I HATED The Mercedes AMG A45... But Was I Wrong?

[@mcspooney]

allot of high power cars are wound down by the ecu in lower gears to help the diff and drivetrain cope with huge power numbers. re-maps remove this problem but also increase the wear factor ten fold.

[@ASBOmarc]

The speed of the A45 is deceptive, it masks how fast it’s going very well because the power delivery is so linear in the mid range and has a slight rush at the top. Looking at the speedo will confirm it’s actually moving way faster than you think it is.

[@adifferentangle7064]

That's a feature of small mercs with decent engines. I had a b200 turbo years ago, and it was a granny car that was fun to drive if you wanted, but was very easy to speed in because you didn't feel like you were accelerating that hard. And that was with 190HP in an MPV.

[@adamjones6084]

that’s not a positive though, it’s better a car feels faster than it is rather than the other way round

[@K20TypeR]

@@adamjones6084yeh totally agree. This is why less powerful but more engaging cars are more fun than powerful heavy cruisers. The latter don’t feel particularly fun unless you’re hitting silly speeds

[@alanbeaupre2533]

These cars accelerate real well in race mode. It's a joke trying to get it to work. If you do it more than twice, it locks you out. The ridiculousness of having all the temperatures correct and then going to manual mode, traction off pulling the paddles forward confirmin mashing the throttle and if you don't do The procedure fast enough within 3 or 4 seconds it cancels it is the dumbest thing I've ever seen...

[@ASBOmarc]

@@alanbeaupre2533 Yep they certainly do have flaws, that’s for sure, I never bothered with race for those reasons, it was good enough in sports+ and it still has the LSD which for me was the main reason I took my time to find one with the dynamic package. I have moved on to an M4 comp now, which is night and day, that said the A45 is a cracking car all told, and it’s very angry all the time which I do miss a bit.

[@tecknoid659]

I want to see the walkaround of that shirt

[@A-G-F-]

Probably the hottest hatch that you can buy used nowadays, on retail it wasnt really worth, but used its a great deal

[@riccapucho]

Hard to hear you over that shirt.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

WHATS THAT SONNY!?

[@Pete-z6e]

Ric Capucho , was he talking?

[@williamwilliams194]

Yes a very loud shirt.

[@scanspeak00]

I love how you keep it real even with the owner sitting next to you.

[@3nd4tom1c8]

He mentioned the owner of the car was his mates gf, unless the bloke sitting next to jay in the passenger seat is trans i dont think that they are the owner 😂

[@jtjt7337]

Just a note. Most comments here are from ppl that don't actually own one and have never driven one. Anyway as an owner of a FL A45 I actually found plenty of the comments in this video familiar as my initial experience BUT, After owning it for a while I get those nuances you talk about and have to say they're either not that big of a deal, make sense for a car like this, or can be dealt with. For the latter, a throttle controller and a piggyback plug in tune makes a huge difference. My initial thoughts were the A45 was lethargic (I came from a heavily remapped and rebuilt engine 2009 STI). It's lethargic but actually it's still quicker than my STI ever was even stock a45 vs remapped subie. But adding the throttle controller and the piggyback tune has made my A45 just an absolute beast, and does away with lots of what's said in this review. I get on the gas now and it hauls ass. And as for the slow response shifting when driving slow....I don't really get nor care for that. You're driving slow anyway. I personally find it absolutely fine. And what's more is it's totally changed now I've put in some small plugins. It really is a beast of a car.

[@Fee.1]

Jt Jt If most comments on car videos came from car owners there would be either no comments or we would all own a shite load of cars

[@RG6Snipers]

what pedal box and tuning box do you use?

[@ericooper1]

What tune do you run?

[@lickmygooch1013]

@@Fee.1 couldn’t imagine selling an sti for one of these

[@jasonLJ]

@@lickmygooch1013 yeah ik, it'd be tough coming up with the remaining $20,000

[@Demoaccount-i2k]

2x125kg in a car Doesnt feel like its pulling that hard Ok most guys are around 70-85kg So thats around 170kg lighter Now 170kg off the weight should make that car exciting enough, that would gove that little bit more excitement that driver was looking for

[@martyreyo4379]

Very Fair review, the owner deserves respect for allowing your honest review...keep the great content coming!

