2019 Mercedes-Benz A250 set for surprise November arrival

Mercedes-Benz buyers holding out for the powerful A250 hatch are set for a Christmas treat, with a lower-priced version arriving in showrooms by the end of the year.

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Mercedes-Benz Australia has secured a limited number of A250 4Matic hatches, which have the same equipment levels as the A200 currently on sale, including the state-of-the-art MBUX infotainment system With ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control, while adding more power and ‘4Matic’ all-wheel-drive traction.

At the A250’s heart is a reworked version of the 2.0-litre engine in the previous model with slightly higher 165kW/350Nm output through the standard seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.

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An extra 5kW of power helps in part to shave a second from the previous model’s 6.3-second 0-100km/h time, while being a full 1.6 seconds quicker than the A200’s 7.8-second sprint.

The 4Matic AWD system can divert up to 100 percent of torque to the rear axle for brisker launches, while ‘Dynamic Select’ allows the driver to set drive modes for different road conditions or for more economical driving.

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Priced at $49,500, the early arriving A250s cost just $2300 more than the A200. However, it misses out on equipment set to become standard on the A250 such as adaptive dampers and 19-inch wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero rubber, which are expected to raise the price to around $55,000.

As with the A200, the limited-run A250 4Matic features 18-inch alloy wheels, MBUX with widescreen cockpit (a pair of 10.3-inch digital screens), ‘Touchscreen Central Display’ with satellite navigation, LED headlights with adaptive high beam, keyless start, wireless phone charging, auto braking, lane keeping assist and speed-sign recognition.

The most affordable A250 will be available from Mercedes-Benz dealerships from November.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class pricing

• A200 - $47,200
• A250 - $49,500