Mercedes-Benz A250 vs Mazda MX-5

What's the difference?

The A 250 e is a really interesting option in an evolving electrified landscape.

Not only is it a demonstration Mercedes is going to have a real go at plug-in hybrid cars in Australia, it also offers those who may be curious about an electrified vehicle a way of experiencing it on their terms.

The compromises are clear-cut, though. You can drive the A 250 e in any way you're comfortable with, but it's never going to be quite as good as a purpose-built EV, hybrid, or combustion car.

Ultimately, the design and tech changes to the ND MX-5 will be the biggest day-to-day advantages of the updated model, because the mechanical changes don’t make themselves hugely obvious on the road.

If you’re into track days, it’s still a satisfying car to hustle as fast as you can, but it’s at its most accessible on winding roads for weekend drives, where the new differential and track DSC mode won’t come into play as much.

But in a world where accessible sports cars are becoming a rarity, there’s only one rear-drive convertible with a sticker price appropriate for financial mortals, and it’s a pretty damn good thing that it’s the ND MX-5.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Similar to its GLC 300 e bigger sibling, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the A 250 e is a PHEV at all. There's very little about it which screams ‘eco' until you look a little closer. Only keen Mercedes enthusiasts will pick the eco-look wheels, with the only other two give aways being the lack of an exhaust and fuel flaps on both sides.

Other than those items, the A 250 e's exterior is the normal A-Class fare of slick but conservative Mercedes styling, gently accented with elements of chrome and black.

Inside is the same deal. It has all the same elements which make Mercedes' small car range unique and flashy to be behind the wheel of.

Our car had a controversial contrasting crème interior, but I have to say I much prefer the piano black trim items to the in-your-face chrome ones which usually come in these Benz small cars.

Obviously, there's a healthy options list to help you customise it further, but I'm a fan of the soft dash elements, and how the ‘Artico' trim is generously placed throughout to remind you this is a premium badged car.

I do like how Mercedes stands out from the crowd when it comes to its signature vent layout, dual-screens and everything from the lavish front seats to the wheel.

I especially like the blue colour our hatch came in, as you usually only see Benz cars in white, grey, silver, or black. Buy colours!

The 'MBUX' multimedia suite is also lightening fast and very customisable when it comes to its layout and look. I'd say its one of the best suites on the market, although interacting with it via the touch elements on the wheel and centre pad can be a bit fiddly.

Alright, we’ve all seen ND MX-5s, you don’t need me to tell you about its proportions or explain its design elements to you in too much detail, so I’ll give you the headline changes.

At the front and rear are new pairs of LED head- and tail-lights, respectively… obviously, fitting into the spaces the old ones took up.

The DRLS and reverse lights have come off the bumpers for both, and are now part of the main lights at each end - no more DRLs in the front bumper, and the reverse lights have been replaced by reflectors.

There are new 17-inch wheel designs for the base and GT trim levels, too, and there’s a new colour - Aero Grey.

Inside, it’s a shame that the tan Nappa leather interior of the RF Black Roof can’t be had in a manual roadster, because it’s gorgeous, even though the inside still looks refined enough for a simple sports car in its base cloth trim.

Like all A-Class hatchbacks, this Benz is centred pretty much solely around the front two passengers. Both get lavish seat trims and lovely touchpoints, easily a cut above mass market rivals. 

Space perhaps isn't this car's forte, with the A- and B-pillars cascading inwards for a low roofline and a comfortable but not spacious interior width. 

Raised console elements and elbow resting points add to the primo feel, but visibility is limited from the tiny wing mirrors and small rear window.

Front passengers get some large binnacles in the door trims, cupholders in the front, a decently sized centre console box housing two USB ports, a surprisingly large glove box, and a shallow bay for wireless phone charging up front.

All three USB ports available to front passengers are USB-C type so you'll also need to be ready with some adapters.

Rear passengers get the same lovely sculpted seat trims, but it is limited back there for someone my 182cm (6'0") height and the large front passenger seats, low roofline, and smallish window apertures make for a tight-feeling space. 

There are nettings on the back of the front seats, small binnacles in the doors and a tiny shelf on the back of the centre console.

There are no amenities like adjustable air vents or charging ports for rear passengers, although the two USB-C jacks located in the centre console box should be within reach.

