Mercedes is Probably Killing its Last Affordable Models For Good

A photo of a silver Mercedes A Class sedan driving along a highway.

Mercedes might be about to kills its A Class “in all forms.” Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes has gone to great lengths to outline its pivot to higher-end, more luxurious models in recent months. This, it says, is all in the name of better profit margins. Because of the move, the firm warned that some of its more budget-friendly models could face the chop, and now it looks like the A and B Class might be the first to go.

In May, Mercedes outlined a new strategy that would see it focus on lower-volume, higher-margin vehicles in a bid to boost profitability. This included a new sub-brand that could sit above Maybach.

Now, Motor Authority reports that the move upwards could see the company scale back its range of more compact models.

The report cites a piece from German news outlet Handelsblatt, which first covered the impending death of Mercedes’ small cars. According to Handelsblatt, the death of three of the brand’s smaller model lines could be imminent.

The report suggests that the A Class could be dropped from Mercedes’ portfolio as soon as 2025. This would be the first of “three out of seven compact cars” that Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius would like to axe.

As such, Handelsblatt cites unnamed Mercedes sources as suggesting that the firm will kill off the “A-Class in all forms” while the B Class will “be discontinued in three to four years.”

A photo of a red Mercedes B Class hatchback in a parking lot.

The B Class also might not be long for this world. Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The German car maker has so far declined to comment on Handelsblatt’s report.

While the B Class is no longer available here in the U.S., Mercedes does still offer the B Class Sport Tourer in some global markets. The A Class, on the other hand, is still available to purchase stateside.

It last received an update in 2019, with refinements made to the A Class sedan here in America. In 2021, Mercedes sold 8,108 A Class cars in the U.S., which was a 47% drop over the previous year.

The firm also managed to shift one B Class last year, despite the car being discontinued over here. Were you the one B Class buyer in 2021? I want to hear from you.

With sales like that, it should come as no surprise that Mercedes announced it would pull the A Class from U.S. shores. And now, this looks like it could be the final nail in the A Class’ coffin.

But there’s one other small Mercedes model line facing the chopping block, which do you think it might be?