The Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan left the US market in 2022 but persisted elsewhere, a-la Ford Fiesta and Focus. That won’t be the case for much longer, confirms Mercedes CTO Markus Schäfer. According to the Benz executive, the automaker just has too darn many cars in the compact segment, and something had to give. In doing so, the CLA, which just received a major update, will become the new entry point to the brand.
Mercedes’ Smallest Car Will Be No More
Schäfer tells Quattroporte that the automaker will focus on slimming its compact offerings from seven to four models globally. According to Schäfer, Mercedes will focus on cutting costs while focusing on cars that have a broader appeal in Mercedes’ largest markets. Both the A-Class sedan and hatch will not live past their current generation.
“Reducing complexity is a key task for us, which is why decreasing the compact family from seven to four models was necessary in this segment. We need models that will work around the world, including China and the U.S. I know the hatchback is a favorite in Europe, but it was not part of the plan and we had to make choices, including difficult ones.”
— Mercedes CTO Markus Schäfer
An Update On The Baby G-Class
Schäfer also provided an update on the smaller G-Class, but stated the model wouldn’t share a platform with Mercedes’ remaining four compacts: the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA, and the GLB. Instead, the new Geländewagen will set on Mercedes’ MMA platform, adopting a different architecture that should be better suited to the off-road use the G-Class is known for: “If we had used the new platform we would not have been able to guarantee it the off-road capabilities that a G-Class must have.” Instead, Schäfer says Mercedes will use a unique platform for it. MMA architecture wouldn’t allow the automaker to fit the wheels “necessary” for an off-road SUV, and more critically, the MMA platform wouldn’t have offered the ground clearance required by the model.
TopSpeed’s Take
It makes sense Mercedes is calling it quits on the A-Class. In the US at least, it wasn’t a great seller. While it was an affordable entry point, other small compacts like the Audi A3 offered more luxuries and a smidge more room for buyers. As for the G-Class, it sounds like the smaller model will be a pricey one thanks to its bespoke platform. It probably won’t be entirely bespoke, however, and we’re instead expecting a modified version of the bigger G’s platform to be used, simply because it makes the most financial sense for Mercedes to do so.
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