Mercedes A35 AMG –new boy on the block?
Log in to reply- This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Twice a year I think about changing my car. Firstly when the service is due and secondly when the insurance is due. Usually I do nothing about it, but this year as my Golf R will soon be due for an MOT etc. I thought I’d have a look around. Nothing new really except the Mercedes A35 AMG 4MATIC. So off I toddled yesterday for a test thrash (sorry drive!). Had a good drive albeit on good roads with bends and quiet roundabouts. The salesman was a young lad itching to have a drive so he had a good “hooligan” type drive as well. I’m sure when I was young I didn’t drive with the same death wish (was fun though)!! I’m glad he launched it and not me, and that convinced me never to buy an ex demo car. So what was it like in my very humble opinion. Any comparisons are purely based on my RS and Golf ownership.
Performance in a straight line was impressive, en par with my Golf and RS. The power difference was cancelled out by DCT transmission (7 speed) with very quick changes. Steering, even in sport plus seemed a little light and I would have liked a little more feel to it. When you want to take it easy the A35 is very comfortable, like sitting in a sumo wrestler’s lap. But switch to sport plus and things tighten up a bit and you get the pops and bangs. The A35 is also AWD (Helix) with a FWD bias with the ability to switch to 50/50 front and back when you run out of talent.
Suspension was better than the RS with several settings from smooth to fairly stiff but not as good as the Golf which seems to have a better range to it. Would have liked it a bit stiffer (funny that’s what my wife used to say) but quite pleased overall. Did roll very slightly but not enough to make my catheter spill!
Interior very impressive packed with gismos as you would expect. Comfy seats. Not too sure about the big air vents but at least they are easy to use. The one I tested did not have the body kit so looked quite dull but you get a good impression from press pics.
The A35 starts at £35.5k, but, extras ramp up the cost considerably. I wanted a sun roof which would cost nearly £4k as it was part of a package. So to get an A35 with the same extras as my Golf would ramp it up to £44.5k. In conclusion, if I still had my RS I would consider the A35 over the Golf as a replacement but it would be a close thing. Other hot hatchbacks are available. The A45 comes out in about a year but that would be too much of a beast for me and the price will be very high. If like me you find the RS great 10% of the time but the rest of the time difficult to live with, the A35 is worth a look. OK it might not be for you but it was a good way to spend a couple of hours. Go take a test drive especially if it’s a yellow one!Every village needs an idiot.
