Mercedes-Benz A-Class disappearing from US after 2022 model year
The GLA-Class will become Benz's entry-level model, and the future of its CLA-Class sedan sibling isn't necessarily guaranteed.
We really dig the Mercedes-Benz A-Class here at Roadshow. It was the first Merc to introduce us to MBUX, the automaker's latest and greatest infotainment system, which has now made its way to nearly every Benz model. So it's a bit of a shame that this small, feature-rich sedan will no longer be offered here.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan will bow out of the US following the 2022 model year, Automotive News reports, citing an obtained Mercedes-Benz dealership memo. "While the A-Class was extremely well received by our customers since its introduction in 2019, this decision is consistent with our ongoing effort to streamline our product offering strategy," wrote a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson in a statement sent to Roadshow.
Automotive News' report cites "waning consumer demand for cars and shifting corporate priorities." A quick perusal of Mercedes-Benz's own sales numbers don't paint a rosy picture for its compact sedan, with the A-Class' Q3 2021 sales down by 75.3% year over year and Q4 2021 sales down by 65.9% year over year. The brand as a whole underperformed in both those quarters, but by a much lower percentage than the A-Class on its own.
The A-Class' departure is not for a lack of trying. The small sedan had its own Super Bowl commercial and ushered in the next generation of Mercedes' in-car tech. But, as noted in AN's report, this wasn't enough to launch the A-Class to sales success as buyers keep gravitating toward SUVs, such as Benz's own GLA-Class, which was updated shortly after the A-Class and picked up most of its innovations.
Beyond the zeitgeist abandoning sedans en masse, AN notes that lineup bloat is also a contributing factor. The outlet points out that, including engine variants and body styles, more than 100 versions of Mercedes-Benz models are available across 15 different nameplates.
For now, the A-Class' position as the entry-level Benz will be thrust upon the GLA-Class compact crossover, which as we noted in our review is also a very good car. Its AMG variant, for those seeking extra speed, is also quite the peach. The CLA-Class will soldier on through the 2023 model year, as well, offering the same good bits of the A-Class in a slightly sleeker shell, but its sales aren't exactly stellar, either.