The new Mercedes-AMG A45 has the same power for more money

The hotshot’s almost-as-quick brother, the AMG A35, gets a £2,500 hike to take it to £45,930, but this is the more substantially revised of the pair, with the introduction of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to boost the four-cylinder engine from low revs.

For the all-conquering AMG A45 it is mostly business as usual, the facelift upping the showroom appeal and tally of standard kit rather than changing anything mechanical.

So it’s still the all-wheel-drive, 2.0-litre turbo four-pot-powered five-door tearaway of old, but now a little sharper looking outside with stronger AMG identity. Thank new lights, revised front apron, bigger new grille and new AMG badging (in place of the three-pointed star) for that.

Extra standard kit for the A45 comprises an AMG Performance steering wheel, the latest MBUX infotainment system and 10.25-inch driver display, the AMG Track Pace data logger and a new sage grey upholstery colour. Is it £3,000 worth? You decide.

For more than £17,000 less than the hero hatch you can get the also facelifted AMG A35 which benefits from the same round of stylistic and equipment upgrades. 

It’s also all-wheel-drive and available as either hatch or saloon, it has the same turbo four-pot but with less power: 306PS (228kW) with 400Nm (295kW) of torque. Like the cooking A-Class models, it gets a 10kW boost when pulling away thanks to a separately powered belt-driven starter-generator. The A35 hatch gets from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds against the A45’s 3.9 seconds.

All the facelifted models are in showrooms now.