Mercedes-AMG A35 review: a fast and effective hot hatch, but is it exciting?
The AMG A35 does an impressive job of being fun and fast, but rivals from Hyundai and Cupra are ultimately more involving
Launched as Mercedes-AMG's answer to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R and other 300bhp-ish rivals such as the Audi S3 and BMW M135i, the A35 sits beneath the range-topping A45 S in its hot hatch lineup. The model has been around for a while now, and while the A45 S continues to hog much of the limelight with its 415bhp power figure, the less intense and less expensive A35 still does a great job of appealing as a more demure everyday driver.
Its underlying ingredients aren’t out of this world – the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and basic suspension layout are derived from the standard A-class – but as AMG has so often been able to do in recent years, there’s some real finesse added into the package. If the hatchback body doesn’t really do it for you, Mercedes will give you options, with this same powertrain available in the A35 Saloon, CLA35, GLA35 crossover and even the tall, boxy GLB35 that can seat up to seven.
All of these variants, including the A35 hatchback, use a heavily developed version of the M260 engine used in the A250 hatch, not the bespoke AMG M139 engine from the A45 S. For this application the standard turbo has been replaced by a twin-scroll item, and the intake air is cooled via an air-to-water intercooler, not the A250’s air-to-air type.
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The A35’s peak power of 302bhp isn’t quite up to the 328bhp of Volkswagen's Golf R 20 Years edition, but it’s competitive against the identically powered BMW M135i. This power is complemented by 295lb ft of torque. Combined with a twin-clutch, seven-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive, it’s no surprise that the performance figures are strong: 0-62mph takes just 4.7sec, and the top speed is limited to 155mph.
Virtually no component in the car’s suspension is carried over from the regular A-class, with redesigned joints and lower wishbones combined with careful development of the bushes and even the use of metal bearings on the lower front arms for more steering precision. The rear subframe is now solidly mounted to the body, while the steering rack is also new, as are the beefy brakes with monobloc four-piston calipers up front. There’s a stiffer structure to work with, too, courtesy of an aluminium shear underpanel beneath the engine, assisted by bracing bars.
The four-wheel-drive system now uses an electro-mechanical clutch on the rear axle, but does without the A45 S’s trick torque-vectoring rear differential and ‘drift mode’. The A35 is 100 per cent front-wheel drive in steady running, but up to 50 per cent of torque can be sent to the rear axle. There are five driving modes (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual), and in the more aggressive of these settings the AMG Dynamics system uses the ESP and torque vectoring to aid corner turn-in. There’s a bespoke tyre for the car, too: a 19-inch Pirelli P Zero.
The A-class’s familiar shape doesn’t really scream 300bhp hot hatchback, especially without the additional body styling components fitted, but in the metal the design is cohesive and well executed.
Open the driver’s door and settle into the (slightly too high) seat, and you take in the giant one-piece slab of MBUX tablet display, fancy neon-esque interior lighting, and swathes of Alcantara and (fake) aluminium. There’s also AMG’s complicated steering wheel, with the option of its own driver mode, damper and ESP switches, all of which positions the A35 in a totally different orbit to more traditional examples of the hot hatch breed.
But what really matters is how it drives, and straight away you can feel the progress compared to the original AMG A-class. In Comfort mode the A35 is reserved, and there’s confirmation that the engineers’ work to broaden the range of suspension settings has been at least partly successful; it’s still a firm-riding car and it doesn't always find a natural flow, but there's just enough pliancy. The steering is light and relatively mute in its feedback, but it’s also nicely progressive and accurate, the car heading exactly where you place it.
Switch to a more aggressive setting and the A35 shifts character considerably. The exhaust opens up and the motor chomps enthusiastically through the gears, although there’s a hint of lethargy in the mid-range. It’s hard to say exactly why this is – at 1480kg the A35 certainly isn’t a light car, but perhaps it’s because by its own admission AMG has mapped the engine to maintain power at high revs, so you do need to wring it out to feel the full force of its performance.
Driven hard, the A35’s immense traction, impressive braking and undoubted agility mean it covers ground at an astonishing rate. It’s a more grown-up experience than that of the terrier-like hot hatches of old, but it does feel hugely capable. As road surfaces deteriorate, the A35’s inherent chassis stiffness keeps the car controlled but sharper road intrusions can thump into the cabin.
On the track, the A35's more conventional 'hang-on' all-wheel-drive system makes it a less exaggerated, more easy-going (and ultimately less exciting) car than the A45 S, but it feels fun and natural lapping a slippery circuit at a moderate pace. It’s possible to bring the rear subtly into play under power in a way that isn’t possible in a front-drive hatch.
Adaptive dampers are standard across the range, which does help widen the A35’s comfort zone. On the right road, in the right mode, the entry-level AMG is highly entertaining and finally feels like a properly executed hot hatchback. The A45 S takes this excitement much further, which speaks volumes about the underlying chassis, but it does leave you desperately doing the maths to figure out how to raise the extra £16k required to jump to the most potent A-class...
Price and rivals
At £46,000 the A35 costs a decent £10,000 or so more than when it first arrived in 2020, but thanks to a wildly changing marketplace, it’s still around the same price as its main rivals from BMW and Volkswagen.
There are three specifications available for the A35: Touring Edition, Premium and Premium Plus, and all three give the A35 a healthy list of standard equipment. This includes 19-inch wheels, leather seats, the full-width dual-screen MBUX infotainment screen set-up and keyless go. An extra £1760 upgrades you to Premium, which includes different alloy wheels, a digital instrument cluster and illuminated front door sills. A further £3150 will get you into the Premium Plus, throwing in matt black alloys, multibeam headlights, the AMG aero kit and a panoramic sunroof.
In evo's hot hatch mega test, the A35 placed ninth out of 18 runners, falling behind the likes of the Cupra Leon 300 and Golf GTI but beating the BMW M135i and its most closely-aligned rival – the Golf R. Like the Golf, the A35’s damping can feel flat-footed on bumpy roads; never quite fluid. In certain circumstances the quality of the Golf’s damping on its optional DCC suspension is marginally better than the Merc’s, and the VW’s seats are more supportive, and all-round vision superior.
The A-class’s dashboard interface is similarly obfuscating to the Golf’s. This is not a car to just jump into and set off; you need to spend time familiarising yourself with the control steps, even for simple tasks such as changing the radio station.
You could subjectively make a case for either car, but the A35’s extra sense of occasion and sense of fun gives it the edge over the Golf.
