AT last there is a proper Mercedes-Benz for the masses with the arrival of the amazing new A-Class.

Bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the original, the new baby of the Mercedes fleet is a stunningly attractive hatchback with a performance to match.

Priced from £18,945 it will be taking on the likes of the new Audi A3, the BMW 1 Series and Volvo's latest V40 - not to mention the Ford Focus and VW Golf.

It's not due on sale in the UK until December but we have just sampled some of the first models to leave the factory and the car is a class leader.

Whatever the shortcomings that plagued the A-Class when it was first launched as Mercedes' contender in the small car scene, the newcomer is everything a medium sized hatch should be.

It's the compact model Mercedes should always have had.

Never forget it was the original A-Class which hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons as ‘the car which failed the elk test' - an emergency swerve manoeuvre.

The fix for that saw the car fitted with sophisticated stability systems as standard, unheard of back in 1997, and although it became one of the most advanced cars of the time it was still in an uncomfortable niche looking like a mini MPV rather than a conventional hatchback.

There are no such concerns with the new A-Class as we discovered putting a top range Engineered by AMG version through its paces on a test track.

With its front wheel drive enhanced some fancy electronics including torque vectoring control and uprated suspension it has masses of grip and agility.

This hot version is priced from £28,775 and powered by a two-litre petrol engine boosted to a healthy 211bhp mated to a quick shifting seven speed automatic gearbox.

Performance is top flight with 0 to 60 flashing up in around 6.5 seconds. Top speed is a claimed 150mph and everything about the car has a precision feel - the weight and response from the steering especially.

It has the credentials to satisfy any enthusiast while still being frugal with average fuel consumption of 44mpg and emissions of 148g/km while its looks are the icing on the cake.

The range topper has a diamond effect front grille which has been carried forward from the concept A-Class while at the rear there is a deep diffuser, twin exhausts and side vents slicing into the back bumper.

Combine that with sweeping body cuts in the side panels and the A-Class stands out from any angle.

A slightly more conservative nose features on the four other trim levels but the design retains plenty of impact.

So does the interior which is posh and well equipped.

A soft touch carbon fibre effect covering sets off the dash which has as its centrepiece an ultra thin iPad-style display screen.

The instruments themselves are large and clear while there is plenty of technology available including iPhone apps, lane departure and blind spot alerts and an automated parking system.

In fact the iPhone connectivity is possibly the most comprehensive yet on a car allowing Facebook hook ups and even voice actuation through the Apple Siri function.

Standard equipment on the A-Class is straight from Mercedes' larger cars and includes a driver fatigue monitor and a radar based anti collision system.

The A-Class can be decked out on a par with any executive model and the cabin is roomy for four. It can take five adults but that will be a squeeze in the back.

Luggage space ranges from 341 to 1,157 litres and although that is more than you get in a Focus the shape of the boot is quite narrow which can be restrictive for carrying cases or the like.

However that is the only compromise in a car which has class leading aerodynamics and is almost as long as Mercedes' new B-Class - a car which has retained some of the MPV image.

The A-Class is significantly larger than the original yet the slithery shape helps it achieve splendid economy, as do stop/start devices which are fitted to all engines in the line up.

A new 1.5-litre diesel with emissions of 98g/km - the lowest of any current Mercedes - is making its debut in the A-Class and is claimed to be capable of averaging 74.3mpg.

That engine will be available in the A180 CDI and priced from £21,200 in SE finish while more powerful 1.8-litre diesels will cost from £22,650 and top out at £25,970 for the A200 in AMG Sport trim.

The 1.8 diesel is said to be more efficient as an automatic at 68.9mpg compared to 65.6 for the six speed manual - although the best we saw was mid-40s from both versions of the engine which is available with power outputs of 109 and 136bhp.

On the road both delivered accomplished drives which left little to be desired. They were quiet and refined but not as dynamic as the higher specification AMG badged versions which benefit considerably from the sport suspension.

The petrol line up uses 1.6-litre engines rated at either 122 of 156bhp with the flagship A250 having a two-litre block and more turbo boost pushing the power to 211bhp.

Come next year there will be a high performance A45 AMG derivative which promises electrifying performance to rival the super hot Audi RS3 and BMW M1 models.

If the compact market has been missing out on true Mercedes magic for the past 15 years then the new A-Class is about to put all that right as a hatch which is just about as desirable as you could want.