The new hatchback will be the fifth model based on Mercedes’ versatile MMA platform.
24 Sep 2025 | 2845 Views | By Akbar Merchant
Mercedes-Benz has greenlit plans for a new entry-level hatchback that will indirectly take the place of the A-Class when it bows out in 2028. The move marks a clear reversal from the brand’s recent luxury-first strategy, which had shifted focus towards high-margin models positioned further up the ladder.
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Mercedes-Benz has greenlit plans for a new entry-level hatchback that will indirectly take the place of the A-Class when it bows out in 2028. The move marks a clear reversal from the brand’s recent luxury-first strategy, which had shifted focus towards high-margin models positioned further up the ladder.
The new five-door will be the fifth model based on Mercedes’ versatile MMA platform, following the CLA saloon, CLA Shooting Brake and the next-gen GLA and GLB crossovers. Crucially, the MMA architecture can accommodate both combustion engines and EV drivetrains, giving Mercedes the flexibility it needs at a time when EV demand is slowing in several key markets. This means the new hatchback will be positioned squarely against the upcoming Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and even Volkswagen’s ID Golf.
Insiders suggest the car will adopt a traditional hatchback silhouette and share key proportions – including wheelbase and track widths – with the third-gen GLA due in 2026. The replacement will debut around the same time the current fourth-gen A-Class is retired, with sales set to begin shortly thereafter.
The decision to revive an entry-level hatchback is being seen as Mercedes’ acknowledgement that chasing pure luxury margins has cost the brand valuable market share, especially after its latest results revealed a 6 percent drop in global sales and a sharp 19 percent dip in EV volumes. The new hatchback, therefore, is as much about strategy as it is about volume, giving Mercedes a more accessible product at the heart of the premium market.
For India, the A-Class hatchback is currently only sold in the high-performance AMG A45 guise, with the GLA SUV, its EV sibling the EQA, and the long-wheelbase A-Class sedan rounding off the range. It remains to be seen if Mercedes will bring the next-gen hatchback here with standard powertrain options, but the MMA platform’s flexibility keeps the door open.