Mercedes-Benz A 250 and A 35 AMG: a world of difference
May 29 2020,
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class was launched on the Old Continent in 1997. It took 22 years to see it cross the Atlantic, and it showed up here last year.
Today, we find different variants through different body configurations. With the sedan, the versions are called A 220 and A 35 AMG. As for the hatchback model, we're talking about the A 250 and the A 35 AMG. It's the latter two that we're interested in today in order to discover the main distinctions.
First of all, let's get one thing straight. Both models carry the 4Matic signature, which means that all-wheel drive is standard. Both also offer the same interior layout, so you can enjoy 1,210 litres of cargo space with the second-row seats folded.
Where unity is expressed is under the hood. While both models are powered by the same 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, they don't benefit from the same settings. With the A 250 livery, the cavalry is 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. When you switch to the A 35 AMG variant, the result of the work of the wizards at Mercedes-Benz's performance division is 302 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.
On pavement, that translates into very different acceleration times; 6.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h with the A 250 variant, and 4.7 for the one with the AMG badge. You can also tell that on the road, the second one offers a more incisive handling, the result of this extra power, but also of more aggressive adjustments to the chassis height.
In both cases, it's a pleasure to drive. All you have to do is decide where your comfort zone is in this regard.
