Mercedes-Benz A-Class to be axed next year
Benz confirms small hatch to remain in production until the end of 2026; no replacement confirmedThe News
Mercedes-Benz has announced its popular 2025 Mercedes A-Class will remain in production until the end of next year but says, for now, there are no immediate plans for a successor to either the regular hatchback or sedan, or even the Mercedes-AMG A 35 and A 45 hot hatches, with both set to be indirectly replaced by the all-new battery-electric or mild-hybrid-powered CLA sedan and Shooting Brake, and the inbound GLA SUV as its only small car offering.
The Key Details
- Current seven-year-old hatch and sedan has 12 months to live
- Next A-Class could have been based on new CLA flexible MMA platform
- Small Benz choice to be limited to either the CLA or inbound GLA SUV
- There's no word yet of any replacement for the small AMGs
The Finer Details
Mercedes-Benz chief technical officer Markus Schäfer has shot down reports that the Mercedes A-Class would live on beyond 2028 by announcing that its entry hatch would remain in production, but only until the end of 2026.
According to Benz's chief engineer, when questioned about the A-Class, he said it would be killed off shortly after its eighth birthday without any direct replacement.
Instead, the A-Class will be indirectly replaced by the CLA sedan and Shooting Brake that will come later, plus the small GLA compact SUV that will arrive next year.
All are based on Mercedes' next generation MMA architecture that has been developed for both EVs and mild-hybrid combustion engines and could have been a suitable platform for both the A-Class hatch and sedan.
Currently in Australia, both body styles of the A-Class are offered, including the 225kW AMG A 35 and wilder-still 310kW AMG A 45 flagship.
With the new end date and no announcement yet made on faster versions of the CLA, Mercedes-Benz Australia could be left without a mini AMG model.
There's no word yet on what will happen to the Mercedes A-Class Down Under, but it's thought that a decent supply of the hatch, including the AMG versions, could see it remain on sale well into 2027.
The Road Ahead
The decision to discontinue the A-Class is part of a wider strategy by Benz bosses to simplify its global offering, with execs preferring to focus on more expensive higher-profit models.
Helping justify the decision for the axing of the small hatch and sedan is a reported decline in sales of around 15 per cent in Europe, while sales of the latest CLA have surged following its introduction.
Related: Mercedes-Benz CLA 2026 Review - International
Related: Mercedes A-Class wins stay of execution
Related: 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake lands
Related: Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ Limited Edition goes green
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