Boot space is an interesting story. Mercedes has packaged the electric elements in this car to consume the least amount of space possible. So, despite a relatively large and water-cooed lithium-ion battery under the boot floor, and 35-litre fuel tank in front of the rear axle, the hatchback as tested here only loses 45-litres compared to its non-hybrid version. No mean feat.

This makes total space available a decent 310 litres (VDA). You'll get a little more in the sedan version of this car, and it is larger than the Audi A3 40 TFSI e which offers 280L.

One thing Mazda has significantly changed for the ND is the multimedia screen, now a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen running Mazda’s updated software.

It brings the MX-5 up to date without sacrificing simplicity and makes it a little easier to use. The physical dial and buttons for controlling the screen also remain. The USB-C ports are also new.

Oh, and the MX-5 is the first Mazda model to get Connected Services, which is coming to other Mazda models eventually.

Connected Services allows owners to find, lock, and get alerts for their cars from a phone app, even letting them set curfews to notify them if the car is started during certain hours.

Aside from that, another small tweak is the simplified instrument cluster, which aims to be easier to read even when the roof is open and the sun is bright.

The cabin isn’t built to be plush, it’s built for ‘Jinba Ittai’, Mazda’s philosophy that applies most strongly to the MX-5 which means ‘horse and rider as one’.

And trust me, you feel one with the horse- er, car, when there’s not ample room to move. It’s not restrictive, but it’s cosy. 

Everything’s quite well-placed and it’s not busy with buttons or features in here though, it’s made for focusing on driving. 

One downside is the lack of storage, not even a glovebox, in front of the passenger, and the central storage spot under where your elbow sits is tiny, good for keeping the key fob snug though. Also, the cupholders are able to be removed or swapped between the space behind your elbow, or above the passenger footwell.

There’s also a small storage space between the seats behind where your elbow would sit, though it’s tricky to access while you’re driving.

Then there’s the boot, which is usable for a small amount of luggage at 130 litres in the Roadster and 127L in the RF hardtop.

Finally, as a huge positive, probably the biggest advantage of the ND over any other convertible is how easy it is to open and close the roof in the Roadster. You can do it single-handed, which is great if it starts raining and you’re at a traffic light or able to quickly pull over.

The RF hard-top has a switch that automatically opens and closes the roof section.

Getting into an MX-5 is now a little more expensive, with the base manual Roadster up by $2310 to now start from $41,520 before on-roads.

The top-spec soft-top GT RS is now $51,640, or $2800 more than before.

Pricing for the RF hard top is also similarly bumped up, a base manual costing $46,250, and the most expensive GT RS at $56,140.

There’s also a Black Roof edition which comes with tan Nappa leather inside, but that’s only available in an automatic RF, which is possibly the biggest downside to the 2024 range.

Base models get cloth seats, while GT and GT RS models get heated leather seats. The GT RS also comes with stiffer Bilstein dampers, Brembo front brakes, a bracing strut between the front suspension towers and a DSC-Track mode. The difference there is noticeable, so it's worth the extra spend for the more keen driver.

The higher overall costs bring updated tech, a new 8.8-inch touchscreen and a new limited slip-diff in manual versions, plus tweaked mechanicals like improved acceleration response and lower steering rack friction.

But they do look a tiny bit different too.

This is where most of your money goes. Up front, the A 250 e gets a familiar 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, used elsewhere in Mercedes range.

This engine produces 118kW/250Nm and drives the front-wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

This transmission also houses the electric motor, which is powerful for a hybrid this size, offering 75kW/300Nm for a healthy amount of cruising power without engine assistance.

These two combine for a massive output of 160kW/450Nm, with the electric motor and petrol engine working in tandem under heavy acceleration for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.6 seconds.

The A 250 e houses a 15.6kWh water-cooled lithium-ion battery under the boot floor to power said motor. This is, again, large for a hybrid this size, and grants an electric-only range of 73 kilometres (ADR) despite weighing in at just 150kg.

As the battery and fuel tank have moved in the way of where the exhaust port normally is, Mercedes has placed the entire exhaust system in the transmission tunnel which normally houses the 4Matic all-wheel drive system on the A 250 variant. Interesting stuff.

Up front, you get one option: a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-pot. It makes 135kW and 205Nm, and it’s a delightful little thing, driving the rear wheels only - as it should.

It used to be that the smaller 1.5-litre engine was the more revvy, keen option, rest its soul, but Mazda updated the 2.0-litre to be more eager (and deliver more power) at high revs and basically made the little 1.5-litre redundant.

