how stylish the interior was.

What’s going on? Is the A-Class interior really this cool?! (ﾟдﾟ)

I had assumed, perhaps unfairly, that the A-Class would have a more plastic-y, cheap-feeling interior, but to learn this is the standard specification was truly surprising. The digital meter display is sporty and refined, the 10-inch touchscreen is prominent and easy to see, and overall it gave me the impression of a sporty car for young drivers.

Also, electric seat adjustments and front seat heaters come standard.

Impressive…

One feature the staff highly recommended was the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) natural voice recognition system. You say “Hi, Mercedes” and can operate the car by voice alone, without using your hands.

At this time, I tried setting a destination by voice only, and it worked perfectly. You can also turn the seat heaters on and off by voice, but they joked that “it’s actually faster to just press the button yourself.” (laughs)

Also, from this model onward, more buttons have been added to the steering wheel, making it easier to operate controls without taking your hands off the wheel. Even the cruise control is now operated with just your right thumb instead of a lever.

Having all controls accessible from the steering wheel is very convenient.

There are also safety features like brake hold for when you’re stopped at a light, and warnings that alert you with a sound if there’s a vehicle in your blind spot when you try to change lanes.

Thanks to these features, drivers can focus on driving with a high level of safety. Truly impressive—Mercedes at its best.

And now, the test drive begins.

This time, the route was from Grand Front Osaka to Itami Airport via the Hanshin Expressway. Nervously, I pressed the accelerator, and I couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

The accelerator is light! And the steering is incredibly light (ﾟдﾟ)!

I blurted out, “The steering is super light!” loudly. Because it’s so light, they warned me to be careful not to oversteer until I get used to it.

The ride was very smooth and glided along. Even climbing the ramp from underground to ground level, I didn’t feel any lack of power. The engine is a 1.33L turbo with 136 hp, but it felt like it had more power.

Heading from Grand Front to the Hanshin Expressway entrance, I pressed the accelerator hard after passing through the ETC gate. Again, the acceleration was smoother than I expected.

On the highway, as expected from a German car, the car felt rigid and stable, just like driving in the city. According to the staff:

With this A-Class, the accelerator response has been improved and is very good. Mercedes carefully engineers the brakes, handling, and accelerator to ensure both safety and comfort. This applies to all Mercedes models, whether it’s the A-Class or the S-Class. Compared to similarly priced domestic cars, the difference is clear.

Indeed, even when taking curves on the highway, the car handled smoothly and stably, and the brakes worked well. Even as a compact model, it’s very well made.

The transmission is a 7-speed DCT, and gear changes were so smooth I couldn’t even tell when they happened.

After driving on the highway for a while, I decided to try the cruise control. It was easy to operate by flicking the button on the right side of the steering wheel with my thumb.

The cruise control itself was smart and responded well to cars cutting in from the side, but I didn’t notice much difference compared to the Golf’s cruise control.

I asked, “Is there a sport mode too?” and they said:

Yes, you can switch between Sport, Comfort, Eco, and Individual modes, so you can enjoy sporty driving even in the A-Class. However, the test drive was only in Comfort mode.

I wish I could have experienced how the suspension and engine response differ between Sport and Comfort.

During our conversation, I mentioned I currently drive a manual transmission car, and they encouraged me to “try driving with the paddle shifters.” So I gave it a shot.

The meter display switched from “D” to “M,” which was easy to understand, but there was no shift shock, the sound was quiet, and it was so smooth that it didn’t really feel like a sporty driving experience.

Before I knew it, we arrived at Itami Airport and turned back the way we came. I didn’t get caught at any traffic lights, so I didn’t have time to operate the navigation, but that’s when “Hi, Mercedes” came in handy. This feature really is convenient.

On the way back, as I got more comfortable driving, I asked a few questions.

Q: Who typically buys the A-Class?
A: Many people who like the hatchback design and are switching from domestic hatchbacks (there are quite a few switching from L-class cars too). Of course, some switch from imported hatchbacks as well. Also, some current S-Class or E-Class owners buy the A-Class as a casual second car.

Q: How much is the A180?
A: Starting at 3.28 million yen new, but the A-Class on display at Mercedes me has quite a few options, so it’s around 4.5 million yen.

Q: Is it selling well? (Sorry for the blunt question)
A: Yes, thankfully it is. When I last checked, even if you order now, the earliest delivery is October. So it could be later. Diesel models tend to have quicker delivery.

Q: What’s the fuel economy like?
A: About 15 km/L on average.

Q: The A-Class seems popular with wives and women too?
A: Yes, but I think the GLA is even more popular with women. They prefer a slightly higher driving position, so many end up choosing the GLA.

Before I knew it, we were back at Grand Front Osaka. The cruise lasted just under an hour and was a lot of fun.

By the way, the A-Class also has an automatic parking feature you can operate from inside the car (unlike the S-Class, it can’t be controlled from outside). That’s amazing. Even people not confident in parking can do so with peace of mind.

After the test drive, when I got out of the car,

“Please come try other models as well!”

I was shown various other models.

I learned that for all models, you can test drive by driving yourself rather than as a passenger. However, for luxury models, there are restrictions like predefined test routes within 3 km and at least six months of domestic experience required for left-hand drive cars, so it’s best to check in advance.

Also, for the G-Class, both the old and new models are available, so if you haven’t driven a G-Class before, you can try the old one first, then the new one to feel the difference. That sounds like fun.

(Above is the old G-Class)

After the test drive, I returned to Mercedes me, filled out a short survey, and finished. They’re currently running a half-price option campaign for the A-Class.

I took home an A-Class brochure and a magazine featuring the C-Class. By the way, the C-Class feature was quite substantial and looked really interesting, so I plan to read it thoroughly later.

Thoughts on Mercedes me

Using the Mercedes me trial cruise, I found it better than I imagined and very satisfying. I think a big part of that was luckily getting to drive on the highway for about an hour.

Also, when you go to a dealer for a test drive, you might worry “If I’m not seriously considering buying, is it rude to go?” or “Will they bombard me with sales calls afterward?” But with Mercedes me, none of that happens, and it’s great to be able to casually experience Mercedes.

Dealerships are often located in the suburbs, but Mercedes me is conveniently located in Umeda, Osaka, so it’s easy to stop by when you’re in the city, which is another plus.

Impressions of driving the A180

So, what did I think of the A180? It left the impression of being a well-rounded, excellently made car. As expected from Mercedes, the interior quality and luxury, the latest safety features, the high level of standard equipment, and driving performance are all very well done.

Truly impressive.

If you ask me, “Do you want an A180?”… Five years ago, I would have loved it and begged my husband to buy one. Back then, we had an Audi A3, which I mainly drove.

At that time, I had no confidence driving and often scratched or bumped the car. For someone like me then, the safety features, nimbleness, luxurious interior, and the dream Mercedes brand would have made me want it for sure.

But time has passed, and now I look for driving enjoyment in a car. Of course, ride comfort, safety features, and a luxurious interior are attractive, but I value the feeling of driving and fun behind the wheel more.

I prefer a firmer ride and like to hear more engine sound to feel the driving experience. So if I were choosing a car in the same class now, I’d pick a fun-to-drive Golf for around 3 million yen over a 4.5 million yen A-Class with options.

Still, trying various cars lets you objectively and comprehensively understand their characteristics and the strengths of each manufacturer. The Mercedes me staff said, “Please feel free to come test drive again,” so I definitely want to go back.

Everyone, I highly recommend you give it a try!