[@geubes]

I own a FL A45 and brought it over the Civic Type R, BMW M2, Golf R and Audi RS3 (not the FL). Ultimately its the pick of the bunch for the traffic light GP and grid-locked motoways, its a fat road legal rally car with the modern heavy luxuries you want day-to-day. Owning one, I do agree with your review on almost all points except: the screen is actually useful at eye level, so you can read sat-nav whilst watching the road, Hardware buttons are so welcome in this age of touch screens, and yes all though the car is very polarising in the way it reacts regardless of mode selected, once you learn how to tell the car what you want it to do (took me a few hours to learn and adjust to the quirks), you can really make it sing and respond when you need it too / how you want. Ps. I like your reviews because they are objective and don't pander to the masses, get to see what YOU think and not what the manufacturer wants us to think.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks for your comments Reuben

[@ajames718]

I honestly thought my Megane RS 275 had a chance in a drag race against the A45 as it doesn't seem like it pulls that hard when you're driving it. Nonetheless, the A45 spanked me lol Also I didn't find the A45 to be that comfortable and for the money, I'd rather have a second hand C63 by a country mile.

[@jackchanmala3923]

the gear shifting criticism you have is due to the DCT, it tries to anticipate your next shift by engaging the next gear, and sometimes it gets it wrong . eg. if your braking it'll preload a downshift gear however if you decide to accelerate it'll lag

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Porsche and BMW manage to make it work fine

[@markgalloway735]

I own the facelift A45, absolutely love this motor and would highly recommend it, since then it has been modified to a Stage 2 and has gone from unhinged to schizophrenic, running at 450bhp 600nm of torque with a fully modified re-map, 4" remus downpipe & K & N air filter. This is the only Hyper Hatch to own.

[@SonofthekingJ]

Hi mark Any buying advice A45 65plate facelift done 45k comes with 2 year amg warranty and Mercedes-Benz approved used.

[@putorickforever]

Dont forget rs3

[@staLkerhu]

@@putorickforever or Throphy or Type-R if we care about lap times.

[@putorickforever]

@@staLkerhu different cars. Not awd

[@xynurse6095]

My '17 audi TTS acts the same way. if you're on the gas even a little it'll act normal but if youre coasting or on the brakes lightely he doesnt like to shift like you ask it to.

[@mickdebrou9235]

Totally agree about the"stuck on afterthought" screens on many cars, much prefer integrated in the dash. Also for me the 3 vents in the middle of the dash looks too busy, two is fine really.

[@caseyvitesse]

The exhaust button does work. When it’s on in sport or sport plus, above 2000 rpm there is a massive difference in the noise but as a a45 owner. To me it sounds a bit fake, put the car in sport plus with the exhaust button off, the pops when you change gear is a lot louder.

[@windy2652]

The transmission doesn't know how to react because you're testing it all the time. Since the gearbox is in permanent learning mode, based on your previous actions, you can't expect it to settle down. Try resetting the transmission. 1. Close doors. Turn the key to position II; all dash lights should turn on. Do NOT start the car. 2. Press the accelerator pedal all the way down. Keep pedal fully depressed for 10 seconds. 3. Turn key to position 0 i.e. OFF, and DON'T remove the key. 4. Wait 2 minutes. Then you can remove the key or just start up and drive. But you have to drive the way you normally would, preferably not on the motorway, for around 30 minutes and NOT perform test procedures. Depending on how you drive, the gearbox will end up being more sympathetic to your driving style. End of the day, if you want get the most out of these gearboxes... say you want to spend a day in the Swiss Alps hammering the hell out of the car... first reset the gearbox, select sport mode, then hammer it. But don't expect best response until 30 minutes have gone by. Reset if Keyless Go 1) Get in car & shut door. 2) Turn car to ON (do not start), by pressing twice on Start button. 3) Turn off all lights/electronics. 3) Hold down accelerator pedal to floor. 4) Wait 20+ seconds and then turn car OFF by pressing the Start button once. 5) Wait 20+ seconds continuing to hold down pedal, then take foot off pedal & don't touch anything. 6) After car system goes completely quiet (about 2+ mins), you can open the door and get out of the car.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Other manufacturers manage it just fine

[@windy2652]

Yeah, I'm quite prepared to believe that. I have an auto Benz (not an A, I'm with you there) so I hang around a few forums and this gearbox reset issue comes up regularly. Maybe it's a Benz thing, who knows? Just saying, after the run in your Dad's CLA, I would have been interested to hear if a reset followed by 30 minutes of Sport mode would have made any difference 😉. Cheers.