Anyway, you can have it with a six-speed manual in any variant, or a six-speed automatic in GT guise if you find manual gearboxes difficult or a hassle.

All this jiggery-pokery makes for all sorts of very impressive fuel consumption numbers. This car's official one is just 1.6L/100km, although this is going to vary wildly by how you drive it (more on this in the driving section).

Fuel consumption is just one element of this car's drivetrain though. You'll also need to consider energy consumption which is officially rated at 14.8kWh/100km.

You can think of these two consumption elements as a sliding scale. The more you can use the electric motor and regeneration features, the lower your fuel consumption will be, conversely if you drive under primarily petrol or hybrid power, you'll be able to lower your energy consumption.

Read the driving section for more on how this particular car gives you unprecedented control over this.

We had the A 250 e for just three days and managed to cover roughly 250km, I was thoroughly testing each drive mode as much as possible, and my final consumption figures came out 6.9L/100km of fuel consumption, and 5.9Kwh/100km of energy consumption.

If I had more time to charge, it was evident these numbers would have been altered drastically. Hopefully we'll be able to bring you a longer and more comprehensive Urban Guide test of this vehicle in the future.

Somehow, there is still more to the story, with this Mercedes offering a fascinating option pack which makes it even more flexible when it comes to charging.

The DC charging pack comes in at $1490 and lets you charge not just at regular public Type 2 ports, but also at ultra-fast DC locations. It also doubles the amount of power this car can pull from public outlets or a wallbox.

Keep in mind this car only comes with a regular wall socket to Type2 charger. This means to make use of fast charging at home (up to 7.2kW) you'll need to add the Mercedes-Benz Wallbox ($1200 not including installation by JetCharge) and to make the most of it when you're out and about (or if you don't have a garage) you'll need the public (Type2 to Type2) charging cable ($565.16).

See below for Mercedes' estimate of charging time for each of the charging options.

The A 250 e has a 35-litre fuel tank and a thirst for mid-grade 95 RON unleaded petrol. Oh, and if it's emissions you're conscious of, the A 250 e officially emits just 34g/km of CO2, far lower than the roughly 140g/km industry targets.

Mazda says the MX-5 uses 6.8L/100km as a manual Roadster, or 7.0L/100km with an automatic gearbox. Or, in the heavier RF 6.9L for a manual and 7.2L for auto.

Not great for a tiny car like this, but pretty good for a sports car!

It’s got a 45-litre fuel tank, takes premium 95 RON or higher, and while it should hypothetically be able to travel more than 600km with its on-paper claims, expect fuel use to sit closer to 8.0L/100km if you’re driving it anything like it deserves.

The A 250 e is as interesting behind the wheel as it is on paper. To really explore it though, you'll need to delve into its complex drive modes.

It's more than just your usual comfort, eco, and sport. Each mode transforms the way you'll think about and drive this car.

The default is comfort, where the A 250 e behaves like you might expect from a plug-in. This means it will prefer to use electric drive unless you push the accelerator very hard. It makes for smooth and quiet motoring, although you'll find it chews through the electric range quite quickly, especially if you venture to the open road.

Sport mode prefers instead to primarily rely on the 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine. It's notably less refined, with this engine having a loud, gruff tone, and the introduction of vibrations and jerkiness from the dual-clutch automatic becomes immediately apparent.

It also firms up the steering, changes the transmission characteristics, and offers faster engine response from the accelerator pedal. As a side note, sport mode becomes a good tool for charging the battery quickly when you don't have access to a charging port.

The more interesting modes are electric, eco, and battery level. Battery level attempts to maintain the level the battery is currently at, while still using the car's hybrid features. This is so you can save the lion's share of charge for when it's most useful, like trawling in traffic.

Electric does what it says on the tin. Operates the car as an EV, not using its combustion engine at all. It also changes the car's paddle shifters from operating the transmission to altering the regenerative braking.

It offers modes varying from D+ which uses electric drive but coasts like a combustion car, to D-- which makes the car drive like a ‘single pedal' vehicle. This means it ups the regen braking to the point where the car will come to a full stop as you let your foot off the accelerator. It's the most efficient electric motoring mode.

Finally, eco mode lets you drive the A 250 e more like a conventional hybrid, limiting the electric motor to just taking off and cruising, preferring to switch to combustion more rapidly on acceleration.

