Along with the GLA, GLB, and CLA Shooting Brake, the CLA and CLA will likely live to see another generation.
Mercedes was open and honest in its plans to reduce the number of compact cars and concentrate on larger and more profitable models. The Mercedes lineup will be divided into three categories: Entry Luxury, Core Luxury and Top-End Luxury. However, the majority of future investments will go towards vehicles in the C-Class and higher. These changes were made to make Mercedes-Benz the “world’s most desirable luxury car brand.”
The Entry Luxury program will now have four models instead of seven. The three-pointed star has not spoken out about the death row cars, but a decision has been made as to which compact models will be kept and which will go the way of dodos. German newspaper Handelsblatt cites Mercedes insiders who claim that the A-Class and BClass will cease to exist after 2025.
In three years, both the A-Class sedan and hatchback will be gone. The same source also claims that the CLA, which is swoopy, will be retained. We were surprised to learn that the CLA Shooting Brake is also staying. The fate of the A-Class Sedan with long wheelbase is unknown. It’s currently being produced in China to compete against the BMW 1 Series Sedan.
Customers still love crossovers so the GLA/GLB will see another generation. These surviving models will likely make the transition to Mercedes’ upcoming MMA architecture from the MFA platform. A preview of the first MMA-based car by the German luxury brand, Luxus, was already available. It looked like a sleek sedan similar to the CLA.
The current range of compact Mercedes models will be updated mid-cycle. The changes will likely be subtle as Mercedes isn’t looking to spend too much on a platform that it intends to retire at the end of the decade, according to spy shots.