[@TheGeekGuy85]

Maybe it is boost by gear? That might account for the torque dip at lower gears and RPM.

[@jasonLJ]

car produces peak torque at ~2400rpm /if in boost/. idk if I trust that exact figure; in any case, you won't have boost straight away if you've just matted it w/o coming up through the revs. lag is definitely there, but you can work around it. part of the fun driving a boosted-to-shit 4 cylinder is keeping it in boost imo. highest HP production 2.0l owes 100% of its performance to a single turbo, of course there's gonna be lag/other trade-offs - car really does a good job being not-laggy though all things considered, just keep it above 3k and you're golden lol. that's less than halfway to redline. one reason that exhaust farts more in sport is because it's /trying to help you keep that turbo spooled up/ by launching fireballs through it. help it along, spend 0.5 seconds dropping 2 gears before the pull. drive the thing like a dirty slut rally car and it'll reward you for it

[@Krivv]

Recently bought a pre face one and even though you're discussing the facelift in this video i still fell like all the points you made are valid to my pre face. overall it's a bit meh. bloody quick but you don't feel like you're going quick

[@brooklynj2346]

If they had the c class interior this car would look unreal

[@petermoygannon698]

I got the yellow night AMG gla45 I just orderd a high flow air filter and exhaust down pipe . And I'm going to give it a light tune . That will be all it needs .

[@dommelville8613]

Not wrong to hate at all. Different cars appeal to different people. It dosn't feel that fast but it actually is. Came from a tuned s3 8p that i could swear was faster but it just wasn't. Vbox'd my facelift before it was tuned. 0 to 60 in 3.9 0 to 100 in 9.4 60 to 100 in 5.5 62 to 124 in 11.2 Not the quickest out there, but pretty good for a stock 2 litre 4 pot. Add in some very good handling and you have a very quick point to point car. The ecu tune on mine made the car easier to live day to day, normal driving. Its my first Merc and Dct boxed car and i too found the delay on the throttle a bit odd but you soon adjust to it. The gearbox can be reset very easily too as it leans your driving style and can get lazy if you potter around in it too much. I reset mine every few months. Takes around 2 mins.

[@Rob_who]

Look down at the speedo it pulls hard alright they bloody fly mate they just feel smoother when your got the pedal to the metal merc refinemet

[@theboy001]

I owned the pre facelift & I now own the facelift. Obviously I love the car, yes they are expensive but so is the Audi RS3. Your playing hell about Sport + just use individual and manual gearchange

[@ParalyzedNight]

theboy001 he was using manual gear chages

[@maxjones2722]

I found this review Interesting because my dad had a facelift a45 for about a year before getting into his c63 coupe which is his current car. He loved the a45 because of how good it was on his commute to London up the a31 on all the fun a-roads and it reminded him of his Evo he used to have. He much prefers the c63 now tho because of that insane noise and just the hoonicarnage of the whole thing! Anyway another great video mate!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks!

[@andreanastacio9548]

While a used c63 would be a valid comparison in the repsect they can both be had for the same sort of money on the used market, I would argue against it being a valid comparison in the sense that they both compete in vastly bigger markets (big-ish coupe /saloon /estate, vs small-ish hatchback, v8 vs I4, differences in power, ect...), and answer to different needs (the c63 being a bigger car for a different segment of the market). In all honesty the ideal comparison would`ve been this vs the RS3, which is I guess this rhing`s most direct competitor (and the focus RS I guess) As for the A45 being a souped up megane; I know that Mercedes uses Renault petrols and diesels on the low end, but do they actually share a platform beyond that?

[@pazt9911]

I have a cla45, for someone who drives this car on the everyday UK roads and once in a while when the road opens up amd you can put your foot down its PLENTY of power and speed, if reviewing this as a super car then fair enough, but as an everyday fast car that looks good and sounds good etc it definitely turns heads and it's a beast, I had to choose between this and the m4, I chose this...coz both days i test drove the car it was wet, the m4 was literally all over the place where as the cla literally geipped whatever I threw at it!

[@staLkerhu]

Sounds good? Even in sport category it has a totally average turbocharged 4 banger sound. No offense, but let's just say OK instead.

