Road Test: Mercedes-Benz A Class A200 CDI Elegance SE 3dr

The A range is vast. Petrol engines run from 1.5-litre 95bhp and 1.7 116bhp, through the two-litre I drove, to the upcoming two-litre Turbo. The diesels are all two-litres, but called A160CDI, A180CDI and A200CDI to signal their varying outputs from 82bhp to 140bhp. Autotronic is optional, and there's the three-door body to think of, as well as three trims - Classic, Avantgarde (the choice) and Elegance (fey veneer and some bilious brown trim options).

Usually, sensible things are a bit on the the worthy-but-dull side. But even though the A-Class is no riot to drive, it's so well thought out it transcends that. In fact, I found myself getting a mild case of the hots for it.

A three-door MPV? They must be mad...

Mini-MPVs are about putting practicality way ahead of style in your priorities. Owning a three-door is pretty much the opposite. So a three-door mini-MPV sounds as likely as a tin windscreen. But it's here (above) and it looks swish.

Like any three-door version of a hatch, the B-pillar (that's the one your front seatbelt is attached to) has been moved back, lengthening the door to make it easier to wriggle behind the front seat to reach the back. Merc has also curled the roof metal down more than in the 5dr, making the side window shallower, visually lowering and curving the roofline. The rear wheelarches are bigger than the five-door's too.

A three-door A-Class has a logic if you aren't always hauling passengers. It has all the room, it looks neater and it's several hundred quid cheaper. Use the difference to plunder the options list.