Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a subcompact car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz and marketed across three generations as a front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, five-door hatchback, with a three-door hatchback offered for the second generation. As the brand's entry-level vehicle, the first generation A-Class, internally coded W168, was introduced in 1997, the second generation (W169) in late 2004 and the third generation (W176) in 2012. The fourth generation model (W177), which was launched in 2018, marked the first time the A-Class was offered in the United States and Canada. This fourth generation A-Class is also the first to be offered both as a hatchback (W177) and sedan (V177). Styled by Steve Mattin and launched at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show, the A-Class was noted for its short, narrow footprint, its overall height, and an interior volume and level of equipment competing with larger cars. The A-Class subsequently gained length and width over its successive generations, losing some of its height. Approximately 3.3 million A-Class models had been manufactured by model year 2021.