[@pazt9911]

@@staLkerhu have you driven one?

[@staLkerhu]

@@pazt9911 no. Why? Is it necessary to hear the engine sound? 🤔

[@pazt9911]

@@staLkerhu yes it is because what you hear begin your screen and what you hear in real life are 2 diff things

[@alanbeaupre2533]

I just sold my GLA 45. It's a joke trying to get it into race mode to pull those high three times. It's really a 5.5 second car in real life and trying to get in in the race mode. It's just absolutely ludicrous. Don't ever buy one and they also lack power on the high end. Once you get past 90 they just fall flat...

[@drydenhigley4293]

Maybe part of the reason you can’t accurately gauge the turbo is because it’s a “BiTurbo” recirculating the boost throughout the engine, sometimes it will be there right away if you have some boost ready and sometimes it will have to spool more than others.

[@drydenhigley4293]

Being completely honest. Mine works well but I drive it hard, it’s worked in with 40k Kms. The turbo is laggy in comfort, but sport+ or individual with everything unlocked, you shouldn’t experience too much lag. If you are actually giving it decent throttle from the get go.

[@drydenhigley4293]

One more thing, the car warms up, and then sits warm, then warms down and it’s considerably different at that last stage, very responsive on 93/94. As well your comparing two cars “c63” and “cla45” but they really are two different markets. I’m young and really appreciate both, but most young people hear the pops and bangs and love my car.

[@drydenhigley4293]

To add, there isn’t a 4cyl competitor I would take over the cla45 sedan. I’ve dragged against m2 and haven’t lost stock.

[@jasonshort3047]

For UK roads, the A45 may not be the best however I'm having a blast in my American equivalent (The GLA45.) It is deceptively quick. I'm used to the power band as it's similar to the big turbo Fiesta ST I had. Find more fun, practical car that gets the sort of fuel mileage this one does. I dare you.

[@effa114]

Seriously considering one as a replacement for my V8 Cayenne S. I’m looking for something lighter and smaller and more focused with better running costs. Tested a GLA45 and was seriously impressed.

[@Krasshirsch]

Drove this before the M2, got the M2 :P

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Richtige Wahl!

[@jazzragu]

How’s your M2 man? Mine has arrived in England a couple of weeks ago, but it got caught in ‘adverse weather conditions’ and they won’t release it until they’ve done checks (they haven’t decided what these are yet).

[@scanspeak00]

Smart man.

[@goneracing1646]

If you love driving, you'll love your M2. I've been DDing mine for over a year now. It's just brilliant.

[@Krasshirsch]

@JazzRagu Great, was able to put my summer wheels back on last week, it's just not the same on winter tyres :P I can feel your pain, my car was not released for two weeks when I got it in winter last year because I had to wait for the rims for the winter tyres to arrive. In Germany it is illegal to drive summer tyres in winter :P

[@rabobravo]

Mercedes AMG A45 with 45.000km is around 30-35k €. 380hp. 76hp more than a Golf R32, 70hp more than a S3, 30hp more than a focus RS... Only can be compared with an RS3. Real AMG with the one engineer-one engine philosophy. And still a MERCEDES AMG not a tacky Honda on steroids

[@scanspeak00]

Reliability and running costs will be very interesting to see.

[@dankey3346]

Nevermind the dead bird at the beginning hahaha

[@Fee.1]

4matic is one of the worst AWD names and that’s an accomplishment

[@Yuneeqz]

Stop trying so hard.

[@HAWX4]

As a GLA45 owner, I think you are giving the engine and drivetrain a bad wrap. It is designed to be focused around comfort when you arent horsing the engine, but in quick acceleration or hard braking you get (almost) instant shifts in my experience. You also call the A45 "heavy" when it only weighs 100lbs more than a STI, maybe lose the passenger in the next video? In the end it's your opinion, I just disagree.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

It is heavy. A Civic Type R is something like 600lbs lighter

[@zixi2067]

Still faster than a civic type r

[@HAWX4]

Yet a civic type r is slower in the quarter mile and 0-60 lol

[@JayEmmOnCars]

That'll be the all wheel drive and dual clutch advantage. 0-60 should not define a hot hatch

[@HAWX4]

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but we are talking weight and speed...also looked up your weight claim for the civic type r because I found it hard to believe. The type r is closer to 200-300lbs lighter, nowhere near 600lbs. I'd imagine an ideal hot hatch is a mixture of performance and practicality, and I just fail to see where the amg hot hatches falter. Like I said, it's your opinion, I just disagree.

