New Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan To Be Sold Alongside Current CLA

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the all-new A-Class sedan will be sold in the United States alongside the CLA.

During an interview with CNET at a launch event for the A-Class, Mercedes-Benz said the A-Class sedan will land in U.S. showrooms early next year and co-exist with the outgoing CLA. The two will continue to be sold alongside each other even after the next-generation CLA lands sometime in 2019.

To ensure the current CLA still sells, it seems likely that Mercedes-Benz will start offering generous discounts once the A-Class sedan lands. After all, it’s hard to imagine buyers opting for the outdated CLA when the all-new A-Class is sitting alongside it.

The new CLA will get A-Class looks.

When the new-generation CLA launches, Mercedes-Benz will try and avoid any conflict between the two models by upping the price of the CLA. According to company representatives, the two models will have a similar relationship to the E-Class and CLS-Class. Consequently, the next CLA will be more upscale and even more stylish.

Pricing for the new A-Class hasn’t been announced for the U.S. market but it’s tipped to start at just below $35,000. If this is the case, prices for the CLA will have to jump to over $40,000 before options. If not, the two will steal sales from each other.

Few other details are known about the next-gen Mercedes-Benz CLA. If we were to hedge our bets, we’d say that it will receive the exact same powertrains as the A-Class, meaning the U.S. will almost certainly receive a CLA in 220 and 220 4Matic guises. What remains less clear is if Mercedes-Benz will sell both an A45 Sedan and a CLA 45 Sedan.