See What I Mean?

See What I Mean?

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A220 is an entry-level four-door in Mercedes A-Series, which has only recently hit US shores. 50,000 car I tested was packed with performance extras and technology. Budget-minded buyers might look elsewhere, but the A220 is fun to drive, easy on gas, and a great introduction to the Mercedes way of life. Visit Business Insider鈥檚 homepage for more stories. Mercedes-Benz has been selling cars in the US for decades, but until quite recently, Americans were denied the rinky-dink A-Class vehicles that Mercedes had delivered elsewhere on the globe. Fifteen years later, the A-Class has finally made it to the USA, for its fourth generation. I had never driven one before, so I was delighted to check out a 2019 A220 sedan with Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. 10,000 cheaper than the lowest-grade C-Class. Bear in mind that you are getting a Merc that, unlike other sedans in the automaker鈥檚 long history, is based on a front-wheel-drive architecture - the same idea behind Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas. I tried to avoid allowing my bias for rear-drive German luxury sedans to come into play with the A220.

And when it was all a wrap after a week in the New York-New Jersey area, I was perfectly happy with the Benz鈥檚 engineering. But what about the rest of the ride? Read on to see what I thought. Photos by Hollis Johnson. Why, whatever could that be lurking in the urban jungle? Well, it鈥檚 no beast, but it is the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A220 4Matic sedan. The A220 is a subcompact four-door that now slots in below the C-Class. A-Class rides are Mercedes鈥?new point-of-entry. In 鈥淚ridium Silver Metallic,鈥?the A220 looks sharp, but it also blends in. Yeah, not always easy to tell that the car is a Mercedes-Benz. If I had to sum the A220 up, I鈥檇 say the front is sleek and elegant, while the stubby rear 鈥?is not. The compact stance definitely works better up front. 2,600 extra) that included a diamond-block grille, vented front disc brakes, and a dropped suspension.

The Mercedes tri-star badge is prominent against the blacked-out grilled, with a pair of chrome wings that add some real design energy to the fascia. And of course, the hood ornaments of yore, so easy to steal, have been supplanted by bas-relief badges. The sloping roofline is on-trend for auto design these days, but I鈥檓 no fan of the A220鈥檚 rear end, which manages to be both truncated and insubstantial. It鈥檚 also rather busy, with the angled tail lights crowding out the tri-star badge. The dual exhaust pipes look good, however. The wheels on my A220 were snazzy AMG multispokes. 500 extra, but very much worth it. To be honest, I think the A220鈥檚 design is mostly successful, given its scale. The idea of a small Mercedes is a tough sell, and the A220鈥檚 styling works well with what it has. Overall, the sedan simply has a lightness that could appeal to some buyers.

But it might be a turn-off to longtime Benz fans. The interior of the A220 should turn off nobody, however. On the inside, Mercedes is doing a phenomenal job with its cars, balancing bling with posh and throwing in a heapin鈥?helpin鈥?of high tech. The seats are upholstered in two-tone leather: 鈥淭itanium Gray/Black.鈥?It鈥檚 a handsome color scheme, a bit less flashy than what I鈥檝e seen on more upscale Mercs. For some, Mercedes bling is off-putting. I鈥檇 call the A220鈥檚 interior minimalist and tasteful. Minimalist, that is, in the Mercedes context 鈥?an Audi this isn鈥檛. The grabber is the large instrument panel/infotainment screen that extends across the left half of the dashboard. The instruments are all digital, and the resolution is stunning. See what I mean? The main section of the infotainment screen is in the driver鈥檚 line-of-sight. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is outfitted with the usual batch of buttons, thumbwheels, and switches, controlling many vehicle functions and enabling the driver to keep those hands on the wheel.

The entire screen is over 20 square inches. The 10.25-inch infotainment aspect runs Mercedes pretty good, yet not great, system. Resolution is crisp, GPS navigation is solid, and Bluetooth device pairing is easy. There are also USB/AUX ports for gadget integration. 850 Burmester 鈥淪urround Sound鈥?audio system that sounded fantastic, full of dynamic range and detail. A SiriusXM satellite radio subscription was also included. The screen also provides info on drive modes and offers numerous ways to customize interior lighting and vehicle settings. The system uses a touchscreen, but there鈥檚 also this wrist-rest configuration with buttons and inputs to prevent excessive interaction with the screen while driving. It鈥檚 a mixed bag, performance-wise. I鈥檇 grade it a B-. 鈥?And can composite a bird鈥檚 eye view of the car. This makes for more precise maneuvering. There鈥檚 push-button starting, as well as a stop-start function that can be deactivated. The powerplant is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 188 horsepower with 221 pound-feet of torque.