Mercedes A-Class review - Practicality & boot space
Although bigger than before, the Mercedes A-Class doesn’t quite measure up against some more practical rivals
While sitting and travelling in the front seats of the Mercedes A-Class is a joy thanks to plentiful seat and steering wheel adjustment, rear-seat passengers may find themselves a little cramped and struggling to see out. There’s a reasonable boot on offer but the A-Class is still outclassed on this front by some much cheaper cars. However, like the BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf, the A-Class is available in a range of body styles – you can choose a hatchback or saloon, while the Mercedes GLA SUV and Mercedes CLA are based on the A-Class too.
Mercedes A-Class interior space & storage
There’s more space inside this Mercedes A-Class than in the old car, but not by much. 30mm has been added to the wheelbase (the space between the wheels), but it’s hard to notice as much on the inside.
Rear-seat passengers suffer the most; headroom has improved over the old car, but there’s a high floor to contend with, meaning knees sit high. If you plan to regularly carry adults in the rear – especially over long distances – you’d be better served by a Volkswagen Golf or similarly family-orientated (and cheaper) alternative.
Cabin storage is pretty respectable, though, with a deep central storage bin between the front seats, two cup holders within easy reach and a place to put your smartphone beneath the dashboard. The front door bins are also big enough for sizeable drink bottles, but those in the rear are quite a bit smaller.
Boot space
The petrol A-Class has a 355-litre boot with the seats up, or 1,195 with the standard 40:20:40 split rear seats folded – slightly smaller than an Audi A3 Sportback in either case. However, these figures shrink to 345 litres and 1,185 litres if a diesel engine is fitted. The good news is that the Mercedes’ boot is better shaped than before, with a wider opening that makes loading and unloading large items easier. There’s now space for a set of golf clubs, too.
With a large battery pack fitted, the A 250 e plug-in hybrid will have an even smaller boot, but we don’t have figures for this yet.
Towing
While very few A-Class owners are likely to use their car for towing, Mercedes has provided towing weights for each of the A-Class’ engines. The A 180 and A 200 petrols can manage a braked trailer weighing 1,400kg and 1,600kg in turn. The A 200 d diesel model can also manage a 1,600kg braked trailer, which is quite a bit for the class and means it could, in theory, haul a medium-sized caravan.