While this car offers you unparalleled choice when it comes to electric motoring, it's worth noting it comes with its fair share of compromise.

This is far from the most refined car to drive in combustion mode, and it lacks the polish of, say, a Toyota hybrid when operating as a more traditional hybrid car.

I find it particularly interesting this car's best traits are found when it's operating as a purely electric vehicle. It's quieter, more refined, and the overpowered electric motor helps it feel just as good as a pure EV in terms of acceleration.

This car's downfalls as a combustion vehicle will be a real challenge for it. Again, it's a trade-off. The A 250 e doesn't feeel any heavier or more cumbersome than a 'normal' A-Class despite the extra battery size. But the ride is a bit harsh, and the dual-clutch leaves a lot to be desired in terms of refinement.

Asking more than $60 grand still seems tall when it's not as slick as a VW combustion car, and not as polished as a Toyota hybrid, either of which are half the price.

It feels like every motoring journo under the sun (literally if the roof is off) owns or has owned an MX-5 of some sort.

And the first time you drive one, you might understand why. 

If you spend your days testing and driving a bunch of different cars that aim to be many things at once, it’s refreshing to drive something that aims to be one: fun.

That’s it, the MX-5 feels like it was built to be fun. Not for convenience, not for power, certainly not for the school run.

And fortunately its simplicity remains with this update. All Mazda has done to change the way it drives is attempt to improve the rear limited-slip differential and improve the steering a little by reducing friction in the rack, as well as improve throttle response.

Has any of that changed the way it feels to drive on-road? No, not massively, but the ND was already such a delight that Mazda could have kept this update to purely design and interior tech changes and it would have still been one of the best-value buys around in terms of fun.

The MX-5 still feels relatively softly sprung while still being a dynamic and communicative sports car that’s engaging to drive even at low speeds, and rewarding (or frustrating) to drive fast.

On tight, winding roads, the MX-5 is at home, its soft suspension keeps you humble with its shifting weight and its relatively meagre outputs keep your licence safe.

In fact, despite being slightly compromised as a daily drive, the MX-5 is still plenty of fun even in traffic, there’s something about the satisfying click as the shifter slips into gear, or the little rev matches heading back down through the cogs when approaching a red light.

The 2.0-litre four-pot is a keen unit, and the six-speed manual is light and easy to work with, plus its steering is light without sacrificing road surface feedback - that feedback can quickly turn into cabin noise on a coarse highway which could become a little irritating on a long trip.

But the MX-5 can still be plenty of fun on track, where you’re more likely to get the most out of its new limited-slip differential and Track DSC mode.

It’s equally frustrating and satisfying to hustle the MX-5 around the East Circuit at The Bend in South Australia, where the track is twisty, busy, and unforgiving. Get it wrong, and the MX-5 lurches or slides to let you know you’ve made an error. 

Get it right, however, and the little roadster glides through the corners, camber changes and even over apex kerbs smoothly and carrying impressive speed.

Plus, the electronic assistance won’t usually kick-in until you really need it, a welcome change from cars that are constantly trying to keep you from having fun behind the wheel.

The ND MX-5 actually scored five stars with ANCAP back in 2016, even though its score has now expired. It’s not obvious how well it would fare under newer, stricter tests, given the small car’s lack of advanced driver assistance - not that that’s a bad thing in the case of a sports car.

Still, for a two-seat convertible, the MX-5 has a decent list of kit to keep you safe including front and side airbags, alerts for driver attention, blind spots, lane departure and rear-cross traffic, parking sensors and a reversing camera, belt pretensioners and side-impact door beams and even automatic Smart City Brake Support.

Mercedes has caught up with most of the mainstream pack, now offering a five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty across its whole passenger car range. It's ahead of many of its rivals in the luxury segment, but matched by Korean newcomer, Genesis.

The A 250 e needs to be serviced once a year or every 25,000km, and pricing is no different from a non-electrified A 250. Pre-packaged service pricing for three years is $2050, four years is $2950, and five years is $3500.

Not ‘cheap' in the grander scheme, but there's no downside for picking this particular variant despite all of its extra equipment.

Mazda’s five-year, unlimited km warranty covers the MX-5, including five years of roadside assist.

Servicing costs are pre-set, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km up to seven years or 105,000km. They cost between $447 and $638, averaging out at about $544 each.