Why did Mercedes' A-Class discard its revolutionary shape?!?
The doo wop sound of the 40s and 50s was honed by American teenagers on street corners, trying to one-up each other to become the greatest group in town. This friendly rivalry, also seen in Chinese cafés as electronics engineers try to produce increasingly optimised circuits, is also seen in the German car industry. If Audi’s navigation system uses real-time traffic information, BMW’s system has to have it, yesterday! It was in this highly competitive environment that Mercedes tried to one-up its German rivals with the revolutionary Mercedes A-class. A false floor raised the seating height, producing the interior space of a Mercedes C-Class in something shorter than a Ford Ka. No one had done anything like this before, and the A-Class was in a class of its own. So why did Mercedes abandon this revolutionary design, going back to the same tried-and-tested shape?
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Sources:
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...
www.motor1.com/news/74281/con...
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_d...
media.daimler.com/marsMediaSi...
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de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...
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de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...
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Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
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Erratum: At 20:50 I said Renault released the Infiniti, where it should have of course been Nissan as they aren't fully owned by Renault.
Yes, but one thing I'm not sure you just casually glossed over or if I misunderstood you; does Renault-Nissan alliance work together with Mercedes on chassis development? That is a bomb to me, although I know a lot of strange bedfellows appear in the car business, I had totally missed that one if that is the case.
fuel economy was the big, big disadvantage of this high shape and also a never arriving fuelcell or electric power train the double floor had been waiting for. Would you ride such car on such empty floor without further benefits ? You carry always a higher weight and suffer from higher drag and air resistance, that is what killed that shape and forced all new competitors in the Golf segment to streamline the body till the margins were identified to be no more profitable enough and also the chip shortage made it easier to redistribute short available parts but: they forgot the other side cause how would Mercedes profits look like in 2021 and 2022 without having the A-class as donor for the rare parts it has donored to the more profitable e- and s-class ? They then only could have sacrified C-class production with a huge impact on the customers. Fool me once fool me twice cause customers usually never forget. No one is closer to their car, to their side of the story and no one remembers better when he had been treated badly. Mercedes lost again another game by retreat.
A class went straight from Grandma to Drug dealer in one move 😂
Wait until the senior citizens work out that they’d make great dealers, pop round to your local OAP, pick up some ‘medication’, have a chat, a nice cup of tea and a home baked cake, the Police will just think it’s all above board because old Vera would never be dealing she must be doing a cake sale. Next thing you know Granny has an AMG, she’s popular with the yoof and her retirement will be spent jet-setting to Ibiza every winter for some sun and to drop a few tabs of acid 😂
From Grandma Duck to Grandma Drug
No mention of the big brother R class
@@agradinariu The R is dead for over 4 years now... Good morning!
@@bradcollins9647 I know… but it’s coming back… GLR and EQR in Uk Can’t wait to see it…
I want to live in the timeline where mercedes found a way to fit the 500hp V8 in this egg car.
I can't imagine a AMG-Line A-Class lol.
Well look at the Aston Martin cygnet v8
Should have been possible instead of the back-row. Like in a Clio V6 or R5 Turbo. I assume it would handle pretty poorly tho.
Or an M120 V12?
Somebody has just stuck a V8 into a mini. Go for it!
If it wasn't for the emblem I would never think "Mercedes" when I looked at an A-Class.
if you enter in one you would notice that the finishings are above any other brand in that segment, my sister lives in London and bought one two years ago from some neighbours and it´s perfect inside
@A. M. drive both than tell me ,one is all plastic ,other a luxury interior and the driving is far from the Fiat as the lancia with the same design and chassi is a total diferent car from the FIAT wich is a cheaper brand not even comparable in the specifications and finishings
@@RUfromthe40s doesn't change the fact that it looks completely ugly
It shares a lot of design elements with its larger brothers.
@@rw80 I may do that, it just doesn't look like a MB car
I remember clarkson driving it on old top gear saying it was alright but then a message after the segment came up warning you not to buy one after other journalists found the handling dangerous, bet that hurt a few sales
@Professor McClaine Or are required to make evasive maneuvers.
@@godfreypoon5148 Did you actually see how much 'evasion' you needed to do?Who swerves multiple times aggressively at 70 mph. Nobody.
@Professor McClaine Agreed it was fine. Just watch all the '😴demonstrations' of how dangerous it was supposed to be. If you drive like that, you deserved to have a massive accident.
@@redspecial4102 I suggest you check out Swedish traffic accidents involving wildlife. The moose is the stupidest animal ever invented and has a habit to step out just in front of your car. Many Swedish country roads are signed 90 km/h and are single lane in each direction. The moose test performed by Teknikens Värld was not taken out of thin air and was applied well before the launch of the A class to all cars they tested
@Professor McClaine A full grown male moose (elk) can weigh as much as 800 kgs (as much as a small car). About 800 persons are seriously injured (a few fatalities as well) in car accidents with moose (elk) every year only in Sweden. Guess if you added Norway and Finland to that you'd end up with at least 1500 seriously injured / year.