[@ImBarryScottCSS]

Heavily turbo'd 2 litres are fun, in cheap golfs or seats, not in an AMG. Sorry but why can't it be a torquey 3 like the M140i?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Precisely

[@onpole01]

These are brilliant cars, when you have warranty. I came so close to getting one and test drove three. Two of them under 50K kms made the gearbox crunching sound, shortest test drive ever. The one that drove well had 101K kms...this is the problem. The gear box is so hit and miss, total lucky dip. If you have 15K AUD to replace the gearbox you'll be fine. In Oz they are still 55-65K AUD with no warranty. Yes all three were the facelift. I loved this car but just not worth the risk 😕

[@seths8034]

Has anyone ever told you that you look like Ricky from "Trailer Park Boys"? Nice honest review.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

It has been mentioned

[@machidaman]

Hands down my fave car review channel. Possibly due to high levels of confirmation bias ;) Ive no idea why you have so few subs, genuinely.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thankyou :) if you share the channel on your own social media it helps a lot!

[@H8XME]

Sorry Jay Your shirt shouldn't be the most interesting part of the whole vid😊

[@earthstick]

4:08 The question is do the brake pads cover the entire disc or are they slightly too small so that they leave a ridge around the edge of the disc? If that's the case then Mercedes will charge you for replacement discs at the same time as pads.

[@bigjml]

earthstick You do realise the most cars leave a ridge at the top of the disc? Some may be slightly bigger or slightly smaller. In fact I have never owned a car that didn't leave a small ridge? Would be handy if you could give examples of cars that leave no ridge.

[@Greenious]

It seems this cat acts a lot like an earlier DCT. My Mk5 GTI has all the same quirks as this does, especially with the turbo lag (although I think that’s due to the tune). The lethargic throttle at low(ish) speeds and the gearbox weirdness is all like that.

[@26Tackle.reviews]

I drove the facelift a45 like this and was left wonting a lot more" the car I was in never really got going till 4500-5k revs and the ride was very hard like the focus rs id take a facelift golf for 10k less and give it a stage 1 remap

[@JayEmmOnCars]

As would I

[@JayOfBurn]

JayEmm on Cars Yea you would ;)

[@alonzoharris222]

Great vid. I think you were right the first time. Proper AMGs are not 4 pots imo, but the way things are going, we're likely to see many more of them sadly.

[@Leighlfc]

Would love to see a review of the newest a45s or cla45s...different beasts completely

[@solemods5991]

Great review mate. I own an A45, all the things you talk about are true - I still love my car, handles like its on rails which adds to the fun. I see some people say 2.0 turbo shouldn't be in an AMG..... I think Mercedes will have learnt a lot and the 2019 model will be much improved.

[@lewisbryant1359]

Oh how times have changed 😅

[@vernonwilliams8644]

All turbo cars have a boost threshold and lag to an extent don't listen to manufacturers. A turbo still works the same way.

[@nomessininc.]

never been a big fan of these like you say heavy cars that dont feel that fast. farts sound shit aswell imo, but my god that shirt is incredible james

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks. Dedicated shirt video coming soon

[@logan86123]

Agreed, I can't stand the farting noises that all these modern turbo/fast auto gearbox cars make. Also it doesn't look nearly as fast as the figures suggest. My 2004 Jag XK8 has 300hp and 300lb/ft, so quite a bit less of power and torque, and it would feel much faster than this (and only weighs 100kg more). Second gear is up to 70mph, and if you floored it at 2800rpm you would be pinned to your seat. I think these cars are a bit over the top in trying to game the fuel economy/emissions/power figures. It would just be a better car with something like a 3 litre n/a V6 and 6spd gearbox.

[@youtubemanswagroy212]

I hate farts as well thats one reason im older school with amgs

[@Carswith_daboys]

You can’t compare a a45 amg vs a c63 because they cost the same on the used market that makes no sense it doesn’t change the fact that a c63 is a higher tier model than a a45 no matter the fact they both say amg

[@andrewmitchell2313]

Might be as I am nearly at the end of my second pint, but love your reviews now man.....

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks Andrew! My shirts will still be this good when you are sober.

