The Mercedes A-Class Sedan has arrived, and it’s packing a wallop of new features. Most of the headlines will probably gravitate towards the sedan’s MBUX infotainment system, making it the first U.S.-bound Mercedes to feature the high-resolution widescreen cockpit and touchscreen media display with augmented reality capabilities. But don’t focus all of your attention on the infotainment system. The new A-Class Sedan is more than just that. It also happens to come with a design that’s far and away better than how its predecessor looked.

I get that most people will probably focus on the state-of-the-art tech features of the Mercedes A-Class Sedan. I even understand that some narratives will revolve around the myriad of engine options that will be available. I’ll be the first to admit that the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine that produces 188 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque is an intriguing proposition for the A-Class.

But don’t sleep on the design of the A-Class. Sure, it’s lifted from the design of its hatchback counterpart, but there’s something about the shape of the sedan that ties the aesthetics of the A-Class together. The front section looks absolutely dynamic with the diagonal headlights and the prominent front grille. Even the fins on the air intakes give it a more aggressive appearance. The body lines on the side of the sedan are clear in the eyes, but not too aggressive that they become distracting. Even the sedan’s overall profile is sleek. You’d expect it on a model like the C-Class or even the CLA-Class, but the fact that Mercedes spent a good amount of time working on the A-Class’ design tells you that it has big plans for the model. If I have one misgiving about its looks, it’s the rear end. It adopts Mercedes’ penchant for curvy profiles, but I don't think it blends well with the aggressive front section. On some angles, it even looks like a BMW. Whoops.

Still, Mercedes did an incredible job in designing the A-Class Sedan. In fact, the German automaker designed it so well that it has a drag coefficient of just 0.22, a record mark it shares with the CLA-Class. If you want a slippery Mercedes that’s not going to let air stand in its way; the new A-Class Sedan is the car for you.

There’s going to be a lot more said about the new A-Class in the coming days, weeks, and months. But let it be known that as far as first impressions go, the first thing you’ll notice about it is the way it looks. And for what that’s worth, Mercedes smacked this one out of the park.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class L Sedan.

Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Read our full speculative review on the 2019 Mercedes-AMG A35 Sedan.

Read more Mercedes-Benz news.