According to sources, Mercedes-Benz will continue producing the A-Class with a facelift model to ensure sales, as demand for the A-Class remains strong, and the sales of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles have fallen below expectations. In March 2025, foreign media reported that Mercedes-Benz, in an effort to streamline its global product line, had announced that production of the A-Class would officially end in 2025, and no new generation models would be launched. However, this decision has now been put on hold, and Mercedes-Benz plans to continue selling the A-Class until 2028.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has a long history, having been around for 28 years and gone through four iterations.
In 1997, the first-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class was launched with the internal code W168. The biggest highlight of this model was its front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. The first-generation A-Class had a rather modest design, with no significant surprises, giving it a compact MPV feel. Its dimensions were also small, fitting the description of “compact and delicate.” The model offered five versions: A140, A160, A170, A190, and A210, with the best-selling A140 featuring a 1.4L inline-four gasoline engine producing 80 horsepower and 130 Nm of torque, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.
In 2004, the second-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class was introduced with the internal code W169. Compared to the first generation, the second-generation A-Class was more of a facelift, with upgrades to its powertrain and dimensions. The second-generation A-Class offered A150, A170, A180, A200, and A200 Turbo versions. The A150 had a 1.5L inline-four gasoline engine, while the A170 featured a 1.7L gasoline engine, and the most powerful version, the A200 Turbo, came with a 2.0T gasoline engine. The dimensions of the second-generation A-Class were notably larger than its predecessor, with a length of 3,883 mm, an increase of 277 mm. However, it was still over 400 mm shorter than competitors like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.
At the end of 2010, Mercedes-Benz introduced the second-generation A-Class to the Chinese market, competing with the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, which had been sold in China for a longer period. The A160 and A180 were priced at 238,000 CNY and 278,000 CNY, respectively. However, due to being an imported model, Chinese consumers had difficulty accepting the small size of the “luxury car,” leading to lackluster sales performance.
In 2012, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the third-generation A-Class at the Geneva Auto Show, with the internal code W176. This model was based on the new MFA platform, with significant changes in size, powertrain, and configuration. The A-Class transitioned from a small city car to a sporty hatchback. The third-generation A-Class had a length, width, and height of 4,292/1,780/1,433 mm and a wheelbase of 2,699 mm. It was 32 mm longer than the then-new Audi A3 but 32 mm shorter than the BMW 1 Series. The powertrain options included 1.6T and 2.0T engines, with the A180 producing 122 horsepower, the A200 producing 156 horsepower, and the A250 producing 211 horsepower.
In 2018, the fourth-generation A-Class was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show, built on the second-generation MFA platform. The new model saw increases in body dimensions and rear-seat space, and it offered various powertrain options, including gasoline engines, diesel engines, plug-in hybrids, and pure electric systems. In the same year, the A-Class sedan was locally produced in China by Beijing Benz, specifically for the Chinese market, with prices ranging from 216,900 CNY to 299,900 CNY. The sedan’s wheelbase was 2,789 mm, and it competed mainly with the locally produced Audi A3 sedan and BMW 1 Series sedan. The domestic A-Class sedan came with a 1.3T engine in both high and low power versions, with maximum outputs of 136 horsepower and 163 horsepower, respectively, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The latest A-Class in the domestic market was updated in May 2023, with prices ranging from 251,300 CNY to 275,700 CNY.
Overall, although Mercedes-Benz has temporarily suspended the discontinuation of the A-Class, it still faces the inevitable fate of being phased out in the future. The BMW 1 Series sedan, as a competitor to the A-Class, has already been discontinued in the Chinese market due to weak sales, and the BMW 2 Series now takes its place. Similarly, Audi plans to phase out the A1 and Q2, with the A3 and Q3 becoming the entry-level models.
For luxury automakers, the discontinuation of entry-level models is inevitable. On one hand, traditional automakers must shift their R&D resources toward electric vehicles in response to the trend of electrification. On the other hand, as top-tier luxury brands, they need to ensure profitability, leading to a consensus among the BBA (Benz, BMW, Audi) and other luxury brands to cut low-end models and focus on high-end markets. In the future, it is expected that more classic models will gradually disappear from the market.
