Mercedes Will Bring A-Class 'Baby Benz' Sedan to U.S.

CARS.COM — Mercedes-Benz will bring a small A-Class sedan to the U.S. in 2018 as a new, cheaper entry-level car, according to dealers who spoke with Automotive News.

Related: Mercedes-Benz A-Class Concept Preview

Dealers said the company confirmed at a recent dealer meeting the arrival of the car in the U.S. in September of 2018. The front-wheel-drive small car has sold elsewhere as a hatchback for two decades, but the dealers said only the new sedan version is being brought to the U.S., which has not been a strong market for hatchbacks.

The new A-Class concept was unveiled in Shanghai this spring and is expected to go on sale in other markets next spring. Mercedes-Benz USA declined to comment on its U.S. plans or the dealer meeting.

The sedan will be a new entry-level model smaller in size and lower in expected price than the current CLA “coupe” sedan — which starts at $33,695 with destination charges for the refreshed 2017 version — and could give the brand more appeal with younger affluent buyers.

“It’s a very nice-looking vehicle,” Ken Schnitzer, head of the Mercedes-Benz dealer board and owner of four stores in Texas. “I’m sure it will be competitively priced.”

IHS Markit analyst Stephanie Brinley told Automotive News that IHS also expects the A-class sedan in September 2018, saying, “Mercedes-Benz has been successful increasing overall sales through model line expansion, and this will be another effort in that direction.”

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