The A Class is a great car. I have two of them, with high mileages, one with 365,000kms and they are tanks, they have never failed to start, never let me stranded, in 22 years! Just normal service and they go and go. I have driven them at top speed with these high mileages and they continue to accelerate wonderfully. Construction is super solid, and because they put lots of effort in improving the suspensions at the very beginning of the production run, these are very stable cars, great handling. The space use is one of the most creative and practicals I know of. I have taken all my stuff in these cars for moving from one house to another, in several trips, of course, bu it all went into them, quite amazing. I won't change them ever, the drive is so direct, they are so secure and extremely reliable, I really love them. I have had other Mercedes, like a E420 W124, and a C220 W202, and by far I prefer the A Class.
Great review! Thank you!
Living in Germany I once had that original A-class as a rental car. The problem: it was quite windy, and every time I had passed a truck the car almost changed the lane unwillingly. Horrible...
Really, I drive a w168 and dont have this issue
@@moriarteaa4692 it's only if there is heavy sidewind on highways, and if you drive more than 130 (which is allowed in Germany)
@Dave I drive an A160 with a listed top speed of 168km/h. Never got around to doing more than 140km/h in it, but believe me: anything above 130km/h is REALLY not that enjoyable in it. Additionally, taking 180° curbs (some motorway entrances) at 50km/h feels quite adventurous. It being susceptible to side wind is also true (been there when Sabine hit us last year), but it is nowhere near as bad UlliStein claims. You just notice that it is in fact windy and you might have to change your steering angle slightly to accommodate for it.
My dad had a b class as a company loaner once and it was horrid you aged like 50 years just getting in that thing we were so happy when it was gone again and we went back to our skoda octavia combi it was way nicer to drive and had way more space
@@andreasstrauss5194 And it was a lot cheaper, right?
Mercedes tried to make a car for young people...that looked like a minivan 😂 no wonder it was mostly bought by old people
Same story everytime company executives tries to appeal to a "young and hip" customer base. What they should do is offer a new Lamborghini Countach!
Minivans are cool! The various Kei minivans are incredibly cool, like the Honda N-Box. Unfortunately, buyers outside of Japan don't seem to realise how wonderful a small, upright car is.
@@TassieLorenzo It's not about not realising how wonderful they are, we just don't want that type of shape. That's why they don't sell. Nissan thought the Cube was going to be a hit, that was another flop and I've only ever seen one. The A class looked awful. Until I saw this video I actually thought it had been built with older people, possibly retired and on a budget, something that costs less and is smaller so easier to park.
WORST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. PERIOD.
Merc tried to impress youngsters by styling like a flashy, mini Toyota Previa.
I've owned three W168 A160's between 1999 and 2006, driving over 360,000km in them in total. The last two were the long wheelbase versions and all three were the autoclutch manual. A brilliant design and so easy and practical to live with. My three daughters learned to drive in them and they could park in many spaces too small for other cars while having so much interior space that any "normal" car of similar size simply seems cramped. I tried to keep my last one as long as I could, but once it passed 140,000km it started needing very expensive fixes, like new gearbox bearings!! I wish they were made to last like Mercs of old, I would love to have kept them, but my bank balance was insufficiently robust.
As you correctly say; they were not made to last. When (not if) repairs were needed they were as expensive to fix as a proper Merc. that would not have needed fixing.
What did you like about the auto clutch so much that you bought it thrice? I'm assuming you feel comfortable driving a regular manual.
@@otm646 Hello, I bought three W168's in a row with the auto-clutch. I have always driven manuals (since my W168's I've owned two Focus ST's which are manual) but found the auto-clutch a great option for the predominantly city driving I did. Plus all three of my daughters learnt to drive in them, they found it super easy to drive a manual without a clutch. Once their skills and confidence picked up, they have transitioned to clutch pedal equipped cars easily.
@@Ampex196 Can you provide evidence of your accusations?
My father has one with almost 200.000km and we didn't need to do anything expensive yet. People keep telling me that it's a ticking time bomb and that the maintenance is expensive, but until now it's a pretty solid commuter car
It amazes me how the A Class went from being driven by grannies to being driven by complete and utter a$$holes XD
Ooooof I do feel for Lewis and Nico
That's the fate of an "entry-level" premium car, I guess. It presents a way to project a certain (real or pretend) status to the outside world through a car from a premium brand, and does it at a leasable price.
The A-class be like: Parkour!
Depreciation - its one hell of a thing. Not only in value, but in character. Just look at most Audis............no sorry they were bought by arseholes in the first place.
The amount of grannies with W177 AMG Lines is extremely high!
I once drove one of these, the thing that stood out to me was that although it had a CD player, there was built in storage for cassette tapes.
i still use cassettes and only bought a Volvo because it came with a radio cassette and cd player in the center console, not a box in the back,well it´s an option you can buy it with a box for 10 cds in the back, regards
I currently own one of these, a 2002 A170, and it has a cassette player with a built in storage for CDs :D The previous owner probably had it replaced at the dealer some time ago, but did not swap out the CD storage to a cassette storage.
