Mini 5D Hatch vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class
What's the difference?

Mini 5D Hatch

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2020 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

$34,994 - $89,999

2023 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2020 Mini 5D Hatch

2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

By Andrew Chesterton

By Stephen Ottley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Twin Turbo V6, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

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Fuel Efficiency

6.0L/100km (combined)

9.4L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Potent engine
Tons of grip
Funky cabin ambience

Powerful engine despite small size
Responsive handling
Stylish and sporty interior

Dislikes

Ride can be harsh
Jittery drive experience
Cabin tech overly user friendly

Engine lacks drama expected from AMG
Ride feels unresolved
Big price jump over old model

2020 Mini 5D Hatch Summary

That the 2020 Mini Clubman John Cooper Works is the most powerful Mini to have landed in Australia isn’t all that surprising. After all, parent company BMW has squeezed the thumping four-cylinder engine from the M135i under its bonnet, and that thing creates a snarling beast of any vehicle it finds a home in.

What is a surprise, though, is that having now driven this angry, crackling, snarling hot hatch, what with its burbling exhaust and properly rapid acceleration, is that it took Mini this long to get around to doing it.

So does the engine upgrade now put the Clubman JCW on the same pedestal as the best European hot hatches? There's only one way to find out.

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2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Summary

Think of a Mercedes-AMG and the first words that spring to mind are probably not - understated, efficient and restrained. And yet those are probably the best words to describe the all-new C 43.

Of course, before we go any further it’s important to note that the C 43, even in its previous six-cylinder guise, was never meant to be as wild, raucous or powerful as the C63 flagship - that’s simply not its role in the AMG line-up.

But even so, this new model is a dive into fresh territory for the brand and puts a very different spin on the AMG sports sedan as we know it.

This is a four-cylinder model, complete with a Formula One-derived electric turbocharger, so it lacks the sound and fury you expect from something carrying the ‘AMG’ badge - but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car, as we’ll explain.

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Deep dive comparison

2020 Mini 5D Hatch 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Verdict

The Mini Clubman JCW is quirky in a lot of the right ways, and now has a hard-charging engine to up the adrenalin factor. If you were already sold on the idea of joining the Clubman club, this one will steal your heart more than any other.

Verdict

The new AMG C 43 may lack the drama and excitement we’ve come to expect from the German performance brand, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. Yes, it could be more extroverted and the ride could be improved, but this is still a sharp-looking sports sedan with loads of punch.

This is a car that speaks to its times, with ever-stricter emissions regulations making it harder and harder for car companies to produce loud, wild and charismatic cars. So Mercedes-AMG has worked within those boundaries and come up with a car that retains at least some of those core elements that has made the brand so desirable over the years.

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

Mini 5D Hatch vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mini 5D Hatch vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class
What's the difference?