The original EQA from 2017 was a conceptual electric hatchback before the name was repurposed for a battery-powered crossover in 2021. Mercedes could reuse the moniker for a third body style in the years to come by introducing an EQA sedan. Seen here is an early prototype of a CLA-like swoopy saloon that does away with the combustion engine. It’s been caught testing on the streets of Germany while wearing a mélange of provisional and final parts.
Much like the larger and more expensive Mercedes models, it has flush door handles for better airflow to unlock extra range. The rear handles are actually sticking out from the body even though the car is moving, but that obviously won’t be the case on the production-ready EQA (name not confirmed). If you’re worried as to why the headlights and taillights look so strange, it’s because they’re temporary clusters that won’t be used in the final version.
Combine those awkward lights with the small wheels and thick camouflage and you end up with a compact sedan that’s not easy on the eye. However, it’s too soon to jump to conclusions about the car’s design since this prototype is far from being the product customers will be able to purchase in roughly two years’ time. We’d wager the CLA is an attractive sedan, so we’re confident its successor will also be a looker. Some of the aero trickery we saw on the sleek Vision EQXX concept could trickle down.
The small sedan will ride on Mercedes’ forthcoming MMA platform, developed primarily for EVs while making compromises on the ICE side. That’ll surely raise a few eyebrows among fans considering one of the slogans used by the German luxury brand was “The Best or Nothing.” The future CLA won’t compete internally with the A-Class Sedan since the latter is unlikely to receive a next generation.
If the rumor mill is to be believed, it might not actually go by the “EQA” moniker since reports state Mercedes will gradually discontinue the “EQ” branding in 2024. Does that mean it’ll be simply called “CLA”? If so, logic tells us it would still have to be a more complex name than that to separate the purely electric versions from the ones equipped with a gasoline/diesel engine.
This new sedan will be part of a simplified “Entry Luxury” lineup with fewer models by discontinuing slow-selling products. Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius told Automotive News Europe we might get an official preview later this year. One venue where it would make sense to unveil a concept would be on the company’s home turf in early September at the 2023 IAA Munich.