The original shape A class lives on in the Honda Jazz / Fit. I hadn't realised just how many Honda design elements for their car were clearly 'inspired' by Mercedes. Great video!
Had one, the long version. The seats were very light and easy to get in and out creating lots of space in a small car. . Really liked it.
A38 AMG and A32 K was the start of crazy Mercedes hatchbacks
The design of this car always reminds me of a dorito
It's the silhouette of a guinea pig
To me it's the car some middle aged person with a pointless lower management job at a generic unremarkable firm in an unremarkable industry with an unremarkable pay grade would drive to convince themselves they've done well in life
@@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24 oh no, Cadillacs are that kind of car, and Homer Simpsons knows it.
Easter egg
Well I can see one clear reason why it wasn't popular among young people - the car was too practical.
just like the Multipla
Exactly right, they want something powerful and flashy, not a good car : )
It was too expensive and had worst transmission in history.
@@vulekv93 Not the manual ( the vast majority in Europe) - bombproof!
Yep - my two teenagers thought it ugly - a sure sign it was a good car!
In my family we owned three A Class, two of which are still our daily drivers: 1 first gen facelift, 1 second gen and 1 second gen facelift. Have to say, the plastic of the first gen wasn't so cheap after all since after 20 years it is still as new. Only the door handles and few other details are starting to show the signs of time.
i own a 2002 renault kangoo with equally plasticky interieur but no real signs of wear
According to Trafikmagasinet who ran the moose test, the car was driving at 70km and the cones where tighter together than a similar test that Mercedes had done themselves, but at speeds around 120-140 km/h. Mercedes claimed that the tests done by the Swedish auto journalists where unrealistic. But I think that you can ask any Swedish driver about their experience when dodging a 700 Kg moose and avoid it climbing through the front window, about it being a unrealistic test.
On the other hand, I have yet to even see a moose in central europe.
Wasn't it the magazine Teknikens Värld that performed the test?
@@marcusjosefsson4998 yes that's the one, I don't know how I got them mixed up.
@@Arsenic71 True. But realistically you could substitute the elk/moose with just about anything that might suddenly run out or appear in front of a car.
@@Arsenic71 Sweden has the densest moose population of any country in the world. My mum totalled an Astra colliding with one. The car was a total wreck and had to be demolished.
The original A Class is an iconic shape, for better or worse
for both really First one was extremely practical buttt...
Nah, it's bland and horrible :p, but it is practical.
Well... you better check out a 1st Gen Toyota Previa and see who first have an iconic shape!
Japan's _kei_ cars have a similar design I think because it saves space, thought the Mitsubishi i puts its engine beneath the rear seats instead
The front of the new ones look great, but the rear looks like they got bored of designing them.
They look like shit. The whole design language of MB as well as BMW and Audi is ugly. I often feel that they saw the ford Edsel and thought "we can top that".
@@Ismalith They’re sort of up and down. I think the more modern ones are starting to look worse. Almost look like Hyundais..
@@Ismalith a class , 1 series a1 and a3 all look like saloons which reversed into a wall. Also the people who drive them look like they would be capable of actually doing so
The front headlights of the new A-Class look like eyebrows, as if the car is frowning lol
“This very rare accident avoidance maneuver…” (at about 13:55) Rare for some, not so rare for others. I live and drive in Finland. I do not drive that much, about 20 000 km/y. During my 25 years (0,5 mill kilometers) on Finnish roads, I’ve had to perform that maneuver 8 times (and I live in the south of Finland where elk and reindeer are sparse). The Finnish driving school curriculum even contains that maneuver as mandatory (both on dry tarmac and on slippery). In short, the A Class’ failing that test was not the minor issue you make it out to be. Otherwise, keep up the good work.
He says the exact thing you say is the video just before that timestamp. He says how it's very common in nordic countries but rare in other countries
Sorry, but your maneuver action is more than 35 year old in Finland. I got excellent guide to avoid these potentional accidents. Don't aim front of wild animal which is goig forward. Avoid collicion and aim where animal came not where it is going on if you don't have a MBT.
@@Pectopah123 If you've got an MBT I feel like you need not to worry much about that.😅
I saw my first A class at a car dealership in Royan France whilst on holiday with my wife and 3 young kids. We were in a Fiesta mk4 loaded to the gunnels as we were camping at the time. We parked next to the Merc and couldn't believe how small it was to the Fiesta yet seemed have more room inside! Seemed to suffer from Mercedes cost cutting at the time which led to problems down the line!
I know Royan vert Well :)
We had 2 A-Class's and they were fabulously reliable, super spacious and we loved them. Our 2nd A-Class was an A190 with leather dashboard/beautiful leather seats and AMG boby kit, and was gorgeous...we felt really safe in both!
