On February 11, according to foreign media reports, Mercedes-Benz announced that it will stop launching entry-level A-class cars in the United States and Canada in 2022 and 2023 respectively. According to the media, the purpose of Mercedes-Benz's move is to streamline the product line and increase sales of SUV models in the same level.
Mercedes A-Class
The media said it received emails from local Mercedes-Benz in the United States and Canada, in which Mercedes-Benz said that after careful consideration, Mercedes-Benz decided that it would no longer provide A-Class cars in the United States and Canada. While the Mercedes-Benz A-Class has been greatly welcomed by customers since its launch in 2019, this decision is consistent with Mercedes-Benz's goal of constantly striving to streamline its product offering strategy. The GLA SUV will replace the A-Class as an entry point for Mercedes-Benz's north American product range.
Mercedes Benz GLA
Mercedes-Benz's "shift in corporate priorities" was behind the decision, suggesting that the brand is shifting the focus of sales to models with higher profit margins, and SUVs are one of them. According to the data, the sales of A-class cars in the United States in 2021 are only 8108, while the sales of GLA and GLB models exceed 30,000 units, considering that the price difference between A-class and GLA in the United States is less than $3,000 (the more expensive GLB price difference is less than $5,000), Mercedes-Benz has reason to believe that then the SUV model will be able to replace the status of the cancelled A-class car as a new choice for potential consumers.