New Mercedes A-Class Now Available With Renault-Sourced Diesel

Mercedes-Benz has expanded the fourth generation A-Class family with the introduction of the A180d.

The model is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter (1,461cc) diesel engine, made by Renault, and it’s essentially the same unit used in the Dacia lineup, bar the different ECU, alternator, AC compressor, start/stop function and some other parts.

It comes with a slight power bump and delivers 116PS (114hp / 85kW) and 260Nm (192lb-ft) of torque to the front wheels, through a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission. That’s 16PS (16hp / 12kW) and 20Nm (15lb-ft) of torque more than what you’d get in the new Dacia Duster dCi 110.

Mercedes-Benz claims the A180d needs 10,5sec for the 0-100km/h (0-62mph) acceleration and has a top speed of 202km/h (126mph). In this flavor, the A-Class burns 4.1-4.5 l/100 km (68.9-62.8 UK mpg / 57.4-52.3 US mpg) on average and emits between 108 and 118 g/km of CO2.

Also Read: 2019 Mercedes A-Class Sedan Vs CLA: Just How Different Are They?

Dubbed the OM 608, it’s already available in Germany, for a starting price of €31,395.15, which equals $37,315 at the current exchange rates, tax included. Besides meeting the Euro 6d-TEMP A emission standard, and being more powerful than the unit used in the previous-gen A-Class, this engine is also cleaner and quieter – the automaker states that it comes with an SCR catalyst with AdBlue exhaust fluid.

The new Mercedes-Benz A180d follows the introduction of two other diesel engines: the four-cylinder OM 654 in the E-Class and the six-cylinder OM 656 in the S-Class. This sends a clear message that the German car brand won’t ditch oil burners anytime soon.