School's out! 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class price and specs push it further upmarket against Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series

Mercedes’ refreshed A-Class will hit local showrooms this month with a hefty price increase, but also a longer list of equipment to justify the rise in cost of the premium small car.

The biggest price jump is for the top-spec AMG A45 S, which moves up $13,000 to $119,900 before on-road costs.

As the most potent A-Class, the A45 sports a 310kW/500Nm 2.0-litre engine – still the most powerful production four-cylinder even four years after its initial reveal.

Read More About Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Fresh-faced 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class update revealed, set for Australian launch soon Hyper hatch heroes! The 2023 Audi RS3 Sportback has just landed in Australia, so how does it stack up against the reigning Mercedes-AMG A45? Why Mercedes-Benz Australia is changing the way it sells cars to an agency sales model and how it will be different from Honda

However, opening the range is now the return of the A200 hatch and sedan, which replaces the outgoing entry-level A180.

Priced at $61,900 (hatch) and $63,400 (sedan), the new base A-Class is respectively $10,500 and $10,200 pricier than last year’s A180.

Buyers are compensated with a new powertrain though, a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with mild-hybrid technology that delivers 120kW/270Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The top-spec AMG A45 S wears a price tag of 9,900 before on-road costs.

Also justifying the price increase is the standard fitment of Mercedes’ AMG Line pack that includes a sporty bodykit, blacked-out wheels, sports front seats, red contrast stitching and aluminium interior trim.

The standard equipment list is now also bolstered by a panoramic sunroof, metallic paint, power-adjustable front seats, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, LED tail-lights, Nappa leather steering wheel and a surround-view monitor.

Inside, you'll find the latest MBUX system, which includes dual 10.25-inch screens for the multimedia touchscreen and all-digital instrument cluster.

The A200 sedan is priced at ,400.

The former features satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control.

Stepping up to the A250 nets buyers a more potent 165kW/350Nm engine, all-wheel drive and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, but pricing moves to $71,900 (+$5000) and $73,400 (+$5500) for the hatch and sedan respectively.

The next rung up the A-Class ladder is the AMG-tuned A35, which serves up 225kW/400Nm from its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, as well as AMG-specific components such as red-painted brake callipers, an active exhaust and adaptive suspension.

Up front of the AMG A45 S are dual 10.25-inch screens for the multimedia touchscreen and all-digital instrument cluster.

Pricing for the A35 moves up $5900 and $6000 to $87,900 (hatch) and $89,400 (sedan), but the new AMG entry-level model should yield a better fuel economy figure thanks to the inclusion of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system this time around.

2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class pricing before on-road costs