Mercedes considers withdrawing GLA and other affordable models from US market
The US market may lose Mercedes-Benz’s most affordable models due to new trade restrictions. According to Bloomberg, starting April 2, the US will impose a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, forcing the German automaker to review its lineup in the American market.
Future of affordable Mercedes in the US under threat
According to Bloomberg, Mercedes-Benz is considering withdrawing some of its most affordable models from the US market due to the introduction of new 25% tariffs on imported vehicles. These restrictions make selling certain models economically unfeasible for the German automaker.
The first candidate for market withdrawal could be the GLA crossover, which is manufactured at the factory in Rastatt, Germany. Currently, the model’s base price in the US is $43,000, but with the new tariffs, the price would increase to $53,750. Notably, the model is not a sales leader – in 2024, Americans purchased only 19,079 vehicles, despite Mercedes having already announced the next generation of the crossover.
Other brand models are also at risk:
- The new CLA sedan with hybrid and electric modifications offering up to 349 hp and a range of up to 792 km according to WLTP cycle
- The Mexican-made GLB crossover, although its fate will depend on specific tariff application conditions
- Other affordable models from Mercedes’s lineup
A Mercedes representative, in comments to Reuters, called the Bloomberg publication “unfounded” and emphasized the company’s intention to increase sales of its vehicles in the American market. However, it’s worth noting that in 2022, Mercedes already discontinued sales of the A-Class sedan in the US due to insufficient demand, so a similar scenario is entirely possible for other brand models.
Changes in US trade policy could significantly impact the availability of German vehicles for American consumers and force manufacturers to revise their market strategies. The Mercedes-Benz situation demonstrates how geopolitical decisions affect the global automotive market.
