The 2016 Mercedes A-Class gets subtle upgrades to the exterior and interior while the engine lineup has seen a revamp on the international versions.
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the 2016 A-Class facelift globally with subtle upgrades and revised engines ahead of sales set to commence from 3rd July and deliveries scheduled for this September in Europe. Starting with the exteriors, the 2016 A-Class gets notable changes including a redesigned and more arrow-shaped front bumper, new optional LED headlamps (standard on the A45 AMG) with eyebrows as DRLs, strikingly revised LED tail lights and revamped rear bumper that now gets integrated angular tipped exhaust pipes. The striking diamond front grille is now standard on the hatch.
Inside the cabin, the 2016 Mercedes A-Class continues with the same dual pod instrument cluster, but gets new switches, an upgraded infotainment system with optional 8-inch touchscreen unit that is now compatible with Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink system; revised seats with new upholstery and new colour scheme with trim finishes on offer. The German auto giant states that the material quality has also been improved on the 2016 model.
Part of the new changes is the revised engine lineup for the international spec 2016 Mercedes A-Class that now gets an entry-level A160 variant with 99 HP coming from a 1.6-litre petrol engine. Diesel power on the A180 BlueEfficiency edition comes from a 1.5-litre motor (Renault-Nissan 1.5 dCi) with 108 HP of power. The new A220 and A250 petrol versions get 7 HP boost in power over the existing output. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) has been retained on the 2016 A-Class. A major change though comes to the nomenclature of the diesel variants that will be signified by the ‘d’ badging, instead of ‘CDI’ seen currently. Very BMW-ish, we would say.
In addition, the Mercedes A45 AMG 4MATIC has also witnessed an update for MY2016. The Affalterbach folks have managed to squeeze out 376 HP and 475 Nm of torque from the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol motor that earlier produced 355 HP and 450 Nm. The increased performance comes courtesy of a new valve assembly that gets reconfigured timing and turbocharging and helps optimise the combustion process. The automaker has also revised the 7-speed DCT on the 2016 A45 AMG for shorter ratios in 3rd and 7th gear, while adding a new AMG Dynamic Plus package with a newly developed mechanical front axle locking to improve traction.
The 2016 A45 AMG does the 0-100 km/hr sprint in 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/hr. As a result, the baby AMG is now 0.1 second faster than the Audi RS3 Sportback, reclaiming its title of the “most powerful compact performance model in the world”. Furthermore, the A-Class facelift gets the DYNAMIC SELECT adaptive damping system standard on the 4MATIC equipped variants and A45 AMG, and offers four driving modes namely – Comfort, Sport, Eco and Individual. Lastly, there is a new A-Class Motorsport Edition inspired by the automaker’s F1 team and brings special aesthetic upgrades to the A200 and A200d and higher trims with green accents on the body and AMG wheels as well as sports seats.
Reports also suggest of Mercedes developing an ‘S’ version of the 2016 A45 AMG. If true, the model will belt out a whopping 400 PS, but the project is under wraps for now. To go on sale in India early next year, the A-Class facelift is likely to continue in the A200 and A180 Sport trim levels with power coming from the 1.6-litre diesel and 2.2-litre petrol engines.