I wouldnt say tbey abandoned it.. its just the B class now. I guess they realized older people tend to have more money, and young people tend to buy the smallest mercedes, because they dont. On the release of the back then new A series, they did everything they cpuld to shoo away old people 😂 They even hired a rockband at the local dealer here back then.
Never thought of it that way - that the A Class buyers were nudged towards the the B Class - of course that makes sense (y)
Mercedes has the oldest customers here in Germany. The old A-class was beloved by retired seniors, as still is the B-class. The B-class therefore was later copied by BMW. As far as I know the concept will die with the outgoing B-class.
That's the way I saw it too back then. Always wondered why the made the A class the B class instead of making the B class the new cool young people car
@@thewestphalianrailwayshed Not really. Although the "B-Class" name will go, we already have its replacement with the GLB - and an EQB will quite surely follow at some point.
@@fryke Disagree, the GLB is an SUV, not a micro-van like A- and B-Class were. That is what the presentator is aiming at - the unique compact van form is getting lost. Personally can't say I will miss these cars though.
I remember hiring one back in 2002. I was hoping to take a friend from Thetford to Norwich by 10am - but I started my journey at the hire shop for 6am and, given I had no clue where I was going, this being before the rise of Google Maps, I had to floor it on some sections. Even though this was a post moose-test car, I nearly flipped it on the motorway nonetheless. I didn't make it and got bawled out by my friend, but then we had a cuppa and spent three days together. Also, I bought her a cabinet which fitted in the back disassembled and I assembled it at hers, which is apropos of very little but adds a flowery detail if you like that sort of thing.
On the motorway? In UK? There must been some asteroid impact just on your lane or what? I mean I understand problem like that going some country off road track, mountain terrain etc., but moving steering wheel with max. force in split second, on UK motorway... sounds insane, literally like dodging a bullet, but using a car... No idea what happened so you had to react such way??
@@override7486 I was on the inside lane and doing a fair lick. I must have lost concentration briefly because I felt the urgent need to correct my position, and the car's response was, umm, salutary. My jag wouldn't do that nor, I suspect, would any of the other cars I have driven. But then I've never driven a chevrolet corvair and sampled its prodigious talents.
I owned a low miles A190 avantguarde. It was soooo tall and was very unstable. I NEVER get car sick...but this thing made me want to puke.
The 'A' class has gone from a granny mobile to a chav mobile.
I had the 1.4 version for about 18 months. Although quiet and refined my car required a new gearbox at 5,000miles and suffered from rattling suspension. Eventually when my wife and I decided we wanted a larger car, we found not one car dealer was interested in taking the car in part exchange even though we wanted to purchase a brand new car.
Lovely little car. My brother had a 99 A Class 1.7 diesel 4 speed auto. A nice car to have for urban use and small distance commutes. Good fuel economy and excellent HVAC. Yes it was wobbly at spirited driving, as it was the ASR equipped variant, but perfectly safe for normal use. And it still runs today as the current owner cannot fault the German engineering that went in it. The body has big rust issues.
My aunt also still drives one, 0 issues so far
Never knew the absolutely astounding history of this car, So much innovation in such a tiny package. You really made me wanna own one with this video. Just as well made & packaged as the 1st gen A class.
Excellent excellent vid so informative I thought I knew all there was to know but man your research is amazing really brings the project to life in what feels like real time. Well done 👍
My first car was A-Class from 2001 His name was Bob and i had to gave him away some weeks ago He was the BEST car i could ever wish for. Old, rusty but i always felt safe. I miss him
Drove a w168 for over 20 years without major troubles. It got totaled in a accident in Naples Italy, but it still made the way home and i rode it for almost 2 years until the italian insurance company paid.
Sir, that is NOT a panel gap, its an extra air intake
😂😂😂
Just like the LFA.
I'm a young driver and I spend a fair amount of time driving my father's A-class. Thank you for this great video which made me appreciate its history and design much more! The later old-design A-class is an excellent car in most regards, very comfortable and pleasant to drive. The appearance isn't great, but, when compared with the general SUV and sedan shape, honestly isn't worse. At least it's recognisable. The new one seems to be a step back in almost all regards, especially with that atrocious display and the amount of buttons on the steering wheel.
One thing worth adding though is that it does have issues with reliability and parts often need to be replaced (at quite hefty prices).
I'm a young driver with the first-gen A-class. I love it! The visibility, the short hood... and the overall look has def grown on me - I was meh at the start, but now it's like a hopeful puppy looking up at me :) I believe all the repairs I've had to make come down to age - if the machine is nearing 25, stuff gets old.
