Mercedes A-Class saloon - MPG, running costs & CO2

A slippery shape and Mercedes' latest engines make the A-Class saloon surprisingly affordable to run. The tapered tail of a saloon shape has better aerodynamics than the near-vertical boot of a hatchback, and engineers have spent many hours testing and adapting the A-Class saloon in the wind tunnel. The result is a minimum drag coefficient of just 0.22Cd, only slightly less slippery than the 0.20Cd of Mercedes’ own EQS electric luxury saloon.

Mercedes A-Class saloon MPG & CO2

There are a wide range of engines available, unsurprisingly shared with the regular A-Class hatchback. Petrol buyers have three to choose from; the A 180, A 200, and the A 35 AMG. The diesel is badged A 200 d, along with the A 250 e plug-in hybrid.

The A 180 and A 200 are different versions of the same 1.3-litre petrol engine, and both return up to 48.7mpg with the now standard-fit seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. We’d recommend the A 200 to private buyers, even if it is a little more expensive than the A 180. The old A 250 has been dropped from the lineup, while the potent AMG-tuned A 35 delivers up to 34mpg on the combined cycle. With an eight-speed dual-clutch auto the diesel returns up to 57.7mpg combined, but with a higher list price than the A 200 petrol and with diesel costing more than petrol at the pumps, we’d recommend it only for higher-mileage drivers who are more likely to benefit from marginal fuel savings.

Choosing one of the AMG Line trims unlocks the plug-in hybrid A 250 e. By adding an electric motor to the 1.3-litre petrol engine, it promises up to 51 miles of electric range and CO2 emissions of just 19g/km – compared to 128g/km and 132g/km for the most efficient diesel and petrol models respectively. As such, the plug-in hybrid offers very low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax for company-car drivers.

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Petrol and diesel A-Class saloons attract road tax at the standard VED rate each year, with the PHEV model incurring the discounted rate. Tick a few too many option boxes though and you may push the price of some models above the £40,000 barrier, at which point the additional surcharge is added in years two to six.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups for the A-Class Saloon start at 20-21 for the A 180, rising to 23-24 for the A 200 and A 200 d. Unsurprisingly, the high-performance AMG A 35 is higher still in groups 36 and 37 depending on specification, but insurance groups haven’t yet been confirmed for the plug-in hybrid A 250 e.

Warranty

The manufacturer's warranty lasts for three years, but unlike rival brand Audi, there's no cap on the mileage you can accrue in that time. For this period you'll also have the peace of mind of being covered by Mercedes Roadside Assistance should any faults crop up.

Servicing

Mercedes offers a 'ServiceCare' plan that covers the cost of servicing and can be paid for monthly, with flexible durations to suit customers. Around £30 a month can cover two services over two years, three services over three years or four services over four years.