Our pick: Mercedes-Benz A 200 Saloon Progressive from S$154,888 with COE (June 2020)
Read our review of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Saloon here
Mercedes-Benz is unique in that it has not one, but two four-door sedans in this segment. But whereas the CLA is the stylish ‘coupe’ (as Mercedes-Benz insists on calling it), the A-Class Saloon is the more down-to-earth four-door sedan that will attract the more practical-minded buyer.
The pricing strategy reflects that too, with the A-Class Saloon starting at $154,888 with COE for the A 200 Progressive variant, putting it head to head with the BMW 218i Gran Coupe.Driving the A 200 Sedan is a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 163hp and 250Nm of torque. That makes it a fair bit more powerful than its rivals, but the overall driving experience can merely be described as okay rather than excellent.
Inside, there’s room to accommodate four adults comfortably, and the A-Class’s interior is a stylish, tech-laden wonder, boasting futuristic dual 10.25-inch screens that stretches across the dashboard, and incorporates the digital instrument cluster and infotainment system.
Like the BMW, the Merc also features its own voice activation technology, dubbed Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX), although between the two, BMW’s system comes across as marginally more intuitive to use.
The Merc does seem a bit more stylish however, albeit it being a matter of subjective taste. The A-Class Saloon’s design feels better resolved, with its sleek lines and a rear end that doesn’t look like it was simply grafted on from the A-Class hatchback.
Ultimately though, the A-Class Saloon’s greatest appeal is what’s sitting on the front grille: the three-pointed star badge. That alone on a four door sedan is enough to attract Singaporean buyers to it like bees to honey.
