The second version of Mercedes's A45 AMG is here with more power - is it too much?

‘Wake up and smell the coffee’ is perhaps the most overused line in the English language. Think about it – every single time we come across someone we know looking disoriented or just out of place in the morning, the words we’d utter would be – you guessed it – ‘Hey, wake up and smell the coffee’.

Depending on your luck, the response would usually differ. It ranges from a simple smile, to a ‘thanks man’ and the most extreme, a rather lovely ‘just shut up and move along’. When I’m on the receiving end, I’d usually smile then say ‘thanks for that’ and then mutter something Jamaican (I think); but deep down inside I really am longing for coffee.

Any coffee in the morning would do — the nearest one I could get. Be it from the uncle-brewed neighbourhood coffeeshop (must be thick, black coffee with extra sugar) to Starbucks Americano with extra espresso shots (three, usually) or when there’s stuff that needs urgent attention in the Burnpavement office, the instant 3-in-1 from the pantry would just do (try pouring two sachets into one mug). As long as it’s coffee, it’s all good.

Anyway if you’re wondering why I’m talking about coffee on a Thursday, it’s because I have with me one car that has a similar effect to, well, coffee: This is version 2.0 of the Mercedes A45 AMG.

Driving this thing, even without a good night’s sleep, would instantly wake you up. Start the engine, hear the exhaust burble away - that would make both your eyelids open fully. Floor the accelerator as you merge into the main road and I bet all your senses would suddenly come alive.

All that sound, when combined, is truly sensational. The engine revving away, the exhaust screaming at the top of its lungs, the tyre roar, the stiffness of the suspension — you can feel and hear every single one of them and the moment it reaches your brains, voila, you’re raring to go. And the thing is, if you do not exercise self restraint, there’s that risk of losing your license — but you just do not give a care.

When you are in control of 381 bhp and 475 Nm — its predecessor only had 360 bhp and 450 Nm — you somehow know that you can have so much fun; in case you're wondering how Mercedes achieved the extra power, they simply adjusted the valve assembly, reconfigured the timing, enhanced the turbocharger and did some software magic. Maximum boost remains at 1.8 bar.

Pulling power is definitely its forte, feeling even more tenacious and sorted in the way it puts power down, than the competing M135i’s. The 4MATIC all-wheel drive system works well at ensuring you do not have to worry about brutal torque-steer; heck, even when going a little mental into corners, this A45 does it so eloquently. If you dare take risks along tighter bends, it actually gives you the opportunity to throw its rear out and wave at bystanders like a hero (not that I’m encouraging).

There’s a little button on the center console that allows you to choose the suspension’s setting — leave it in standard mode and this ferocious hatch cruises along the expressway like an S-Class would.

Bahhh. Just kidding, folks. “Comfort” doesn’t exist here, and instead what you get is either ‘OK’ hard or ‘Mum-I-think-my-spine-is-shattered’ hard. If your daily commute includes plying the KPE, I suggest you look at something else to buy — maybe a C-Class instead. The bumpiness (and expressway’s 80 km/h speed limit) really tests your… Sanity.

Braking power is improved over the previous model, and this is definitely welcomed here. It slows the A45 in an assuring manner and cuts speed from three-figure flights without any threats of fade, even after some hard driving. Job well done there, Mercedes.

Interior wise the A45 maintains the typical Mercedes-Benz affair, meaning you get high quality fit and finish, detailed bits like the red stitching found on the dashboard, door panels, seats and centre console. Oh, and a lovely driving position: The steering is perfectly shaped and sized, the racing seats huggable and supportive, with every single controls within easy sight and reach. The pair of paddle-shifters feels more tactile now and definitely would last the entire lifespan of the car here (even beyond, perhaps). It doesn’t get anymore German than this.

So in reference to my coffee talk at the start of this story, this updated Mercedes A45 AMG is equivalent to the uncle-brewed black coffee that doesn’t cost as much as a Starbucks’s, comes powerfully sweet to wake up your senses and as a whole, just that one 300-ml cup satisfies.

This German hatch is strong and importantly potent, costs much, much, much cheaper than any other supercar out there but does the job of munching kilometres in an equally satisfying manner. Additional power it gets this time around makes the car, as a whole, sugary.

On top of that the amount of fun it delivers along winding roads is almost immeasurable.

There are rumours the next A45 AMG will come even more powerful, but until that one arrives, this version here is already at the top of its game with so much goodness - despite the fact that you have to live with a permanently stiff suspension.

And how will it stack up next to Audi’s latest RS3? Watch this space…