Pinched from elsewhere, a summary (a little slanted too)...
Top Gear -
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/merc ... -2013-6-12
"No. As I alluded to earlier, the A45 is more closely aligned to the RS3 than the M135i. It likes to grip and go, it’s chief aim on going into a corner, is getting out the other side as quickly and efficiently as possible, not making the most of the experience on the way through. It’s a less mobile, less interactive car to drive than the BMW, and that will upset purists. But it is masterful in what it does and what it’s capable of. Personally I’d like the engine to have more character and the rear axle to get stuck in a bit more. To have more feel, in other words."
Auto Express -
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/a ... es-a45-amg
"Even though AMG has reworked the steering set-up, it still doesn’t have the immediacy or feel of a BMW M135i’s steering."
Auto Car -
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mer ... nz/a45-amg
"There’s lag, of course – you can’t expect 178bhp per litre without it. Accelerate at 1500rpm and you’ll be greeted by not a great deal. By 2000rpm the A45 has woken up, and by 3000rpm it’s delivering a strong mid-range. Only above 4500rpm, though, does it begin to feel like the 4.6sec to 62mph car it’s claimed to be, in a short and heady rush from there to the engine's 6500rpm redline. "