[@julianevans9548]

Nice to hear someone else complaining about the stupid farting exhausts and the tablet glued to the dash. Again, weird that people take criticism of a car so personally. It's a subjective opinion - I personally think this car looks horrendously crass - and it's only about a lump of metal. Calm down.

[@nt_diamond2381]

Y would let of the throttle in race mode, I never had that issue with gear box. I think it’s great

[@spincd]

Your also a big guy, don't moan about the seats.

[@nonamenameless5495]

Never really considered this one coz all it took was sitting in it, for tall ppl these seats don t only restrict rear vision with that stupidly fixed/ integrated headrest (most pointless trend ever), it s also simply uncomfy whilst not providing enough support at the same time. Let alone esp this version with that retarded spoiler and twatish colour combo can only be driven wearing a paper bag over the head. Materials also don t fit in that price tag class and are vastly inferior to what Audi has to offer. Didn t even ask to drive it and getting back to my Audi, I instantly thought, "my car might not be newest gen but boy, this is much better".

[@iawhitaker]

Yeah thats weird. The 90s turbo cars were bullets if they were up to 280hp

[@vivianokeswa488]

So does this A45 deserves an AMG badge? If compared to C63

[@DanPyjamas]

I know it's an old video, but I'm looking at one of these, of around this age and price range. My S5 sportback is too long for my new place so I need to trade it. Which of the pseudo 4wd hatches would you have James? Not sure if you'll see this nowadays

[@MillerCorner]

Sadly flawed, complex and HUGELY overpriced - better luck next time, Mercedes :P I'd sooner spend the money on a Type R...or something from Norfolk...

[@michiyolimjiaen4190]

Miller Corner in my country people who consider to buy type r are pretty much known as tasteless as it is extremely overprice .

[@LongJohnnn]

how is it flawed?

[@richardwatts20]

I have a face lift estate c63 and an a45 facelift from new and there is simply no comparison to be made 😂 one NA animal, one turbo charged hatchback on rails mini animal. This model of the a45 was so successful it made the new a45s they made look like a failure. There isn’t much out there on the road that will tip my a45, will never sell it, ever.

[@vedranpremuzic8183]

Are you but hurt that your friends didn't listen to your recommendation to buy Civic and bought the AMG A45 instead? To me, this video sounds like that

[@jamesrowan4030]

Top shirt

[@zrpg-_967]

Are we just going to ignore the fact that there was a dead bird on the grass at the beginning of the video?

[@edmaluf]

A quick suggestion: if you talk about a previous video of yours, leave a link to such video on the description. I'm looking for your first review of the A45 and I can't find it.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Good point. The first one I drove was a CLA45

[@edmaluf]

JayEmm on Cars Hey, thanks for the reply. I'll look for it right now. Loving your reviews. Keep up the good work. Cheers from Brazil. 👍

[@spainter1985]

It might be acceptable if it wasn't the most competitive market place at the moment! So much choice, I'd rather an M2 or M140i or if you wanted a hot hatch the Civic/Golf/Hyundai i30N all fill that gap.

[@toranwartoran]

spainter1985 you cannot compare it to the m2 I don't know why people do that it's a hatchback vs sport car 2 different platforms if you compare it to other hatchback you stated all will fall and the mercedes will win . Any car can be tuned even the a45 the only reason people go for other hatchbacks is the price the mercedes is overpriced and you pay for the name the only hatchback you would compare it with the mercedes a45 is the audi Rs3 and yes the audi will win . Will never take a Honda or hyundai over mercedes or audi if I have the money but if I don't will go for the golf r for sure.

[@spainter1985]

An M2 is a 2 door saloon derived car - I wouldn't call it an out-and-out sports car. I think it is fair to compare both the A45 and the M2 as they are both performance cars that offer the ability to seat 4 people, have a reasonable boot, offer similar performance and are in the same kind of price bracket. Saying that, I'd agree I'd also take the RS3 over the A45! I'd probably also take the Golf R over an A45 also!

[@toranwartoran]

spainter1985 used to own tt rs now a45 faclifted people always compare those cars as if you are tracking every week. I use them for my daily drive and I go every 3 month to the track. The a45 is comfortable can take easy 4 people and a large boot with good interior. The gear box as stated in the video when you shift manually is slow but if you keep it in the automatic mode no problems. The power is there in the a45 but it's leaner than my audi tt rs wich you can fell the power but actually you are slower. Of the m2 is more driver focused and if I weren't married I'd take it over the a45 but overall I'm happy with the mercedes. Don't let the reviews justify the car you drive it and find for yourself wich 1 suites you better for me the audi tt rs 2012 was my best car I even tuned it to stage 2 and it was monster pushing 430 hp and the sound was toxic .

