NO, it wouldn't, he's right
A snout only a mother could love! I've a feeling Honda agree with me too - check out the pics of the CRV on and there's only one front view, taken from a very odd angle to make it less, er, distinctive.
Btw, slightly off-topic q if you don't mind: how did you find the A-Class in general? I'm thinking of buying a cheap 00 version (A160) for the wife, do you generally recommend it? Do you think the reliability issues would've been sorted by now on a car that age or it would've gone worse?
We bought ours new in 2000, so same year. Absolutely loved it: particularly my wife who was not at all positive on the idea of it before getting it. However, once she tried the higher driving position wouldn't go back. It's the only small car I've driven that genuinely feels like a larger car to drive (not just the internal space, but the controls and response etc.).
The negative was that it did develop an intermittant fault a couple of years into ownership. Wasn't too impressed by dealer's (lack of) interest in resolving it. Eventually suggested changing the main engine control unit at a cost of €800 or 1k I think (by the time it was fitted) - I can't recall exactly, but it was of that order. I've also heard they had other problems. Some of the finishes on these earlier ones weren't great either. We traded it without getting the major work done.
Having said that, I believe the 2nd series are much better on reliability and finish. Hopefully B-class would be the same.
I don't think I'd buy a 1st series A-class to be honest, much as I liked it: just too risky it could be hiding some expensive repairs. Unless you got a good one year warrenty on it (which I doubt you'd get on a 00 car), I'd stick with a 2nd series, or pass.