THE new Mercedes-Benz A-Class saloon is now on sale with prices starting from £27,875 for the A 180 d Sport, a £1,005 hike over the cost of an equivalent hatchback version.

The booted newcomer will be on the road in the new year and is available in a choice of two trim lines: Sport and AMG Line. A seven-speed automatic gearbox comes as standard.

With a 420 litre boot the saloon offers greater luggage space than the hat which has only 341 litres available.

The saloon Sport model features twin seven-inch displays including a central touchscreen with MBUX multimedia system with ‘Hey Mercedes' voice activation; comfort suspension; DAB radio; 17-inch alloy wheels; automatic two-zone climate control; Active Lane Keeping Assist; Speed Limit Assist; and Keyless-Go starting function.

AMG Line cars add 18-inch AMG alloy wheels; AMG body styling; Artico and Dinamica microfibre upholstery; and a three-spoke sports steering wheel.

The 180 d uses a 1.5-litre diesel engine, which produces 116 hp and delivers up to 68.9 mpg on the combined cycle, and emits 110 g/km of CO2. It has a top speed of 125 mph, and can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 10.5 seconds.

The A 200 is powered by a 1.3-litre petrol engine with an output of 163 hp and can deliver up to 51.4 mpg and emits 121 g/km of CO2.

There are a number of option packages available. The Executive equipment package costs £1,395 and upgrades the standard seven-inch central touchscreen media display to a 10.25-inch item, as well as adding Active Parking Assist with Parktronic; heated front seats; and Mirror package.

For £2,395, customers can specify the Premium equipment line which, in addition to the Executive line, adds a 10.25-inch cockpit display - creating a widescreen effect; 64-colour ambient lighting; illuminated door sills; Keyless-Go; upgraded sound system and a rear armrest.

The Premium Plus equipment line includes the Premium and Executive lines, and adds electrically-operated seats with memory function for the driver and front passenger; multibeam LED head lights with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus; and a panoramic sunroof. Premium Plus is available for £3,595.

The Advanced Navigation package introduces augmented reality into the onboard satellite navigation.

Using a camera located at the top of the windscreen, the infotainment screen overlays the navigation display with the actual road ahead, making for clearer, more obvious navigation. The package includes Traffic Sign Assist which automatically reads road signs, making sure the driver is always aware of the current speed limit.

The Advanced Navigation package costs £495 and is only available in conjunction with the Executive, Premium or Premium Plus equipment lines.