New Mercedes A-Class To Get Five Gasoline And Four Diesel Options

Khodrocar - With the year coming to an end, it means we’re getting closer and closer to the unveiling of the next-generation Mercedes A-Class slated to debut early 2018. The folks over at Autocar had the chance to hop onto the driver seat of a prototype in the entry-level A160d guise and also obtain some preliminary technical specifications.

For starters, the car they were able to test for a brief while in northern Sweden had a turbodiesel 1.5-liter engine, which will be joined by another three diesel options. On the gasoline front, there are going to be no less than five gasoline versions, plus the hot hatch duo consisting of the A35 and the flagship A45. In addition, spy shots and official images of the interior cabin have revealed a hybrid version is in the offing and is expected to provide up to 31 miles (50 kilometers) of electric range.

With Daimler and Renault recently unveiling a newly developed 1.3-liter gasoline engine, there’s a good chance some A-Class models will be offered with the four-cylinder unit. Depending on application, the Energy TCe mill in Renault models is going to produce 115 horsepower (85 kilowatts) and 162 pound-feet (220 Newton-meters) of torque in its base configuration, followed by the midrange variant with 140 hp (103 kW) and 177 lb-ft (240 Nm), and the stronger specification rated at 160 hp (120 kW) and 192 lb-ft (260 Nm).

Beyond engines, we already know Mercedes’ new compact model will be significantly more spacious and will adopt a high-tech cabin with a pair of 10.25-inch screens similar to the much more expensive models. According to the man in charge of compact vehicle testing, Jochen Eck, ride quality has been improved significantly thanks to added torsional rigidity and lower noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels.

Depending on model, the next A-Class will have two suspension sets, with the cheaper versions getting a new torsion beam setup whereas the upper-spec trim levels will feature an updated multi-link configuration. Factor in the improved visibility (thanks to thinner pillars and bigger rear side windows), more sound-deadening material, and numerous safety features trickled down from bigger cars, the 2018 A-Class hatchback is shaping up quite nicely.