A couple of days ago, I had the pleasure of test driving the new A250 at the majestic Burj Khalifa Plaza at downtown Dubai.
If you are into cars, here’s some numbers and facts that you might want to know before test driving the car:
– Powerful 4-cylinder. two liter turbocharged engine that produces 211 HP
– 0 to 100 kph in 6.6 seconds
– Active Parking Assist: yes the car can park itself, nothing new here, but it’s nice to have the feature
– Collision Prevention Assist: If you are speeding and the car in-front of you breaks, you get a beeping alert to break
– Economical Option: If this option is turned on, the engine will automatically switch off every time you break at a traffic light.
So, I got there, and the first thing I said was “It is beautiful, can’t wait to test drive it!”
If the Italians are known for the classy and dynamical designs, the Germans with the design of the A250 have taken the competition to a new level. The exterior is so perfect that you’ll be staring at the car for a couple of minutes.
After signing up and handing over the driving license, it was time to take the beauty out and put it to the test.
First things first, with a top speed of 240 kph, shifting from gear 1 to 2 was so slow, but once it’s at second gear, the acceleration then is impressive! The design of the gear reminds me of old American cars, gears are selected via a wand on the steering column and thence via paddles. As all other Mercedes cars, this beauty is not equipped with a hand brake, which might be annoying for those of you looking for some drifting action. I have to say though, the car is very steady on the road, you will feel confident to keep on speeding while feeling safe.
Now, is the A250 a Yey or Nay? Well, it depends on what you want!
If you are looking for a classy and impeccable design with a very good performance – and if you are one of those who like German endurance and like to drive a big brand name like Mercedes, then it is a YEY!
But if you are looking for a top performance sports car, then I am afraid that my answer will be a NAY! Even though the A250 is marketed as a competitor to the Golf GTI, it is no where close to it. And for a price tag close to 150,000 AED (depends on the options you are looking for) you can easily get more power and a better performance in the GTI and the likes.
I believe car shopping is just dress shopping for ladies, what one might find beyond awesome, someone else might find average!
Natalicious 