MBUSA to Lower Entry Point With A-Class
The introduction of the compact Mercedes-Benz A-Class to the North American market in 2019-MY will represent a new entry point below the CLA-Class.
Due in time for the 2019-MY, the A-Class will supplant the CLA-Class as Mercedes-Benz’s entry-level sedan in North America. Photo courtesy Mercedes-Benz USA
MONTVALE, N.J. — Mercedes-Benz is bringing its A-Class compact sedan to the U.S. market later this year as a 2019 model that will give buyers a new entry point just below the CLA and the first vehicle with the brand’s next-generation infotainment system that will also appear in the 2019 Sprinter van.
The 2019 A-Class will arrive with dimensions that are 3 inches shorter (179.1 inches) and a wheelbase that’s 1.1 inches longer (107.4 inches) than the CLA. It’s also 0.3 inches taller (56.9 inches) and will likely offer more headroom. Mercedes-Benz is debuting the vehicle in Brooklyn, New York, this month.
The luxury sedan would likely compete with BMW’s 2 Series (174.7 inches long) and perhaps the Lexus IS (184.3 inches in length). Trim grades will include the A220 and A220 4Matic powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder engine that makes 188 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.
The 2019 A-Class will arrive with the Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia system, which replaces the outgoing Comand system. MBUX brings augmented reality capabilities and intelligent voice control with natural speech recognition with a high-resolution touchscreen display and touchpad on the center console. Optional driver-assisting features introduced with the 2018 S-Class include a semi-autonomous driving mode, automatic emergency braking, lane change assist, and rear automatic braking.
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