@@mirjam3553 Ahh memories... An old first generation A Class has taught me how to drive when I was a young driver and it had forgiven me numerous mistakes... My family has owned it for over 20 years, and it has served us well. It's small on the outside and large inside, like if it had some sci-fi space generator. We were surprised so many times how much we could fit inside. It's been around for a large part of my childhood (and most of the life I can remember) And, when I got my driving license, I started driving it. I've been driving it for 9 years now. I have so many memories with this car... Essentially the most intensive part of my life. It's the only car which feels like using my own body while driving, that natural. The way it drives, its sounds, all of the little details... Sadly however, it does show its age, its wear and tear, and the repairs have become way too expensive. And, my city is going to become a clean-air zone, so such an old diesel won't be able to roam around here. So, sadly we have to sell it. It's weird. It's just an object, piece of metal, plastic, some oils etc, but it feels like saying goodbye to an old friend. I'll surely miss that old car, I already do
I remember an actual interview with an auto journalist which discussed the fact that the A-Class initially past the test at the normal speed, but there were a lot of people present that put bets on it flipping. The car that flipped was a journalist taking it outside the test and pushing it as fast as he could and got that picture we all saw it in motor magazines front page around the world. I had two , both the long and short version for about 7 years and the real problem is that even though the car is pretty reliable, mechanics don't know how to solve problems and work on it and you end up studying how to repair a lot yourself. I've actually been refused by garages to service the car, because it was too complicated for them. Otherwise, they were pretty great cars, especially for city driving and parking
These videos are a great watch/listen….thanks 😃
I had a toy A Class car. Loved it till my cousins stole it from me
well, it's crazy to say that also happened to me!
Yea bro it just sucks. My hot wheels Cadillac Escalade also got stolen
My Grandma has one in good condition. she got it with the car in about 2000. the car is gone but the toy remains. the toy isn't anything special in fact its badly made and doesn't have any features except the front doors open and of course the interior but its still special even if its boring
i have had a orange toy a-class car and I think I still have it somewhere
My younger brother lost my Ford Focus MK1 when shopping for groceries, can't say I ever forgave him
I owned an 190e from early 90s to 2018 until cried enough of its unreliability (despite the car’s late life cycle and perceived robustness). I traded it for an A Class 15-18 model final run and so far it is a dream run. But I really hate the pretty high routine maintenance cost and it could only escalate in the coming years considering extensive electronics.
Another great video,thank you. Many year ago I needed a run around and picked up a A190 with same orange leather interior as your video!! Reliability seemed to be hit and miss with the A class. Although I cant complain as I moved from a flat to a house at the time, quickly realised if I took the back seats out, I didn't need a van to move, so a few trips with the A-class saved me a lot of money!!
Love your videos, thank you!
I own a A Class W168 and love it (as a 20 something year old). I get pretty amazing fuel milage and the only thing I've had to replace in it over the last 2 years was a rear tail light. The design isn't for everyone but I've taken this car on dirt & gravel roads, camping, on long distance road trips and everything in between and it has lasted. Can't complain at all.
Well done! Excellent writing and presentation. Good use of photos. Would have liked to see more driving segments to get a better feel for the car.
A thing that should definitely be mentioned about the second generation A class is that it was closer in design to the Mercedes Benz vans than the premium motorcars. Even the key of the A and B class were the same as you would get on a Vito (cheaper looking).
100%
Great detailed analysis, very interesting to watch and learn from such high quality content
15:59 lmao the same thing happened with the Scion xB, aimed for young people but old people bought them more for the exact same reason.
I had a A170 CDI and could drive it with 3,6 litre Diesel in summer. I liked that car, great concept.
Thank you again for the amazing content!
Absolutely Brilliant Video! Thoroughly enjoyable to watch and so educational. Thanks for doing what you are doing, it is so welcomed! I owned a mark III 3 door variant for a short time, it was great car to drive, so comfortable and I loved the elevated seating position.
Hhahaha the flashing foreshadowing sign, editing gold
Other car companies benefited from the Mercedes-benz A-Class. So many cars took inspiration from the A-Class' design.
Like the Honda Jazz/Fit ? That seems to be the pensioners favourite around here.
Great vid. We own a 2020 CLA200 (1.3 turbo) and absolutely love it. Not sure where the 0-60mph in 10 seconds stat came from though. In Sports mode (no other special mods) I get there in a tad under 7 secs (yes that is MPH not KPH). I note in most literature it says about 7.8secs. Fuel economy in eco mode is insane. It has a 50 ltr tank with a reported 4.4l per 100km in eco mode. Driving like a grandad on good Australian country roads (i said that tongue in cheek) I can squeeze out just over 1000km per tank. My wife hates hatchbacks and she saw the sedan (for some reason Merc call it a coupe) version and fell in love.
Here in Argentina we could buy the Brazil produced version (160 and 190) with the manual and the clutch robotized gearbox. We still see them in the streets in good shape.
11:58 i love this god damn image. thank you for including it.
He looks so smug about being transported in a Mercedes.
@@brokenscart7989 he seems chill 🗿
I'm reminded that, back when I got my first car in Italy in 2018, these A class models were the only Mercedes you could find for almost nothing (by car standards!). Less than 1k € sometimes, even. No prestige to it.
