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Yes, you’re reading the subtitle correctly. Occasionally, a vehicle comes along that defies the characteristics of a segment. Take the Beetle for instance, or Fiat 500 and the Miata. They alter the way we view the segment and what we should expect from this type of vehicle. The A250 does precisely this. Hatchbacks conjure up images of compact, utilitarian workhorses that are truly the Swiss Knives of the automotive world. They act as your runabout during the week, convert to your friend’s moving van on Saturday and will carry you and all your friends to the nightclub on Saturday night. Some are offered in go fast flavours and others in more mundane versions, but, they all pull off the quick change moves with ease. The A250 4Matic Hatch does all that, but does it with panache in an attractive and sporty package with a long hood and forward lean to the grill. How? You may ask. The answer is the interior. The A250’s interior is a place of beauty and technology. The reality is that the majority of hatchback buyers are younger and by nature, more technically savvy, demanding high levels of connectivity. Mercedes obliges with the Mercedes-Benz User eXperience, aka MBUX. The system’s primary interfaces are two 10.25” displays housed in a single flowing enclosure from the driver seat to the center console creating the illusion of a single screen spanning nearly two feet across the vehicle. The system is a cloud-based interface that can learn based on your needs and inquiries. It can nearly control everything via voice interface, from adjusting the temperature to opening the panoramic roof. Speaking of nightclubs, the A250, and for that matter, most modern Mercedes can customize the interior colour to match your mood in 64 different variations or from a set of predetermined multi light patterns that Mercedes has chosen for you. Finally, the system controls can be done through a center console touchpad, wheel-mounted touchpads, voice or a touch interface screen.

2020

MERCEDES A250 4MATIC HATCH

Combined with this technology is a mix of soft-touch materials, satin touch metallic surfaces on the switchgear to the turbine inspired center vents. The leather seating is comfortable and supportive yet, not too aggressive, but, rather equal parts supple and firm. Leg and headroom in the front and back is more than adequate, and despite my 6’2” frame, the rear cabin was a comfortable place. To ensure all your technology has a means of getting you from place to place, Mercedes uses a 2.0L inline-four good for 221 bhp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. The result is a mid-6second sprint to 100. Power is delivered thanks to a crisp 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that responds well in comfort mode, but tends to hold revs a bit too long in sport. The engine also has a unique boxer like sound that fills the cabin when in sport mode, being a boxer 4 fan, I loved the noise. The figures and performance levels definitely put the A250 into hot hatch category, however, for true hooligan like fun AMG will be offering the A35 Hatch putting out 302 horsepower as well as 295 pound-feet of torque from 3,000 rpm and will propel the A class to 100 in the mid-4second range. Expect to see the A35 on sale later in 2020. The driving mannerisms are sharp and precise. The wheel feels adequately weighted, and the A250 driving dynamics are predictable and provide an enjoyable experience day to day. The vehicle tends to pamper the driver and hence it is not as aggressive or engaging as say a Golf R, which sells for around the same. To ensure that driving can be enjoyed all year round, Mercedes 4matic system delivers power to all 4 wheels when needed. In default, the system primarily acts like a front-wheeldrive car delivering power to the rear under slippery conditions or under hard acceleration while in sport mode. The A250 Hatch changes what the hatch segment should be seen as. It provides a massive amount of luxury and technology and alters what other manufacturers should be offering. Direct competitors are the BMW 1 series and A3 from Audi, and although both are capable vehicles on their own, they lack the wow factor of the A250 Hatch 4matic. With an as-tested price of $48,500.00 the A250 is not cheap, but it offers a lot of vehicle for the price; it introduces a new set of buyers to the Tristar name with the ultimate goal of making them lifelong buyers.

2020 ACURA ILX

The ILX A-Spec holds an unusual place in the Acura lineup. It’s meant to capture the hearts of millennials, providing a more upclass, sportier alternative to the likes of the Honda, Mazda and Toyota. This was a realm Acura dominated for so long. Names like Integra, RSX and TSX were staples. Some of you may remember, if you wanted to standout you didn’t want a Civic, you wanted an Integra, you wanted an Acura. by: Sandeep Gill

The ILX A-Spec is meant to capture that nostalgia. To achieve this goal you have a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four good for a modest 201 bhp @ 6800 rpm and 180 lb.-ft. @ 3600 rpm. The joy comes from letting that engine breath to its fullest and squeezing every last drop of the 201 horses. Mated to a 8 speed dual clutch transmission, shifts are smooth and clean, but, not lightning quick. Switch it to sport mode and you get to enjoy the pleasure of driving with a relatively balanced chassis and with

shift points that are slightly altered, allowing you to hold each gear a little longer or use the standard paddle shifters if you want to take control to a higher level. Produced in four trim levels the ILX can be had in Base, Premium, Premium A-Spec or Tech A-Spec flavours. The latter two A-Spec sedans give you larger (18-inch) wheels, side skirts and revised front and rear facia and a rear deck spoiler. The most aggressive impact comes from dark Jewel Eye LED headlights flanking a grille finished with black chrome accents as well as matte graphite inserts. However, the sporty elements have no discernible impact on handling or performance and are cosmetic in nature. Safety features include standard features like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and active lane control and all, but, the base model also have blind-spot monitors. The interior is a comfortable clean setup. The front seats are well bolstered and highlighted by suede inserts with contrast stitching. In A-Spec, trim the seats are deep red, denoting the sporty DNA from which the ILX A-Spec is derived. Leg room up front is ample, but, if you are in excess of 6 feet in height, headroom may be an issue. Rear leg room is at a premium and cramped, but, would work well for a young family of four. The ILX A-Spec has some mighty big shoes to fill. Its forefathers paved a glorious performance path for Acura. This is where the dilemma lies. The ILX A-Spec, however, falls short of that mark. You have other offerings from the Honda Motor Group providing higher levels of performance and thrill. However, they do not shine with the level of refinement that ILX A-Spec offers nor the Acura cache. Pitted against other luxury brand rivals from BMW (2 Series), Mercedes (A Class) or Audi (A3), the ILX’s value cannot be beat. With an as tested price just under $36,000.00 it blows the competition out of the water and ultimately this is what newcomers to the brand will be attracted by. That is the goal of the ILX exercise, to bring the buyers in and keep them there when the family SUV is needed or the executive sedan.