The next generation A-Class is under development and will be enhanced to offer higher levels of practicality and interior appeal.

Much of the current A-Class’ success has been attributed to its stylish good looks, but a facelifted versionwas introduced earlier this year with improvements to its design and interior quality. The next iteration will shift the goalposts, however.Spy images of the next generation A-Class, which is set to arrive in 2018, emerged last month. According to reports, Mercedeswill focus on incorporating more technologies and improving the hatchback's practicality.

Key changes to the A-Class

New platform

The current A-Class isn’t the most spacious vehicle in its segment: although the driver and front passenger are seated in comfort, rear passengers aren't afforded generous head- and legroom. Benz will reportedly solve this issue by building the new A-Class on a heavily revised MFA platform (called MFA2), which will see the wheelbase (and overall length) of the A-Class increase. The roofline will likely be extended to improve rear headroom and the rear-end will be reshaped to increase the hatchback's luggage capacity. You can also expect to see new headlight and taillight clusters when the new model arrives.

Engines

The 2.1-litre turbodiesel unit in the A-Class is likely to be replaced by Mercedes’ newly developed 2.0-litre turbodiesel. There’s also the possibility of a new 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine joining the lineup and there’s even talk of a new 3-cylinder turbodiesel motormaking an appearance. A plug-in hybrid version, combining a small capacity 3-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor driven through a new 9-speed dual clutch transmission, is also on the cards.The big engine news, however, pertains to the potent Mercedes-AMG A45 where engineers are hoping to inject a further 18 kW of power into the hot hatch, which will hike the power output of the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine up to at least 294 kW. The current 7-speed automatic transmission will make way for a new 9-speed dual-clutch ‘box. Furthermore, the all-wheel drive system will be revised with the aim of achieving a 0-100 kph sprint time of less than 4 sec.

Revamped interior

Notable interior changes are expected in the new A-Class to bring the model'slayout in line with those of the C- and E-Class. A new cabin architecture with high-quality materials, a new dashboard design and enlargeddisplay screen/s will make the interior even more appealing. The new A-Class will also be offered with numerous standard and optional safety features that may include Distronic Plus with steering assist Stop & Go Pilot and park assist.

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class Facelift: New vs Old – Side by Side Comparison

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