There is a single AMG-badged A-Class trim on offer for 2021. The A35 Sedan is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 302 hp. Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed DCT transmission. Exterior features include LED headlights, a panoramic glass roof, and power-folding mirrors. The interior features 12-way power-adjustable front seats with four-way power lumbar adjustment, dual-zone automatic climate control, and dual-10.25-inch screens with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Bluetooth streaming, and five USB-C ports. There are many options available, including adaptive damping and aggressive aero, or performance bucket seats, and like most Mercedes products, the best safety gear is hidden in package options, not equipped as standard.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG A35 sells for an MSRP of $45,850. The A35 is competitively priced against the upcoming 2022 Audi S3 Sedan ($44,900), and the BMW M235i Gran Coupe at $45,500. Those who aren't bothered with specific configurations or buying new can get their hands on low mileage examples for around $40k. Fully loaded, the A35 AMG's price can rocket to over $70k, at which point a Mercedes-AMG CLA45 makes a lot of sense. The price of the AMG A35 excludes tax, registration, and a destination fee of $1,050.
Our tester came to a grand total of $52,990, including destination. That sum includes the metallic exterior paint, AMG Performance steering wheel, upgraded suspension, heated front seats, and the Multimedia and Premium Packages.
The A35 can be transformed into a seriously advanced and seriously pricey car thanks to a vast array of optional packages offered by Mercedes. We love the AMG Aerodynamics Package, which adds more aggressive aero details, including a larger front splitter, rear decklid spoiler, and a diffuser for $1,550. However, this package can only be specified together with the $750 AMG Night Package. Unfortunately, our car wasn't equipped with either.
The interior can be transformed with the $3,470 AMG Performance Seat Package Advanced that includes AMG Performance seats with multi-contour adjustability. Once again, that price isn't as appealing as it first looks as you'll be forced to spend $1,450 on genuine leather and $500 on heated front seats as well. We highly recommend the Driver Assistance Package, which adds tons of safety features such as active emergency stop assist, active speed limit assist, active lane-keeping assist, active blind spot assist, and active lane change assist for only $1,700. This safety suite requires both the Multimedia Package ($1,295) and the Premium Package ($800).
A few standalone options might appeal, too, like heated and ventilated front seats at $950, an AMG head-up display for $1,100, or the Burmester sound system for $850. The adaptive damping suspension is a $990 option.
We were generally very happy with the way our tester came equipped. The Denim Blue Metallic paint is gorgeous, especially in direct sunlight. The optional 19-inch matte-black twin five-spoke wheels are another classy touch. Inside, we're big fans of the AMG Performance steering wheel in Nappa/Dinamica for $500. Also included were a head-up display, the Driver Assistance Package, which also adds the Multimedia and Premium Packages, and heated front seats. The one feature we would have liked to have had is the optional adaptive dampers. The grand total is a very reasonable $52,990, including destination.
The Mercedes-AMG A35 is a wonderful entry point for the AMG brand. It's definitely not a German hot rod by any means but it's still extremely fun to drive overall. It's a shame it didn't catch on the way AMG had hoped.