Mercedes teases all-new A-Class

MERCEDES-BENZ has teased its new A-Class small hatch ahead of its global reveal later this week and Australian arrival in the third quarter, hinting at a new design language previewed by the next-generation CLS.

The German manufacturer has only released a single darkened image of the new A-Class, which shows a reshaped LED daytime running light (DRL) signature that sheds the rounded look of the old model in favour of a more angular design.

Its new styling has been seen before, both on the new CLS revealed in Detroit earlier this month and on the Concept A Sedan uncovered at the Shanghai motor show last April.

The lower air intakes have been afforded a sporty look seen on some of Mercedes-AMG’s 43 and 45-line models with wide, twin-louvered side vents and a large central inlet.

Few other details about the fourth-gen A-Class’ exterior have been revealed, other than it will retain a similar overall shape to the outgoing model with a more prominent rear end.

In the lead-up to its unveiling, Mercedes has given punters a look at what form the A-Class interior will take with a number of changes aimed to give the German brand’s range-opening model a more upmarket feel.

The new A-Class has adopted the all-in-one widescreen digital instrument cluster and infotainment system, previously reserved for more expensive models.

It will be offered with two 7.0-inch screens, two 10.25-inch screens or a mix of one each, while optional ambient lighting with 62 colour choices will add an element of class to the cabin.

Circular air vents, consisting of three central and two outer vents, will adopt an aircraft-inspired style seen on the E-Class and CLS sedans, while the centre console has been cleaned up with a more minimalist look.

The cluster of buttons on the centre stack in the outgoing model are gone with just a thin strip of buttons for the air-conditioning remaining and touchscreen operation coming from an updated version of Mercedes’ touchpad controller.

Visibility has increased all around, as has head and shoulder room, while boot space has increased by 29 litres to 370L.

Technological features will include the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, which will feature a six-core central processing unit, 8GB RAM and a graphics card sourced from component-maker Nvidia.

The line-up is expected to closely mirror the current range, consisting of A180, A200 and A250 variants.

All will be revealed on February 2 when the new A-Class is unveiled in Amsterdam.