The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a compact car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz as the brand's entry-level vehicle. The first generation (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).