Mercedes To Retire A-Class In US After 2022, CLA Remains For 2023

A Mercedes memo to dealers has informed them that the A-Class will disappear from the US lineup at the end of the 2022 model year. This does not come as a massive surprise. Late last year, Mercedes yanked the hotter AMG A35 from the US before the 2022 model year even started, leaving just the standard A-Class available on dealer lots. But now that one is going away, too, according to Automotive News.

The publication did not say how it obtained the dealer memo, and Mercedes declined AN’s opportunity to comment beyond the letter’s contents. Sales for the more affordable model started with a bang, selling over 17,000 examples in 2019, but that fell by over half in 2021 to a smidge over 8,100. Automakers big and small have seen demand for sedans and other small cars fall out of favor with consumers over the last few years.

Gallery: 2019 Mercedes-Benz A220: First Drive

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The A-Class arrived here at the wrong time, and it competed with another small Mercedes four-door – the CLA-Class, which is still on sale. It’s positioned above the A-Class in the Mercedes lineup, with fancier styling while sitting on the same MFA2 platform. The CLA debuted in 2013, and the memo notes that the model will continue for the 2023 model year. The loss of the A-Class also promotes (demotes?) the GLA to the brand’s entry-level model.

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An operating partner at Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City told Automotive News that he believes Mercedes wants to focus on moving more upmarket. Todd Bondy said that Mercedes wants to prioritize models that are “profitable for the dealer and the manufacturer.” That move upmarket coincides with the company’s plans to transition to producing more fully electric cars, which were reported to have accelerated last year. That could mean significant changes are coming to how the Mercedes lineup looks.