Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2015-2017) interior
The Mercedes A-Class’ interior’s minimalist design looks nice, but the quality of the plastics isn’t up to Mercedes’ usual standards and the infotainment’s tricky to use
Style
Look at the trio of racy air vents in the middle of the A-Class’ dashboard and you’d think you’re in a sports car – even the steering wheel with its Mercedes badge looks like it belongs in something more exclusive than a family hatchback. These racy first impressions don’t last, however – there are loads of dated-looking buttons below the stuck-on-looking infotainment screen, for example, and it’s just not as classy as the Audi A3’s cabin. The top of the Mercedes’ dashboard is clad in posh soft-feeling plastics, but those around the centre console feel cheap – and the way the tops of the doors don’t quite line up with the edges of the dashboard will forever annoy you once you’ve noticed it.
The feeling of overall quality is somewhat below what you’d find in bigger Mercedes models – flop down the centre armrest in the A-Class and chances are the cubbyhole in the centre console will pop open from the vibration.
The A-Class, despite an update in 2015, still lacks a digital screen in place of its analogue dials like the Audi A3, so the only real lift the cabin gets comes from technology in the form of multicoloured ambient lighting around the doors and centre console – and there are 12 colours to choose from using the infotainment screen.
The A-Class infotainment system looks like Mercedes has nailed an iPad to the top of the dashboard, and it’s also a pain to use
- Used
- £8,850
Infotainment
Watch our Mercedes A-Class infotainment and interior review
All A-Class models come with a colour infotainment screen plonked on the dashboard – it looks removable, but isn’t. Entry-level SE models get a seven-inch screen and all other models get an eight-inch version. It’s easy to operate on the move thanks to the rotary knob on the centre console – you simply twist it, bop it in four directions or push it like a button to navigate menus. The infotainment system itself is a bit slow, however, especially when scrolling through long lists, and the menus aren’t laid out that logically.
Sat-nav is optional on all but the highest-spec A-Classes and it’s not worth the extra outlay – Apple CarPlay is standard on all models and the ability to mirror Apple Maps to the car’s infotainment screen makes Mercedes’ optional, old-looking Garmin sat-nav somewhat redundant. Apple CarPlay also integrates Spotify, podcasts and Siri, so you can send and listen to text messages without taking your eyes off the road using voice controls.
Only if you’re an Android phone user should you pay £995 to upgrade the infotainment to the Comand Online system, which – as well as adding the Android Auto smartphone mirroring system – gives you 3D maps, online services, internet radio and the ability to send Google Maps routes to the car. Buying an iPhone would actually be cheaper than speccing an A-Class so that it can mirror your Android phone’s screen.
Like your music? Well, the basic speaker system in the A-Class is okay, but it can sometimes be hard to hear vocals – you can cure this by spending £680 on the bassier and clearer Harmon Kardon surround sound system.
- Used
- £8,850