The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is the 2019 AutoTrader South African Car of the Year and won by a healthy margin! The sought-after award was presented at a spectacular function at Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg on 4 April. The win was an extremely momentous occasion for Mercedes-Benz, which last won the South African Car of the Year in 1987 with the Mercedes-Benz 260E.

“The judges were particularly impressed with its interior comfort, stunning design, innovative technology, terrific road manners and exemplary safety features. Furthermore, the advanced engine offers the optimal blend of efficiency, performance and driving fun,” says Rubin van Niekerk, chairman of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ).

Incredibly, members of the public reached the same conclusion as the highly qualified jury members, who collectively have 584 years of experience in the motor industry. For the first time in the competition’s 34-year-long history, members of the public could cast a vote via the AutoTrader website – and pick a car that they believed most deserving of the AutoTrader South African Car of the Year title. “After 55,000 consumer votes, I am delighted to reveal that the public vote yielded exactly the same result: they also chose the Mercedes-Benz A-Class,” reveals George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has also been named winner of the Family Sedan/Hatch Category at the 2019 AutoTrader South African Car of the Year.

The jury commented favourably on the car’s beautiful design and magnificent craftsmanship. The judges were particularly impressed with its interior comfort, stunning design, innovative technology, terrific road manners and exemplary safety features. Furthermore, they liked the fact that the advanced engine offers the optimal blend of efficiency, performance and driving fun. The judges were also impressed with the improvements to ride-quality and steering feel, which are revolutionary for this important entry-model to the Mercedes-Benz range.

“The A-Class is an outstanding luxury car, which is enjoying widespread global appeal and success. It represents innovation and ingenuity, while setting new benchmarks in its market segment. It definitely deserves both its Family Sedan/Hatch Category win and its overall laurels,” comments Mienie.

The new A-Class offers more utility value and world-class safety features, making it more youthful than ever but grown-up and comfortable like never before.  It is available in two variants – the A 200 and the A 250 Sport, with the diesel, sedan and Mercedes-AMG models expected in South Africa later this year. The A 200 generates 120 kW and 250 Nm of torque with a 7G DCT dual-clutch transmission (5.2 l/100 km). The A 250 Sport generates 165 kW and 350 Nm, and is available with the 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission which provides a claimed fuel consumption of 6.2 l/100 km.

The A-Class features an industry-leading, in-vehicle command centre, Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX), pairing natural voice recognition with voice-activated artificial intelligence (AI) technology to seamlessly integrate with today’s multitasking lifestyle. “With ‘Hey Mercedes’, the A-Class has not only revolutionized the way a driver and their car interact, but completely redefined modern luxury in the compact car segment,” says Selvin Govender, Marketing Director of Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa.

“The A-Class is truly the lead star of our good news story. We appreciate the public’s vote and continuous support, and thank the Guild of Motoring Journalists and AutoTrader for a great awards evening,” concludes Govender.