Entry-level hatchback faced the axe at the end of 2025 but has now been given three-year extension
Mercedes-Benz will continue producing the current A-Class hatchback until at least 2028.
The move comes despite repeated statements from CEO Ola Källenius that the popular hatchback, along with the B-Class MPV, would cease production at the end of 2025, bringing to an end two generations of models based on the company’s MFA platform.
Mercedes originally touted a future compact car strategy built around four new models, all based on the new MMAÂ platform: the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA and GLB - all of which will offer a choice of combustion and electrified drivetrains.
However, Mercedes sources suggest they will now be supported by an upgraded version of today’s A-Class hatchback, of which production is claimed to have been extended by up to three years.
The decision is understood to have been driven by continued demand for the seven-year-old ICE model, in combination with a slower than expected take up of Mercedes' newer electric models.
Production of the A-Class Saloon ended earlier this year. Production of the A-Class hatchback is now expected to continue beyond the introduction of EU7 emissions regulations in late 2026, although it remains unclear whether existing petrol and diesel engines will be adapted to meet the new standards.
Autocar understands that the A35 and A45 AMG hot hatches will be taken off sale because their M139 2.0-litre turbocharged engine does not comply with EU7, although there is not currently a time frame on when this will happen.
Production is likely to shift to the Kecskemét plant in Hungary, as the Rastatt factory where it is currently produced has been repurposed for production of the new CLA and CLA Shooting Brake.
The future of the B-Class remains uncertain, but Autocar understands Mercedes will stick to its original plan and cease production of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer rival at the end of 2025.
The extension of the A-Class hatchback’s model cycle coincides with a broader reshuffle of Mercedes' compact car line-up.
Following the launch of the CLA, the CLA Shooting Brake is set to go on sale in the UK before the end of the year. The EQB will also bow out by the end of 2025. A new generation of the GLB, to be sold with the choice of ICE and electric drivetrains, is scheduled to begin production in Hungary in 2026.
The next-generation GLA will follow as the final MMA-based compact model, arriving in late 2026 to replace both the existing GLA and electric EQA.
While no successor to the A-Class is planned on the MMA platform, its prolonged production life reflects Mercedes' need to sustain compact car sales amid a broader shift toward electrification and high-margin luxury segments.
In 2019, the brand’s compact car range peaked at 667,000 global sales. In 2024, that figure had declined to 534,800.
In a statement sent to Autocar, Mercedes-Benz said: "The A-Class continues to enjoy high demand among our customers, and we are currently in the lifecycle of this vehicle. Recently, the series was updated and enhanced with an extensive facelift - making this vehicle even more desirable for our customers. We do not comment on phase-out dates or portfolio decisions."