I am so impressed by your videos. Not only because of all of your knowledge on all of these cars, but also with how it all fits together with pictures at the excact time they appear (always with the right cars in frame), and the perfect editing. Hats off, my friend :-)
Thanks Berven, but I knew next to nothing about this before I researched it. That's why I do these videos - I want to find out the story. Since doing these videos I have a new found admiration for TV/movie editors. It's really hard!
@@BigCar2 You said it, Sir. I work as a car detailer myself here in Norway, and it can be a struggle to get the timing right when producing my videos. On top of it all I also produce my oun music to go along with it..... Volume up, volume down, texting at the right time, how long it should stay on screen....... Holy moly! Takes up a lot of time, but it is worth it for sure. By the way. Thanks for responding :-) I have been following you for quite a long time now. You rule, man :-)
Great video. Very informative
"No one is comparing it to golf anymore" -the first thing I said when I saw the then-new design is that it now looks like golf :)
I’ve got a second generartion of class A. One 160 CDI 3 doors of 2007. It is a little great car.
Thank you for the upload
Drove the 2nd gen long version for 13 years and I absolutely loved it! One thing drove me crazy though was, a soon as the A160 'faced 'more than 5 cm of snow, game over!
Smal info note : the swedish reporter /test driver got ban for life to ever test a MB ever again after the report lol 🤪🤭
ha is that true? Crazy if so, as I'm sure he potentially saved at least one life by exposing the flaw
In "some circles" they call him El Kretin.
Lol mb got butthurt
That’s ridiculous lol, what an arrogant response by benz
If that‘s true, I fully support MB. As a Norwegian, I‘ve read quite a lot of his „tests“ and he‘s utterly unserious and dishonest. His main focus is to create „scandals“ and „sensations“ with total disregard for reality. The changes MB made to the A-class clearly made sense, but the problem wasn’t even remotely as severe as Täknikens Värld and their reporter manipulated and lied to make it seem. He repeated his fraud with the Toyota Hilux a couple of years later, presenting the car to be dangerous. Toyota investigated and discovered that the testers had fitted wheels with less offset and poor tires. The wheels weren’t even legal to use on the Hilux. So Täknikens Värld and their „great“ reporter created a „scandal“ by manipulating the Hilux‘ handling with illegal modifications. A couple of years after that the reporter accused MB of lying following an accident with an MB test vehicle hitting a woman on public roads while on the way to winter tests in northern Sweden. He claimed that the test equipment in the vehicle must necessarily have recorded the accident despite MB claiming that the equipment was shut off because the vehicle was just being transported. Having been involved in oem vehicle testing myself, I consider it very likely that MB told the truth as having test equipment active and recording on public roads is virtually of no benefit or value. Tests need to be reproduceable and done under controlled conditions and that’s extremely rarely feasible on public roads. I had an argument with the „great“ swedish reporter about this, but he wouldn’t listen and was only focused on his MB „scandal“ and „sensation“ to sell as many magazines as possible. The reporter is still a „hero“ in Sweden, but in my opinion he‘s just a cynical and pathetic liar.
Anyone ever noticed the redesigned A Class has the same design cues to the front-end as the Volvo V40 and S/V60 when they arrived about 2012.
I literally thought the same thing, it is exactly the same in shape. My parents have both those car, so very easy to spot the similarity.
Have any1 checked out a Toyota Previa?
Thank you I love watching your videos and alway wait for the next one
Glad you like them Wayne!
It's my lifelong fav car. I wish it will be redeveloped into an electric city car with increased interior space but kept within a sub 4-m length and large wheels. It would have been a perfect car.
I had a 2016 A200d AMG DCT, with the 2.2 diesel. That thing went into the dealer 18 times in a 2yr period as it broke down sometimes twice a month. In the end BBC watchdog got involved and MB brought the car back off me. They are utter rubbish.
I had the A190 and it was a real lemon, every month some other problem and it only had 62k on the clock. Seems like a lottery with the A-class as I know wother people who had them for years and had no issues.
Yea, I rented one and the interior felt quite cheap...
damn i was considering getting that aswell, what were the problems?
Anyone buying current Mercedes thinking you are getting the same vehicles they built their reputation on is in for a surprise ! Just another mass manufacturer these days with a fancy badge on the front.
@@-DC- very true, I wouldn't go anywhere near them these days. All went downhill after W124, which IMO was best car Merc ever made.
Mercedes threaten to sue a Swedish television show for there plan to show the test where the A-class rolled over... the television show's response was to to show letter in the program explaining that this isn't how Swedish law works before showing the clip of the A-class rolling over :D ...they were never sued ;)
Just want to say again that I love your work. Sensation-free, factual, informative, and well-presented.
The 2001 A170 CDI long-version was my first car. The passenger space is just amazing. It drove very well and didn't consume much. 90hp engine didn't accelerate very fast, but it could handle a turn very well. Overall the car was great, with only one problem. After reaching approx 3k RPM, the engine would shut down and car would enter safe mode. In normal driving this wasn't an issue, but no one seems to know why this happens. Apparently It's a common issue.
