The interior has also received a reworking as part of this facelift, although it will feel very familiar if you've ever spent time in an A-Class – or any other current Mercedes model, for that matter. The biggest change for 2023 centres around the infotainment, with the latest version of the MBUX system, which is twinned with the firm's new sport steering wheel that features a range of haptic controls for quick access to functions.
The A-Class presents you with a cabin to admire: one of high perceived quality, fairly rich and lavish materials and plenty of ritzy technology in quite a particular vision of modern luxury that is easy to buy into. The generous use of glossy black plastic and satin chrome trim in the car won’t please everyone, and some might quibble that the cabin’s underlying quality isn’t any better than that of many other compact models. But most drivers will, we’ll wager, be impressed by the upmarket ambience they find.
The cabin is a broadly practical and comfortable one, too, with a couple of familiar A-Class caveats. The ‘integrated’ front sports seat design means you don’t get separate, adjustable head restraints (although the A-Class isn’t the only offender on that score these days), while the oversized interior door handles eat into knee room a bit unnecessarily and can even trap your outboard leg if you’re not careful when closing the rear passenger doors.