Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs Alfa Romeo Junior

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts from $48,900 before on-road costs, while the Alfa Romeo Junior opens at $45,900. That makes the Alfa Romeo Junior the more affordable entry point by $3,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $53,790 and $50,490 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Alfa Romeo Junior by roughly $2,425 in fuel alone.

Both the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Alfa Romeo Junior hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Alfa Romeo Junior packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and 6 in the Alfa Romeo Junior.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class features a 10.3-inch touchscreen, while the Alfa Romeo Junior gets a 10.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class stands out with Apple CarPlay that you will not find on the Alfa Romeo Junior. The Alfa Romeo Junior counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging and power tailgate. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class uses a Petrol producing 100kW and 200Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.5 seconds.

The Alfa Romeo Junior responds with a Petrol MHEV making 107kW and 230Nm, paired to a dct driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds.

The Alfa Romeo Junior has the clear power advantage at 107kW vs 100kW. In the real-world sprint, the Alfa Romeo Junior is 0.6s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class measures 4,419mm long on a 2,729mm wheelbase, 249mm longer than the Alfa Romeo Junior at 4,170mm (2,560mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 370L in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and 270L in the Alfa Romeo Junior, giving the Mercedes-Benz A-Class a 100L advantage.

For towing, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class leads with a 1,800kg braked capacity vs 1,200kg. That 600kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,910/year for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and $1,425/year for the Alfa Romeo Junior. That is a $485 annual difference in favour of the Alfa Romeo Junior.

Estimated annual total: $1,910 (Mercedes-Benz A-Class) vs $1,425 (Alfa Romeo Junior). The Alfa Romeo Junior saves you roughly $485 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz A-Class) vs 5 years / 150,000km (Alfa Romeo Junior). Both match on warranty length.