Mercedes-AMG A 45 review - Interior & comfort
The A45 S has a classy interior but it struggles to justify the car’s price
Of course, the focus of a hot hatch isn’t really the interior, but the A-Class does have one of our favourite cabins of any hatchback on sale, and that’s of course true of the AMG models. That's a good job, though; the interior needs to be at the top of its game when you’re paying more than £60,000. It’s arguably a little fussier than the interior of the Honda Civic Type R, and as a result the Type R feels more driver-focused in some ways.
Mercedes hasn’t played around with the cabin too much in the latest round of updates, but the firm’s 'MBUX' infotainment system has been tweaked to make it even more responsive and better looking than before. The graphics are different and loading times are noticeably faster. There’s also a fingerprint sensor which allows you to load different driver profiles with stored settings such as seat position, too. The USB ports also feature faster charging speeds than earlier models.
For the AMG models specifically, one of the changes has been to make personalising the car’s drive modes a little easier, though you can still also play around with modes via the handy rotating dials on the steering wheel – one of the more intuitive methods offered in a performance car. You can also check previous driving data and telemetry on the Track Pace screen.
Elsewhere though, MBUX continues to offer smartphone connectivity with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality, and several additional features unique to the A 45 S. The most intriguing is a front-mounted camera that can show you a real-time view of the racing circuit ahead with a virtual racing line overlaid on it – a feature previously only seen in video games.
Other features include a flat-bottomed steering wheel and upholstery finished in synthetic leather and suede materials. Trim highlights, which are usually red in other A-Class models, are finished in yellow flashes of colour. Optional packs are available to further personalise the appearance of the interior.
New frequency-selective dampers have transformed the ride quality, making the car a lot more comfortable to drive around in, smoothing out bumps that would have jarred passengers in the previous A 45.
