Hop aboard the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and you take a step up in the compact car world — literally. The A-Class is quite a bit higher than your average small car and that higher-than-normal driving position adds to the slightly superior air of this cheerful little car.

Eleven years after it first made an appearance, its perky presence has been given a splash more chrome and silver, engines have been made more fuel efficient and emissions have been lowered.

With a three-pointed star on the front grille, you expect quality fit and finish and the A-Class delivers. The interior has had an upgrade, with larger stowage compartments and new fabrics.

Upmarket Avantgarde SE trim gives seats upholstered in a combination of man-made leather and fabric and, in addition, a new decorative trim of smoke-grey, diagonally brushed aluminium lifts the interior. A seat comfort package with seat cushion angle adjustment and lumbar support, seat-height adjustment for the driver’s seat, a front armrest and a parcel net in the front passenger footwell, is standard equipment for Elegance SE and Avantgarde SE models.

All versions of the A-Class share a larger stowage compartment in the centre console and a new cupholder between the front seats.

Technology packs every part of the little car with advances such as an adaptive brake light. Under emergency braking from a speed exceeding 30 mph, the brake lights flash rapidly to warn following traffic, enabling drivers to respond quicker and prevent a collision. If the A-Class is brought to a rapid stop from a speed exceeding 40 mph, the hazard warning system is switched on in addition to the flashing brake lights.

Other parts of the A-Class safety package include two-stage front airbags, belt tensioners in the front and for the outer rear seats, belt force limiters, active front head restraints and sidebags to protect head and chest. Another neat device is an active parking assist feature which is available for all models. Using side-mounted ultrasonic sensors, the system identifies suitable parking spaces on both sides of the road in passing, then informs the driver by means of a display. The sensors are active up to a speed of 25mph, and monitor the area to the left and right of the A-Class. They measure the length and depth of possible parking spaces, indicating that the search is in progress with a ‘P’ in the instrument cluster.

Mercedes engineers have also added a new function to a well-proven support system: the electronic stability program of the A-Class now has an automatic hill-holder function.

If this small car has a drawback it is the cost, with prices starting at £14,000.

But that has not put off buyers in the past. With more than half a million produced within three-and-a-half years, the second generation A-Class proved to be one of the bestsellers in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range.

The German car maker has hopes that the new version will continue that sales success.

Auto facts Mercedes-Benz A180 Avantgarde CDI SE

  • Price: £18,419
  • Ins group: Eight
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 52.3mpg
  • Top speed: 112mph
  • Length: 383.8cm/151.1in
  • Width: 176.4cm/69.5in
  • Luggage capacity: 15.4 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity:11.9 gallons/54 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 154g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/unlim mileage