- Mercedes is working on an A-Class successor, but it won’t be another hatchback.
- The new model will replace the B-Class by combining the cues of a minivan and an SUV.
- It will have a European focus and launch in 2028.
Mercedes pulled the plug on the A-Class in the United States years ago, but the entry-level model remains on sale in Europe and other markets. The hatchback’s life cycle has been extended and will continue until 2028, at which point it will be a decade old. It’s an unusually long run that wasn’t part of the original plan, as the youngest car to wear the three-pointed star was slated to retire that year.
Due to popular demand, the A-Class will continue for a few more years, and production will move from the Rastatt plant in Germany to the Kecskemet factory in Hungary in the second quarter of 2026. Extending the lifecycle gives Mercedes more time to work on a replacement, which won’t be another hatchback or sedan. Instead, it will take cues from two distinct body styles: a minivan and an SUV.
The newcomer will also serve as an indirect successor to the B-Class minivan, which will be discontinued later this year. German business newspaper Automobilwoche Mercedes chief technology officer Jörg Brazer was quoted as saying that the compact car of the future “will be an incredibly attractive vehicle; we have to build it.” He added some intrigue, claiming that “it will be different from what we’ve seen before.”
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Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
The new SUV/minivan hybrid is definitely happening, and it’s being developed with European customers in mind. It will ride on the MMA platform that already underpins the new CLA and CLA Shooting Brake. Expect a mix of combustion engines and electric drivetrains to satisfy ICE and EV buyers, though there are some packaging compromises on both sides.
Mercedes is likely to build an unknown model in Hungary, especially since the A-Class is about to lose its “Made in Germany” label. The company’s CTO said Automobilwoche That the new compact car will target affluent young buyers in Europe. Pricing remains a mystery, but it’s fair to assume it will cost more than the A-Class, which starts at around €35,000 in its home market. In Germany, a base CLA with a gas engine starts at around €44,000, so something in that ballpark.
Source:
Automobilwoche (subscription required)