[@spainter1985]

The TT RS's sound fantastic with that 5 cylinder engine but there's definitely an attraction to a performance car that can also deal with the day-to-day tasks you can throw at a hatchback. Personally though I'd still probably choose an M140i over the A45 despite it not being technically as capable.

[@toranwartoran]

spainter1985 inded the m140 is a nice hatchback hope they dont change those 6 cylinders to 4 but I think they are going that way. No replacment to displacment v8s gone now v6, on there wayes mybe after 10 years we will use 2 cylinder cars with turboes!!

[@Tom90Y]

Great review, never driven one and the price did put me off when I was looking When the Abarth 595 review coming to you were referring to. Also sorry I didn’t say much to you at the Stratton open day

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Soon, we need to shoot some B Roll first

[@troymuni6120]

Compare it to an Audi S3 and RS3 please (face lift, current generation). To me, that DCT is perfect. I was planning to replace my 2018 S3 sedan here in the US with the AMG A45 when it is released. If it's nowhere near as good, I'll just grab a deal on an RS3. Keep in mind that our RS3's are slightly less powerful than yours. Thanks

[@paulgroves671]

Great video, but is Steve OK after that utter slaying of his new car?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

He'll live. This isn't his new car, it's his girlfriend's.

[@bambychoi9366]

JayEmm on Cars That somehow makes me now like the car.

[@MrKeyboardCommando]

Cletus, you cannot possibly be wrong, because you are the Boris Johnson of car reviewers, but with snazzier shirts‼️😎😎😎

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I'm not sure what to make of that comment. *hilarious upper class pratfall*

[@MrKeyboardCommando]

Don't worry about it, Boris Johnson never makes sense, but your shirts rock‼️🤨🤨🤨

[@tredfxman]

It's a nice car. But clearly not worth the cash in comparision with a C63 or M3. Or especially compared to the one i own: Im an owner of a 2017 GTI Clubsport myself, The GTI 40 Year Anniversary "Edition 40" (Check Videos on my channel to compare)

[@Praaaise]

I have an a45 it’s a unreal daily delivers power like nothing and looks mad, conclusion is your taste just as bad as your shirt bud

[@serlGlent]

yeah , u have that feeling if your previous car was 130 BHP car, If u dont like hes shirt does not mean is owfull

[@CicoInActionFF]

😂😂😂

[@Swans_And_Ducks]

These drive so much better in manual

[@joblessaintsfanftw1056]

My dream car 😍

[@LawrenceTimme]

The a45 amg is the rich chavs hot hatch.

[@Gattsu1986]

Lawrence Timme I've never known a chav to afford a 50k hatch lol. I bet you drive a Ford looool

[@LawrenceTimme]

Gattsu13 I had a ford mondeo St tdci as my 2nd car. I have a impreza wrx sti widetrack with dccd now :)

[@carllynch8798]

Great honest review bud.

[@ASBOmarc]

Not to sound pithy, but a 2.0l engine with a 190bhp / litre specific output and a single turbo has significant turbo lag? AMG engineers, although talented are not magicians.

[@TYAC_TPE_SF-Bay]

What passenger car? It's a short-wheelbase Metris van.

[@tobywhite330]

Absolutely love this review. I love the fact you have the balls to say the positives and the negatives. I remember the original review and how you said the exhaust sounded like throwing plums at a wall 😂😂

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks Toby- I just try and be honest!

[@Fee.1]

It’s fascinating to hear you diagnose a gearbox with A.D.D

[@doctorpaullemon]

A McCann in a dress? This was pretty tough to watch. Like he’d just had a fight with his wife or lost his wallet. Lighten up fella.

[@P-I-D-D-Y]

I think he was referring to the fact they share a platform

[@user-rw5gy5fi3p]

I love my a45.. stage 3.. it is savage..

[@maxpe111]

lovely bird at 00:03

[@jazzragu]

Another great video, but this time with an awesome shirt!

