The Mercedes-Benz A-Class comes with real appeal

Travellers arriving in the beach side settlement of Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia - home to some 280,000 inhabitants - could be forgiven for thinking they have ended up light years from Germany. After all, this place just an hour by plane from Munich is about as far removed from bustling city lights and high rises as it can possibly get. It is a far quieter and far more authentic city. One that's packed with back lanes that are ideal for photo shoots and leisurely strolls.

Perhaps that's why Mercedes-Benz decided to hold the international launch of its all-new A-Class there. The German marque, known for its 'old man' perception here in Singapore, has certainly took a leap of faith in its latest hatch offering, creating a car that will have no qualms attracting the younger generation of drivers.

Credit goes to the contemporary and up-to-the-minute design of the A-Class. There was definitely no way of faulting the Germans when they said that the car is the most progressive in the compact segment. Stare at the car long enough and you would be forgiven for mistaking the car as a concept prototype. Not by any chance would you have believed that this is the successor of the boxy family car that was first introduced to the world in 1997. The result is what is known as a two-box design that allows for a sportier silhouette as well as distinct character of its own.

The hatch, as you can see from the pictures here, appears more dynamic than its predecessor from almost every angle possible. When asked why the big change in terms of its design language, Oliver Schnell, Project Management Design, said that it was simply to reach out to a younger audience between 30 and 40 years of age. He also expressed his confidence in the A-Class, saying that it should have no problems superseding strong competitors BMW 1 Series and Audi A3.

"It's the sportiest and most expressive car in its segment. Plus, the A-Class has different styling features that its competitors don't. From the bold defined lines on the sides of the car that create a characteristic play of light to the different materials used in the interior to enhance the cabin atmosphere, the hatchback is all about the smallest attention to details," said Oliver.

The impressive design continues through to the cabin of the A-Class as well. Inside, an exemplary display of form meeting function is clear, with rather attractive well-bolstered sporty seats giving occupants high levels of comfort. More notably, aircraft-inspired design can be seen from the instrument panel, where five round air vents with outer rings sporting electroplated finish brings about the familiar design of turbines from an aeroplane. The lower section of the panel in our test cars has also been given a nice touch of three-dimensional surface appearance that's embedded in sporty "carbon fibre" foil, further enhancing the go-fast atmosphere in the cabin.

Another optional feature that's bound to draw the attention of the younger crowd is the comprehensive iPhone integration. In conjunction with the new user interface design, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is now able to offer users the convenience of operating their iphone through a 14.7cm colour display screen. It does bring surfing Facebook and listening to your favourite tunes to a whole new level. However, to get it working seamlessly with the feature, there's a need for users to download the Daimler application, which is free, from the Apple store.