Spartan from its Debut

"Quite a handful..."

I still vividly recall my first impression when I test-drove the Mercedes-AMG "A45 4MATIC." At the time of its debut, the official name was Mercedes-Benz "A45 AMG 4MATIC." However, Mercedes revised its naming convention for sub-brands like AMG and Maybach, placing the sub-brand name before the model name, such as Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach. Consequently, the official name for the A45 has been changed to the aforementioned Mercedes-AMG A45 4MATIC.

Even so, the initial A45 was quite spartan. The ride was firm, and even with 18-inch wheels, the jolts from the road were pronounced. This made the steering feel as if it might be pulled by ruts, and there was a sense that tire grip might be lost over small bumps (a mere premonition, not necessarily a reality), making it difficult to fully utilize the 360ps output – the highest ever for a mass-produced four-cylinder engine. The engine itself also tended to surge in power somewhat abruptly, making it less than easy to handle.

Approximately three years have passed since then, and the A-Class has undergone a major minor change. Incidentally, Mercedes has significantly improved the completeness of its products through major minor changes on numerous occasions in the past, so I was keenly interested to see how much the A45 had been reborn with this update as I took the wheel.

Able to Safely Unleash its Performance

The first thing that surprised me was the ride quality. The dampers are now electronically controlled and can be switched between two settings: Comfort and Sport. However, rather than simply softening the ride by reducing damping force, it felt as though the friction within the entire suspension system had been significantly reduced, allowing the tires to follow the road surface more smoothly than ever before. This characteristic remains consistent in both Comfort and Sport modes. Sport mode, however, further increases damping force, enhancing steering response.

Thanks to this supple suspension, not only is the car's path unperturbed even on rough roads, but the likelihood of losing tire grip when hitting bumps during hard cornering has also been greatly reduced. In other words, the suspension has been reborn to be more comfortable yet provide a greater sense of security.

The inline 4-cylinder 2.0-liter turbo, now producing 381ps and 475Nm – an increase of 21ps and 25Nm due to engine management improvements – also exhibited a docile and easy-to-handle characteristic, belying its specifications. The relationship between throttle pedal input and power output has become more linear, and the time lag between pressing the pedal and the engine power surging has decreased, significantly enhancing controllability.

It's easy to imagine how the A45, with its enhanced chassis stability and improved engine drivability, would perform on winding roads. You can control speed more precisely and as you desire, and even if the road surface or the car's attitude changes slightly, the tire grip limit remains almost constant. This allows you to unleash the A45's performance far more easily and with greater confidence than before.

Greatly Improved Refinement

Along with these changes in cornering manners, I also welcome the reduction in exhaust noise levels. This is partly thanks to the addition of a system that electronically controls flaps within the exhaust system based on throttle pedal input, allowing for a quieter exhaust note during gentle driving and a more resonant sound when pushed hard. However, similar to the electronically controlled dampers, the settings for this system itself have been biased towards a milder character than before, resulting in a generally lower perceived noise level.

Personally, I was also pleased that the frequency of the "pop, pop, pop!" exhaust pops, which used to occur frequently when lifting off the throttle in modes like Sport, has been significantly reduced.

Reading this, one might think the new A45 has been reborn as a docile and unexciting model. And I can understand that some users might prefer the more aggressive tuning of the previous generation. However, the sporty models AMG has produced in the past, even with their overwhelming performance, were never crude; they always paid close attention to ride comfort and quietness. In that sense, the A45, with its update, can be said to have acquired its true AMG character. I myself am convinced that the new A45, with its greatly enhanced refinement, will surely gain the support of a wider audience.

Mercedes-AMG A45 4MATIC | Mercedes-AMG A45 4MATIC
Body Dimensions | L 4,370 x W 1,780 x H 1,420 mm
Wheelbase | 2,700 mm
Tread Front/Rear | 1,555 / 1,560 mm
Vehicle Weight | 1,560 kg
Engine | 1,991 cc Inline-4 Turbo
Max. Output | 280 kW (381 ps) / 6,000 rpm
Max. Torque | 475 Nm (48.4 kgm) / 2,250-5,000 rpm
Transmission | 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT
Drivetrain | 4WD
Suspension Front | MacPherson Strut
Suspension Rear | Trailing Arm
Brakes Front | Ventilated Disc
Brakes Rear | Ventilated Disc
Tires Front/Rear | 235/40R18
0-100 km/h Acceleration | 4.2 sec
Fuel Economy (JC08 Mode) | 12.6 km/ℓ
Trunk Capacity | 341-1,157 ℓ
Minimum Turning Radius | 5.1 m
Price | ¥7,130,000