Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Subtle tweaks to this premium family hatchback include a revised engine range and trim levels On sale Now Price from £31,880

- Lawrence Cheung

GIVEN THE LARGE number of family hatchbacks on sale (there are 18 reviews of them alone on the What Car? website), trying to whittle down a shortlist could be a challenge. Life is a bit easier if you're after one that wears a premium badge, though; there are just three main options to choose from. The Mercedes Benz A-Class is one of them, and has been battling it out against the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series for the past decade. 

The current version is the most convincing yet, and it's just been treated to an update. You'll have to look quite carefully on the outside to spot the tweaked front and rear lights and more sculpted bonnet.

Meanwhile, the list of changes to the interior is barely any longer than the vegan menu in a fast food restaurant. What few there are make a big difference, though.

For a start, while entry-level models previously had a 7.0in digital instrument panel that looked a little low-rent for a premium car, all trim levels now come with a 10.3in display that's much sharper to look at and has a wide range of layouts to choose from.