I would never buy a new Mercedes-Benz A-class. Even at £13,275 for the A 140 Classic I reckon there are better cars you can buy for the same money, like a Citroën Xsara Picasso or Vauxhall Zafira. Go for an upmarket A-class with a bigger engine and better trim and you can spend £20,000. If you’re prepared to shell out that much then you’re getting into the territory of some great cars. For real performance buy a Subaru Impreza WRX, for comfort a Jaguar X-type and for space look to the new Citroën C8.

So, on the face of it, the A-class is a pretty pointless car. Pointless as a new car, that is — as a used car it is a far more attractive proposition. You can now pick up early cars from 1998 for as little as £6,000 and at that price it has a lot fewer competitors.

The A-class offers drivers a range of engines including an extremely economical 1.7 litre diesel. Petrol engines range from 1.4 to 2.1 litres, the latter introduced in February 2002 and producing a lusty 140bhp. The most popular petrol engines have been the 1.4 litre (82bhp) and 1.6 litre (102bhp) derivatives. Go for the 1.6 — the extra 200cc barely affects fuel consumption or insurance and will cost only an extra £300.

Drivers have a choice of five-speed manual, five-speed auto and most interestingly a clutchless five-speed manual. The latter is certainly strange to use at first but once mastered it gives the economy of a manual and the relaxation of an auto.

The A-class also comes in three levels of trim. The entry model Classic comes with electric windows and mirrors, front and side airbags, remote central locking and front foglights. Drivers wanting a sportier feel are best going for the Avantgarde model, with five-spoke alloy wheels, blue tinted glass and an electric sunroof; the car sits lower and handling is more taut. Arguably the most desirable model is the Elegance, which comes with air-conditioning as standard and wood trim on the dashboard and doors.

Despite its compact dimensions — incredibly it’s nearly 2ft shorter than the VW Golf or Ford Focus — the A-class has generous interior space and rear passengers will enjoy plenty of legroom even in the standard cars. Long wheelbase models gain an extra 7in, giving the car near-limousine levels of space.

The spring 2001 facelift resulted in the upgrade of many of the materials used for the interior trim and changes to the minor switch gear. In addition the car received changes to the front seats, bumpers and air intakes. All models were also given an adjustable steering column.

The A-class is probably best remembered for the rather worrying handling characteristics it demonstrated while being tested by motoring journalists just before its launch. Happily this resulted in modifications to the suspension and traction control, so used-car buyers can be assured that any second-hand car will exhibit good road manners.

Reliability has long been a Mercedes virtue and time has proven the A-class to be durable. Servicing costs are more akin to other Mercedes than a standard MPV but you shouldn’t be faced with many unscheduled repairs.

Used car: Mercedes A-Class

CHECK IT OUT
Air-conditioning Big glass area means you'll want it, but it's standard only on Elegance
Brakes Discs front and rear, ABS standard
Build quality Improved in spring 2001 facelift
Comfort Driver's seat height adjustable on all models
Economy Manual 1.7 litre diesel capable of nearly 60mpg
Insurance Ranges from group 5 on entry-level 1.4 through group 8 for 123bhp 1.9 to group 12 for flagship 140bhp Evolution
Remote control alarm Batteries prone to failure, so carrying spares advisable
Safety Anti-skid traction control standard across the range
Space 7in more rear legroom with long-wheelbase option introduced in April 2001
Transmission Manual, auto or clutchless manual available on all but range-topping 2.1 litre Evolution
Trim Leather steering wheel and gear knob on Elegance and Avantgarde
Wheels Alloys standard on Elegance and Avantgarde

VITAL STATISTICS
Model Mercedes-Benz A 170 CDI
Engine Four cylinders, 1689cc
Power 102bhp @ 4200rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel 56.5mpg (combined)
Acceleration 0 to 62mph: 12.1sec
Top speed 113mph

THE ONE TO BUY
Mercedes-Benz A 170 CDI manual, 1998 S-plate with 60,000 miles and full service history. Pay £7,425 at a dealer or £6,500 from a private seller

OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY...
2000 W-reg Citroên Xsara Picasso 2.0 HDi
1999 T-reg Renault Scénic 1.9 dTi
1999 T-reg Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 Di
1998 S-reg Mitsubishi Space Wagon 2.4 GDi
1998 R-reg Honda Shuttle 2.3i auto

VALUES: MERCEDES-BENZ A 170 CDI ELEGANCE
Mileage 30,000
1998 S Trade £6,500. Retail £8,175
1999 T Trade £7,025. Retail £8,695
2000 W Trade £7,750. Retail £9,425

Mileage 40,000
1998 S Trade £6,250. Retail £7,925
1999 T Trade £6,750. Retail £8,425
2000 W Trade £7,450. Retail £9,125

Mileage 60,000
1998 S Trade £5,775. Retail £7,425
1999 T Trade £6,200. Retail £7,895
2000 W Trade £6,850. Retail £8,525

Avantgarde worth the same as Elegance; Classic worth £700 less than Avantgarde/Elegance. Long-wheelbase models worth £300 more than standard cars Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. 'Trade' is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; 'retail' is what you would pay a dealer