[@arnoldmoontanman8638]

So, I’ve had Subaru’s for 15 years, they are dated, inefficient and outrageously high emissions and old fashioned, the civic type r isn’t larey, it’s pig ugly! It’s like they found every piece of plastic in the factory and stuck it on! How could you possibly recommend that to your friend, all I can say is he has better taste than u! My Subaru 320bhp Sti had f all torque and to drive the merc like that is stupid, it has a seven speed auto that puts you in the right gear at the right time for performance, why put it in manual and make it struggle in the wrong gear? The Subaru is a brilliant car for point to point on B roads, I agree with that but what I eventually fell out of live with was 16mpg, 13 if I thrashed it, could only get 220 miles out of a tank of fuel however I drove it, the type r is dangerous due to the stiffness of the ride, really only good for tracks with the potholes around, on a Gloucestershire B road they are uncomfortably hard for passengers, no sound proofing and really a track car..... I had a merc a220d 7 speed auto and loved the handling, the ride and the gearbox, the a45 has everything I loved about my old car with so much more...... I wouldn’t buy a civic or Subaru over that in a million years, times have moved on and you should too!

[@Johnacles]

These sold WAY too well here in Australia, absolute gash if you ask me.

[@seinsmeld13]

Jay, can you talk without moving your hand?

[@bambychoi9366]

In agreement with your fair review Jay. Looks great, sounds terrible and only delivers quick performance when you really push on.. which isn’t an everyday driving style. It’s missing accessible performance, a wave of torque you can easily use safely everyday as a reminder you’re in something capable. If anyone is in the market for this type of “Hyper Hatch” buy the M140i. It too is in its final edition (shadow edition) with some amazing discounts to be had (sub £30k new if you haggle right).. it’s also the last of its kind, read up on it to find out why. So save yourself the £10k+ and buy one of those!

[@Harv72b]

No birds were harmed in the filming of this review.

[@RoseworthGaming]

why are all of your complaints being made at low speeds the a45 delivers the best at the latter end of the rev range to cater comfort at every day use

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Because it's not practical to do a review with the car at top RPM

[@RoseworthGaming]

JayEmm on Cars I understand that, but in my opinion if you are gonna do a review of a car that is around the 400 hp mark whether it is a mercedes a BMW, Audi or any other "Hyper hatch" then it should be done on a track if you dont want too push the car on the road I love the honest review style you have I have just subbed I'm sorry for sticking my nose in lol

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I'm sure you can imagine there are consequences if I drive the car full on and show that on camera, on the public road - but rest assured most cars I review get driven properly. Having the luxury of a track for a review is very rare for me, plus I feel its invalid in its own way as this really is not a track car

[@TheWretchedWorld]

Have you considered reviewing the megane iii rs? It was the motoring journalists baby for a long time and people seem to rave about them. Curious on your thoughts.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

If I get my hands on one it will be reviewed!

[@andyp8464]

if this is a facelift why doesn't it have race mode if it has the performance pack ? race mode question answered later on .but were you driving it in manual mode ?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Yes driving in manual for the most part

[@okeyezeilo6187]

Only one real problem with the A45, the sound...

[@Msfiona69]

I don't like the A45 either Jay.. I agree with you on your comments also.. In fact I would have been more critical if I drove it... I don't think it's a proper Mercedes.. Its just like a little SUV to me.. and I hate those cars with vengeance.. 😲😲😲

[@itshappening100]

Finally good detailed review!

[@nt_diamond2381]

Omg the seats are amazing, I’m turning off. This guy is clueless

[@trailblazerking4906]

😇 A45 A.M.G yellow Knight is just perfect for BRITISH Roads the A.M.G Hand built 2.0Ltr Engine is super DURABLE responsive and revs over 7/8k ...0-- to-- 100mph 13sec ❤❤ Fantastic LINEAR Engine and really feels like N/Asp engine.....👍

[@FreFa-ch]

They are quite capable cars but look like they're designed for fast-and-furious fanboys, dont deserve the mercedes branding, and certainly not the amg badge. Furthermore most of these are owned by a certain type of driver, which is what makes these even worse.

[@potatochobit]

chubby kid, this is probably the only mercedes I would ever buy new. father in law has an S class mercedes and the depreciation is so bad makes no sense to sell it.

[@Affalterbach1967]

If only there was a link to 'buy the shirt I wore in this video', you would be rich ! #merch

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I know right?