Mercedes-Benz reveals all-new A-Class; coming to U.S.

(February 4, 2018) STUTTGART, Germany — The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is as youthful and dynamic as ever, but grown-up and comfortable like never before. It completely redefines modern luxury in the compact class, and revolutionizes interior design. The 2019 A-Class was revealed at a launch event in Amsterdam Saturday.

The compact-sized A-Class will be sold in the United States for the first time and should reach dealers by September. It will be smallest Mercedes-Benz sold in North America, slotting under the CLA.

Technologically the 2019 A-Class not only takes first place thanks to MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience: It also offers a number of functions that were previously the preserve of the luxury class.

In certain driving situations, it is able to drive semi-autonomously for the first time, and MULTIBEAM LED headlamps are available on request. All models of the new A-Class are also powered by new, efficient diesel and petrol engines, and although Mercedes-Benz has retained the sporty appearance, the utility value has increased. The new A-Class can be ordered from March onwards, and the market launch commences in the spring.

"With the fourth generation of the A-Class, we are redefining modern luxury in the compact class. To do this we have opted for a combination of uncompromisingly dynamic design and an intuitive operating concept," says Britta Seeger, the member of the Daimler AG Board of Management responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars sales. "With MBUX — the new Mercedes-Benz User Experience — we are creating a completely new customer experience."

"New technologies must place the focus on people and make their lives easier. The new A-Class does this in many ways, and becomes an emotional and intelligent companion," says Ola Källenius, the member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars. "One good example is MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience: it combines intuitive and natural operation with intelligent, learning software."

The gasoline-powered engine portfolio will consist of a 1.3-liter turbo four and a 2.0-liter turbo four, both available in several power levels; there is also a 1.5-liter turbo-diesel. The diesel and the smaller gasoline engine were co-developed with Renault, while the larger gasoline engine belongs to Mercedes’ new four- and six-cylinder engine family. There are a six-speed manual and two different seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

The U.S. market will only get the more powerful 2.0-liter four, likely to be rated at 221 horsepower and mated exclusively to a dual-clutch automatic. Later, we will see an AMG version with close to 400 horsepower, likely to be called the A53, and there could be an A40 model with around 300 horsepower to split the difference. Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive will be optional on the A250 and standard on the AMG models.

The purist, surface-accentuating design of the new A-Class is the next step in the Mercedes-Benz design philosophy of Sensual Purity. On the basis of a compact two-box design, optimized dimensions and proportions have led to a new interpretation of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class's design.

The exterior of the new A-Class stands for sportiness, dynamism and emotion. The progressive front design with a low bonnet, flat LED headlamps with chrome elements and torch-like daytime driving lamps ensures an emotionally appealing and alluring appearance. The striking radiator grille with Mercedes star, whose silhouette opens out towards the base as a reinterpretation of its predecessor, features pins in a diamond look and a central silver louvre to underline the sportiness of this model.

The interior of the new A-Class is completely redefined with its modern, avant-garde look. Mercedes-Benz has taken a completely new approach, revolutionizing the compact class from the inside with a new feeling of spaciousness. The unique interior architecture is shaped in particular by the avant-garde design of the dashboard: for the first time a cowl above the cockpit has been completely dispensed with. As a result, the wing-shaped main body of the dashboard extends from one front door to the other with no visual discontinuity. The Widescreen display is completely free-standing. The air vents in a sporty turbine-look are another highlight.

The dashboard is divided into two three-dimensional, horizontal sections: the lower section is visually separated from the main body of the dashboard by a "trench", and it appears to float in front of the dashboard. The ambient lighting enhances this effect, accentuating the free-floating impression of the substructure. The 64 colors of the optional ambient lighting make five times as many colors available than before. And it is not just the variety that has increased, as the emotive presentation also sets standards in this segment: the different colors are composed into 10 color worlds to allow an avant-garde lighting display with spectacular color changes.

The A-class sedan could start in the sub-$30,000 territory. The current base price of the CLA is $32,700 before shipping. When the CLA was introduced in 2013, it started at $29,900 before shipping.