There's one thing to be said for A-Class owners, they're a loyal bunch. They are also the most vociferous letter writers we have come across.
The mere mention of the word 'elk' and 'A-Class' in the same article, even the same supplement, and the mailbag will fill up. Not e-mails, mind you, but handwritten notes or even typed letters. (As yet, we can't identify what type of cars are driven by those who send us letters made up of words cut from the newspaper, but we suspect they're of the three-wheeled variety.)
Is this fondness for putting pen to paper a sign of pride, or sensitivity? First, we should explain that the 'elk' reference dates back to the original model toppling over during testing by journalists. The test in question, which originates in Scandinavia, involves emergency braking and swerving, as if an elk suddenly appeared in front of you.
Mercedes at first adopted the ostrich strategy, denying anything was wrong despite photos of the A-Class perched on two-wheels to the side of a nonplussed wooden elk. When forced to take its head out of the sand, Mercedes made several adjustments.
Given Mercedes pride, you can now be confident this car will not roll over even when avoiding a herd of wildebeest stampeding down the N11.
There's another reason for A-Class owners' sensitivity and it is that they've never really been taken into the Mercedes family. It's like being a pitch and putt member of a fancy golf club - you may have your foot in the clubhouse door, but you'll never be invited to the captain's table.
While we admire their loyalty, with the original model they were fighting something of a losing battle. Their car had the prized badge on the front, but there was little in common with the premium saloons. An insensitive soul would suggest that the A-Class had more in common with the vans and taxis which carry the badge than the C- or E-Class.
Okay, it was roomy inside, the seats folded down and it was easy to get in and out of, but after that it was hard to see the point.
The new A-Class is quite a different animal. It retains the mini-people carrier look, but is longer and wider, with more room for rear-seat passengers.
However, the key difference is aesthetic. The new sweeping front windscreen makes it look a lot less like a shrunken minibus. Indeed the three-door version looks, dare we say it, sporty. It's probably not going to win over the GTi-set, but in black with the right alloys and powered with the upcoming flagship A200 Turbo offering 193bhp it might just turn a few heads.
The new engine range is also an improvement. The entry-level petrol model goes from 1.4- to 1.5-litre. We've driven all seven variants on offer at present (three petrols and three diesels) and were slightly concerned that the A150 wouldn't be up to much. We were pleasantly surprised.
Mercedes claims the power output across the range has increased by 38 per cent, while fuel consumption has been cut by 10 per cent. We managed 11.3-l/100km (25mpg) in town traffic and just over 8-l/100km (33-34mpg) on the open road.
Certainly there's no power lag. It cruises at 120km/h without much bother, though pushing it further would probably be a stretch. If there's any complaint it would be that on a standing start the car needs a good feed of the accelerator.
Suspension and ride all seem set for comfort and there's nothing particularly sporty about the handling, which tends towards oversteer. It's not a bad drive, just not an exhilarating one - just like its predecessor.
Inside the A-Class has been transformed. It retains all the height benefits of the old version but the entire specification looks and feels like a proper Mercedes. From the information panel between the dials through to the central console, there's a striking similarity to the C-Class and even hints at the E-Class. In fact, it's got some of the same switchgear as the Maybach (another reason for owners of the over-stretched S-Class to feel proud of their €500,000 purchase).
Our test car featured the mid-range Elegance trim, which features a front armrest, side skirts in the same colour as the car and wood trim panels. It costs an extra €1,768 on the A150. For our money, you'd have to like your wood, because you can pick up most of the extras - minus the veneer - in the Avantgarde package for €968 on the same car. Some might not like the sports suspension, in which case you're probably better to choose your own options for the Classic entry model.
The rear seats fold down, but this time the whole process of putting them flat into the floor takes a lot less time and effort. Boot space is up by as much as 15 per cent and the height adjustable compartment floor makes it very amenable to most load lugging needs. In fact, there are claims of a boot space of 435 litres, which would easily surpass hatchback rivals such as the VW Golf and BMW 1-Series. With the Easy Vario Plus option - which lets you flatten the front passenger seat - the claim is a whopping 1,995 litres of space. Positively van-like.
One of the strongest selling points of the A-Class is ease of entry. We don't want to stereotype this as the car for people with bad backs, but several readers have told us that they find the A-Class particularly useful in this regard. The new car is as easy - the seats are high enough so that you step into and out of the car.
The strongest selling point must be price. For once Mercedes has accepted market reality. The earlier model was simply too expensive for what it was, but the new model is €1,864 cheaper.
The new A-Class might not take on the Golf, Audi A3 or 1-Series in drivability and street-cred, but it may be just the job for those seeking a practical car with plenty of comfort features and a premium image.
Dare we say . . . a value-for- money Mercedes? What IS the world coming to?
