The Mercedes-AMG A35 Hatch Is a Golf R Rival You Can't Buy in the U.S.

The Mercedes-AMG A35 Hatch Is a Golf R Rival You Can't Buy in the U.S.

When you are Road & Track's European correspondent, you are tasked with reviewing the Yaris GR, which vehicle is thrilling, and exciting, and tantalizing. When you are a Canadian contributor, you get asked to cover the Hyundai Pony, which was not. Not even a little bit. But hosers take heart: we've got our own Canada-only hot hatchback up here, and it's pretty sweet, bud. Get your skates on, eh? The Mercedes-AMG A35 Hatch Is a Golf R Rival You Can't Buy in the U.S.

This is the Mercedes-AMG A35 hatchback, and if your currency is all the same green color, you can't have one. The 302 hp sedan variant of the A35 is available in the US, but the hatchback is only sold in overseas markets and Canada. It's the same situation with the AMG C43, which can be purchased in wagon form north of the 49th parallel, but not south. The Mercedes-AMG A35 Hatch Is a Golf R Rival You Can't Buy in the U.S.

The reason, somewhat boringly, is basically down to dealer supply. Because of the way Mercedes Canada manages its factory stores and franchises, dealers often stock lots of AMG models. Having the cars right there on the showroom floors leads to customers buying them (well, probably leasing them). This supply creates its own demand, with Canada having the highest AMG take-rate in the world. Roughly one in four Mercedes-Benz models sold in Canada have an AMG badge on the back. The Mercedes-AMG A35 Hatch Is a Golf R Rival You Can't Buy in the U.S.

This is the littlest AMG. It will doubtless increase the popularity of the breed. It is 17 kg lighter than the sedan and 13 cm shorter. Converting from the metric for you makes that 37 lbs and 0.00008 miles, if I've done it correctly.

The differences between hatch and sedan are minimal on paper, but it's nice to have the choice. Adding hatchback practicality makes the A35 a Golf R rival with nicer interior appointments, at least theoretically. From behind the wheel, it turns out Volkswagen's idea of a hot hatch is a far more buttoned down affair. But we'll get to that shortly.

First, be it resolved that the A-class looks better as a hatchback than a sedan. It just does. Mercedes' front-wheel-drive-architecture small sedans are far better than BMW's flared-nostril offerings, which look designed to trim nose hairs. But there's just something satisfying about a proper hatchback. You can get the A35 with a bigger rear wing for a dash more rally car flair, but this one's relatively subtle, sitting on thick-rimmed 18” wheels.

Subtlety is what you mostly want in a German hot hatchback. Yes, there are exceptions, such as every GTI that's been modified to look like it's just suffered catastrophic suspension failure, but visually shouting about performance is best left to the likes of the Civic Type R.

Further, the interior of the A35 promises a dash more luxury than you typically get from a Japanese performance compact car, where all the R&D money's been spent on the drivetrain. There's a trickle-down effect from Mercedes' more luxurious models, and the A35's switchgear and even the air vents are well executed.