The entry-level Benz is no more. The A-class sedan will depart the U.S. market after the 2022 model year, as first reported by Automotive News and confirmed to C/D by a Mercedes spokesperson. Starting at $35,000, the A220 four-door served as the price leader in the lineup, but the GLA-class crossover will soon take over this spot with its $37,450 entry cost.
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Mercedes had already killed off the A-class sedan's more powerful AMG variant, the A35, and sales have slipped in recent years. It achieved 17,641 sales in 2019, its first year on the market, but dropped to just 8108 units sold in 2021. The GLA, meanwhile, sold 14,322 units last year. Upon its introduction, the A-class took over the entry-level spot from the CLA-class, a slightly swoopier small sedan best remembered for its 2013 Super Bowl ad proclaiming a starting price under $30,000.
The current CLA will stick around for the time being, and Mercedes says the decision to drop the A-class is "consistent with our ongoing effort to streamline our product offering strategy." The CLA competes in the same segment as the A-class did and we would guess that it earns better profit margins for the company considering its higher pricing. Rival automaker BMW also has two entries in this segment, the two-door 2-series coupe and four-door 2-series Gran Coupe that ride on different platforms, while Audi only has one, the A3 sedan.
2022 A-class inventory will likely remain at dealers throughout the year, as Mercedes has not announced when production ends for the U.S.
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