This was observed after disassembling the A220d:

Exhaust gas cleaning system

The exhaust gas cleaning system still works perfectly even after the endurance test. However, the heat shields are already showing fairly developed cracks. However, we did not notice any rattling sounds.

chairs

There is hardly any wear on the seats. The upholstery and pillows still make a good impression. However, the wire harness in the driver’s seat must be replaced.

Motion vector

The gearbox shifts shockless until the last minute and usually without any quirks. After the marathon there are hardly any signs of wear. The gears, bearings and clutches are still in good condition.

conditioning

Until the moment of disassembly, the air conditioner did an excellent job. However, approximately 200 grams of refrigerant leaked. This was the result of a porous connection in a tube.

shafts

At the axles, all wishbones, bearings and bushings are still in perfect condition. After disassembly, we note surface wear on the rear axle mount.

engine block

The engine block is made of aluminum, and the cylinders have a nanoslide coating that – just like the underside of the car – does not show any special features.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class block is checked for wear.

This is what AutoBild editors think of the A220d

An eventful life seems to be the norm with the A-Class. This applies to the entire model series, which started in 1997 as a high-legged compact MPV and immediately fell to the moose test as a result of balance issues. The Model A is now much smaller and more modern, which makes the model a success for Mercedes-Benz. However, the model series will be discontinued when the current W177 is introduced in 2025. That’s quite a pity, as AutoBild can wrap up after the 102,507-kilometer endurance test it covered with its Jupiter-red A220 d.

A Mercedes-Benz A-Class from AutoBild visits the Netherlands.

But back to the beginning. After the first round with the new addition in October 2019, a colleague said: “Forget the VW Golf GTD, the 220 d is better.” In the next two and a half years hardly anyone contradicted this. With surprising ease, the 2-liter engine rocks 190 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque from its four cylinders, speeding the brand’s smallest model to 100 km/h in around seven seconds. Also on the highway he is not inferior to his big brothers, because speeds in excess of 200 km / h are not a challenge for him.

Nice and economical

Despite all these dynamics, the self-igniting Class A is not a wine barge. On the contrary, at a distance of 220 d, although they often drove at high speed on the highway and had to drive a lot to get to the appointments on time, they noted a consumption of 6.3 liters per 100 km, or 1 in 15.9 (a value that can achieved using A200 gasoline in Holland, AW). He often remained discreetly in the background, also thanks to the eight-speed automatic transmission with double clutch. During the few comfortable trips between them, the consumption sometimes fluctuated about 1 in 20, which allows to achieve a range of more than a thousand kilometers without any problems. The German also didn’t take much from AdBlue. Consumption was just over a liter per 100 km, so they did not have to increase the large-volume AdBlue tank (23.8 liters) much. Material prices varied widely, from 1 euro to 5 euros per liter.

Opinions were unequivocal about the travel qualities and comfort of the Benz: ten with a pencil. Agree, Class A is not a space miracle, but not very large families can handle it well. Some editors even felt the furniture’s hard cushions and responsive chassis came close to the level of the C-Class. That’s quite a claim, but the truth is, long trips aren’t a penalty in this car. An “elegant finish with some gloss and glamor,” we read in the log, helps us, as does “effective LED lighting.”

close to the ground

Yes, many people can easily get used to a car. “What a great car. Compact, easy to use and well arranged”, says a colleague. She believes that it is not only a great travel car, but also a sporty city flash. In an urban environment, it is noticeable that the A is rather low on the ground. Literally, since the car has limited ground clearance Only, sometimes it comes in contact with the ground at parking exits and at dangerous thresholds. For this reason, the AutoBild team has taken it very easily in such situations since the first unwanted encounter with asphalt. Then the problem remains that you have to go down a bit to end up in Class A, which is not a party for tall people with weaker backs.

Sometimes there is another problem, colleagues at AutoBild conclude from the history. “On some elevated pavement, fellow drivers are having trouble opening the door, and I’ve never experienced that before,” comments one colleague. On the other hand, there is a lot of praise for the MBUX infotainment system. It has understandable voice assistance, sharp screens, and a well-functioning navigation system. You can safely rely on Class A multimedia services. The fact that Apple CarPlay still works with a cable and the touchpad keeps giving error messages is annoying, but they can live with that. For more discomfort are the assistance systems, which go several times in caution. Old road signs and a pedestrian (but on the sidewalk) detour were sometimes reason enough for the Electronic Guardian Angels to intervene. Could be better.

Recognizable use of an endurance tester, also at AutoWeek, they often drive with a photographer or photographer in the luggage compartment to photograph or film cars while driving.

However, after completing the stress test, AutoBild has only one wish: Can’t it survive? Unfortunately. Like every car participating in the 100,000 km endurance test, they also completely disassembled the Mercedes in collaboration with the experts at Dekra. It is immediately noticeable that the interior is still quite new; There are few signs of wear. However, chafing spots on the carpet on the driver’s side and slight folds in the front seat upholstery are noticeable, but other than that, the compact Mercedes still fits perfectly.

This image is preserved during the rest of the disassembly process. They see a slight friction spot on the mudguard, a small rust spot on the underside and a leak in the air conditioning duct, from which about 170g of coolant leaked during endurance testing. So this Mercedes wasn’t flawless either, but it’s not all serious. They are more witnesses to an eventful car life.

AutoWeek experiments with the A180 and A200

Things like a little ground clearance and intervention assistance systems in the endurance test with the Mercedes A180 and A200. In addition, the performance of the gasoline versions was perfect, especially the low consumption that impressed. You can see the past in this video.

Just a generation before? We recently posted This buying guide From the older generation Mercedes A-Class.