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Auto Bild magazine tested the new Mercedes A-Class against its traditional competitors, Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. And the winner is…

The new Mercedes A-Class is the most modern car in the compact league and the most expensive as well. But it is also the best one? Here are the Auto Bild conclusions.

In the price list, the only and the cheapest A-Class diesel is the A 180 d with 116 HP and has a price of 31,398 euro. In terms of price, the new A-Class is a real Mercedes and the new generation is available exclusively as a five-door.

The main opponents are Audi A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI with 1.6 liters engine/116 HP and BMW 116d with 1.5 liters 3 cylinder engine and the same 116 HP.

Despite the same performance figures, Audi A3 is the less efficient with 5.2 l/100 km, which need less than 5 l/100 km. On the other hand, BMW builds the strongest engine with the highest torque (270 Nm) despite the BMW engine has one cylinder less. But BMW does not deliver the best driving performance because the car is heavy and the engine loses some force at high revs.
The same game when braking: despite sportier basic design, BMW has longer braking distances, especially after intensive braking.

If in the objective judgment based on the measurements there are small differences, the subjective impression reveals big differences.
The Audi A3 Sportback is a very good allrounder except for the relatively noisy TDI engine. The steering is too much assisted in the Comfort Mode but in Sports Mode everything is fine. The suspension is a little too tight when you pass over short bumps. The ergonomics are very clear and there is a lot of space on the rear bench.