Item: Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class MPV 1998 - 2005
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

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Hatchback

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

A CLASS

The packaging may be incredible, but there are too many day-to-day irritations

Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class MPV 1998 - 2005

There are two ways to look at the A-Class. Either it's a cheap Mercedes or it's an expensive, if prestigious, alternative to a conventional small hatchback. It's even dear compared with a VW Golf, traditionally one of the most expensive small hatches.

That said, it should have good resale values when you sell it on, and that helps to keep long-term running costs down.

Fuel economy, too, looks good. The A140 and A160 petrols should manage 40mpg, and even the A190 and A210 have economy in the mid-30s. The real stars, though, are the diesels, both of which return around 60mpg, better than any VW Golf or Audi A3.

Insurance and servicing costs are pretty much level with the VW Golf's, but much better than for the Audi A3. The sting in the tail, though, is the cost of labour. Both at Mercedes dealers and at independents, you'll find the rates among the highest for any manufacturer.

The packaging may be incredible, but there are too many day-to-day irritations

The best engine is the 1.6, which has useful extra power over the 1.4, making it a lot less hard work on the open road.

There's no point buying either of the more powerful petrol engines, the A190 or A210 - all they do is cost more and show up the limitations of the chassis. Of the two diesels, the A170 CDI is far better than the unrefined and sluggish A160 CDI, introduced in 2003. However, it's more expensive to buy than the petrol A160, so only makes financial sense if you do lots of miles, when the better fuel economy will help it pay for itself.

Like most Mercedes, the trim choice covers Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde, with Classic SE introduced in 2003. Pound for pound, Classic is the best bet, but you'll need to upgrade to Elegance to be sure of getting air-con.

It's also worth buying a long-wheelbase model, introduced in April 2001. They're only a few hundred pounds dearer, but much more spacious.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

The suspicion always was that the A-Class wasn't up to the standards that previous Mercedes had led us to expect, and our experience only goes to show our instincts were right.

In both the 2005 Reliability Survey and 2006 JD Power Survey, for example, the A-Class was the lowest-placed Mercedes, with its mechanical reliability singled out by owners as below average.

Online reader reviews and figures from Warranty Direct confirm the statistics: the A-Class suffers from a higher number of problems than average. Not only is it considerably less reliable than both the Audi A3 and VW Golf, it takes more time and money to put right. In other words, it's vital you pick a good example.

The most important area to check is the car's suspension, which Warranty Direct says is to blame for almost half of all problems. However, there are also reports of clutches and gearboxes being prone to failure after 50,000 miles.

The amount of space Mercedes has engineered into what is a very small car is the single most impressive thing about the A-Class. It may be only as long as a supermini, but there's as much space inside as in a family car. Buy the long-wheelbase model and there's more legroom in the back than in an S-Class.

Throw in folding, removable seats and it can even double as a mini-MPV. Perhaps the only real downside is the odd, straight-legged driving position, which takes some getting used to, and the thick pillars which limit visibility.

However, there is a big problem, and that's due to an elk. After a journalist rolled an early A-Class in the now infamous 'elk test', the suspension had to be completely reworked and stability control fitted. The result was an amazingly safe car, but one with a terribly dull drive and, thanks to its lower, stiffer suspension, a horribly firm ride.

Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class MPV 1998 - 2005 review

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