2:10 That "Short Distance Vehicle" looks like a across between the Popemobile and what a kindergartner would draw if they used a straightedge with their crayons.
They are so reliable that my friend had to pay some 20-30% extra on top of his A class to exchange it for a bit older ford fiesta. I mean if only A class didn't break every 10km it could have been a great hit, kei car like size, perfect for a family car but much more luxury than some matiz or other abomination.
Hmmm, my daily city driver is a 2009 W169 A180 manual which has been bombproof. Absolutely NO unscheduled service or issues. Low (for Mercedes) maintenance costs. I‘m extremely happy and will probably replace it when it’s time has come with a GLA, which unfortunately is much loooooonger….
@@wjekat the auto transmissions were notoriously unreliable.
@@paulqueripel3493 An automatic in a like 120hp car (my A170 has 117) should be illegal. Just makes the car even slower and the fuel economy gets horrible. Well, mine has the 5 Gear Manual, which is also pretty stupid since there was also a 6 Gear, even though I don't know if that wasn't just for the Diesels and 2L Petrol (I have a 1.7 Petrol)
@@wjekat an old friend of mine had one in automatic that didn't change gears when in D, he did some trickery (I think he used to turn off and on the engine while being in movement and/or switch from 2 to D) to convince the gearbox to shift to 2nd and up
@@wjekat the main problem are the automatic transmissions, there was a fully automatic one and a semi automatic with an automated clutch on the W 168. Both versions were unreliable, the fully automatic was the worst transmission they ever offered. The W 169 has also an automatic transmission as an option, it is also not recommendable (it was a CVT type). Even the automatic transmission of the 3rd generation is infamous for problems. The only thing you should have an eye on is the timing chain of the M 166 gas engine of the A 180, it's a evolved version of the M 166 engine from the W 168, the chain should be replaced after 140k km at max, or it can rip off and total the engine.
Loving the thumbnail 😃👍 good memories, this was the car I had my driving lessons in.
Enjoyed the show........thanks
Can't understand why anyone bought one after it failed the Elk test.
Err, because as per the video they fixed it :p
I had one! Many good memories
My mother got a brand new early first-gen A190 in '97/98. My dad was dead against it, as he had once owned a Mercedes Benz saloon of some sort. :P But it was some of her inheritance money from a "barren aunt in Stratford on Avon", and so it was her call. It was by far the worst car our family had ever owned, and after just 5 years of ownership, the transmission had been replaced twice, and the (S-Class?) computer three times! Mum loved it, and it was very good with it's high seating position. And if was very safe, which was great! But limp home mode was a regular occurrence followed by a very slow drive to the Mercedes dealer for a fix under warranty. I'm struggling to think of any system on or in the car that didn't break or fail. My dad always pointedly asked for a Japanese loaner car - Because he'd had enough of limp home mode. They usually gave him a Suzuki Swift, which was so great that when the A190 sold for next to scrap value, he bought Mum a Swift RS. She loved that car, too. It was a great car. Until she bent it, into the garage wall. Shifted the whole staircase! Ouchies. I didn't learn the lesson. Now I have two Porsches. And I am learning slowly. I used to have four. :P
Thanks for an amazing episode! I've always been wondering about how Mercedes came up with a concept of this car in the rist place. Actually I'm quite surprised that A class with the original design had been fairly succesfull throughout 2000s since I rarely saw this car on the streets.
Wife had one 2007-2011. She'd always wanted a Merc. It was a dog from day one with shockingly bad reliability and comedy servicing/parts costs. She stuck with the lemon for 5 years out of sentiment but finally dumped if for a Toyota Aygo. Night and bloody day.
The Germans do not know how to make reliable cars. They only know how to make fancy things that they charge a fortune for.
Did you have an automatic one? The automatic transmission they used was very unreliable, a real piece of crap. The manual transmission was better, and typically free of problems. I've driven a manual shifted 160 from 2004 until 2017, we used it in the family for another 3 years until we had to take it out of service because of severe corrosion (which is a main problem now, the youngest cars of them are 17 years old)
@@simonm1447 no, it was a manual mate. She loved it, but it took the p1$$ out of her the whole time she had it. Last straw for me was when we had to jump start it. I mean, lifting the carpet under the driver's footwell to get at the battery? So the cables couldn't quite reach? Nah. Get it in the sea. And I apologise if you're a fan and I sound harsh.
@@kasimsultonfan you don't have to apologize, I'm not a fan, but a former owner of this car who can be critical if a car disappoints. Mine was relatively reliable, until it got 12 years old, when it started to rust severely because of the bad rust protection. My mother had also one, it had a ripped timing chain, this is also a weak point of the car after 120 to 140k km. I never had problems with the manual transmission, and it was naturally aspirated, so the engine wasn't really complex. Rust was the biggest problem on my car. To be honest my next car will probably be from Japan, Germans don't build cars today which are reliable if they are 10 years or older.
