Mercedes is planning to launch five new compact cars, but the B-Class won’t be among them. In case you really did forget, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV), a classification closer to a minivan, but in this case, it’s more like a tall little hatchback.
The B-Class was retired in the US after the 2018 model year, but carried on around the rest of the world, particularly in Europe. Robert Lesnik, Exterior Design Director at Mercedes, told Auto Express in the UK that the “B-Class is definitely not having a future.”
Another Victim Of The SUV
MPVs differ from minivans mainly in that they are less family- and child-focused and more utilitarian than minivans. They’re more like SUVs without the ground clearance and more car-like styling. A good way to explain it is that they’re the same as an SUV, but less sexy and without any off-road pretension. And SUV dominance is exactly why Mercedes is giving up on the MPV. “These days, people have switched to SUVs. SUVs have killed the MPV market,” explained Lesnik.
The most obvious replacement in the Mercedes lineup is the GLB-Class SUV, which we do already have in the US. A new generation debuted in 2025 on an “EV-first platform,” it’s based on a dedicated EV platform but can also support hybrid configurations. We’ll get the all-electric versions first, arriving as the GLB 250+ and GLB 350 4MATIC, then the hybrid version later.
The Logical Replacement
The GLB is not a big SUV, but it has grown enough in the new generation to house a third row, making it the logical replacement for people looking at the B-Class. According to Mercedes, the third row of the new GLB can comfortably fit kids and shorter adults under 66 inches tall in the third row.
The B-Class had a facelift for the 2023 model year, four years into its current generation. Generally, that would be a mid-cycle event and makes it likely the B-Class will go out of production later this year or early next year. While it’s an MPV, the Mercedes B-Class was launched in 2004 and described as a subcompact executive MPV available in front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive.
Minivans Aren’t Dead Yet, Even At Mercedes
Despite what Lesnik said about SUV dominance, Mercedes just revealed a legit van for the world. The VLE-Class should arrive in 2027, bringing a combination of space and luxury into a segment where luxury isn’t usually a thing. The VLE rides the line between minivan and a larger vehicle, but it clearly falls into the van category versus the MPV region occupied by the old B-Class.
Pull back the sliding side doors, and the VLE-Class opens up to a snazzy interior with optional recliners in the second row. A bench is available for buyers wanting eight-passenger space, but regardless of the configuration, passengers in all rows will have some room to stretch out. As for powertrain, the VLE is all-electric, at least for now, with up to 272 horsepower and a range estimate of just over 400 miles on the European WLTP cycle. And yes, this van is coming to US shores.
But, it’s decidedly not a B-Class replacement. So pour one out for another small family vehicle that will soon be relegated to the history books.