@@simonm1447 car build quality used to be a cultural thing. Japanese cars used to be outstanding because the Japanese were culturally into detail and excellence ; likewise, Germans built great, reliable cars because of the German affinity for efficiency plus their long tradition of engineering excellence. On the other hand, French and Italian cars were less reliable and well built, with cultural factors playing a big role. Every Italian car was a Friday car 😊 Today, the Japanese don't build so many cars for export at home - they've offshored it to places like India with sometimes disastrous results (as Nissan demonstrated) Again, cultural. In the 21st century, however, robots have ironed out many of those problems. A robot in Turin won't rush its job because it's a lovely day and the girlfriend is waiting. After the Merc and the Toyota, my wife now drives a new Dacia Duster, and, hard to admit, it is easily as good as the Toyota and definitely better than the Merc. Strange times.
Design classic. There, I've said it.
Designed for the most part for practicality, not style. I love it!
I drove a Vaneo 1.4 commercially (wheelchair transport service) for 3yrs & never had a single problem. Although performance was lackluster , i loved roominess of it. Afterwards i got a Vito. The Vito was far more economical & commercially more viable as i now could also take a stretcher & 2 wheelchairs at the same time. But i still missed the Vaneo , still do from time to time ...
I own A170 A Class w168 CDi produced in 2001 ... it is just immortal
I have always despised the A class however after watching this video, I now want one 🤣
Buy a Honda Fit instead :p
Twenty five years to reinvent the station wagon ! Why do little cars always get bigger with each remodel ? The original A series reminds me of the Honda Jazz/ Fit.
People are getting taller with better diets and genetics. Slow evolution I would guess.
@@westcoast747 kakxk qhkwwj
First of all, great video! I really like that you can put a lot of good information into your videos and make them not boring to watch. I have a video idea for you. Could you make a video about the Volkswagen T-series line up of vans (T1, T2, ..., T7) like you did on the Ford Transit vans.
AMG A45s motoring perfection, great video on a superb car, thanks.
If only Mercedes sold the fist gen A-class in the US as a compact SUV
Well, Mercedes did not handle it in a good way. Trying it best to make it look like the test made by the swedes was a unusual test. A test only two car before the a-class had failed as spectacular, a skoda from the 70s and Chevrolet Corvair...not a club Mercedes realized it maybe wasent the best to be in.
that´s totally wrong , there´s no relation between those cars ,the A was a good car and the sales prove it and the other two you refer are just bad cars but not as dangerouse as ralph nader said about the corvair, it only need a litle iron stick atatched in the back from one wheel to the other
The car was not ready for road use, Mercedes knew that and still forced it out on the market and when it fall over tried it best to blame the swedish car magasin. What happen after is a diffrent busniess
It was a Swedish magazine that did the test. What made things worse was that shortly afterwards they tried the same test in a Trabant which managed it without problems.
I've been waiting for this video 😁 A special car
I really like the way you make your videos. Fabulous; big fan; well done 👏🏼
Thx Dave!
Your speaking style really draws me in to listen and learn. Excellent as always!
Glad you like it James!
@@BigCar2 always!
Am I the only one thinking it looks like a mk3 Transit that shrunk in the wash?
A family member used to work at Mercedes in Stuttgart 'high up'' at the time and said that the elk test disaster was the consequence of sending all the senior engineers with experience in to retirement for cost saving at the time, replacing them with fresh meat who could draw something up on the computer but had no practical experience in designing cars. My sister and I got 'life sized', i.e. as tall as us soft toy elk merch from the employee shop at the time :)
Great and interesting one!
Would be cool if Mercedes brought back the revolutionary design aspects and integrated them into a fully electric vehicle platform
If you wanne drive electric please go to a carnaval
Most EVs (leaf, zoe, tesla, eqc) already use the false-floor design, could definitely be tried again in an internal combustion car though
Some say the A class could already fall before it learned how to stand
How funny it is (in a happy mood though) when you mentioned Noddy, bcoz I clearly remember how reading Noddy as a kid, living in his own with all his small house and small car, inspired me to enjoy myself on my own with all the small luxury... Yesss... my Mr. Noddy
My first car was an A Class. I liked it because it was different. I loved the high seating position and the practicality. I had the 1st and 2nd generation (I had the 3 door version). After 10 months with the 2nd gen, I was on a trip to the US where I drove a Ford F-150. As soon as I came home, I traded the A Class for a truck and I've been driving them ever since. Yes, I do like a high ride position and practicality.
I never did get the idea of what Merc were doing when this came out, was like to me, putting a Nike swoosh on a pair of Gola trainers. I suppose it was a dipping the toe into a market that was getting more diverse. Unfortunately granny got there first, still sold well though. I’d hated to work on the engine. 😬
Please do one on the CLS. Great attention to details
You have a really good voice. You nail pacing and emphasis with an approachable tonality. Great work!
Others disagree!
I remember the 2004 A. I had one as a hire car for work for a week. The newer interior was nice. However, it was unstable going round corners bit frightening.