After nearly 50 years since the G-Class first debuted, Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce a smaller version of its popular 4x4 SUV. The upcoming vehicle will be part of the brand's so-called “biggest ever product launch campaign” which will see the G-Class family expanding for the first time in the vehicle's history.

Mercedes is also bucking the traditional method of introducing a new platform as an ICE vehicle and then wedging the design into an EV platform. Instead, the company is going “EV first,” launching the CLA as an EV first and then later as an internal combustion with a mild hybrid in 2026.

A slew of new product announcements have signaled that Mercedes plans to move back toward a more traditional lineup, one where vehicles with different powertrains exist alongside one another with fraternal-twin styling.

Mercedes-Benz CLA may be an entry-level model, but it's leading the way with new tech and EV hardware improvements.The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Your Inbox

With a profile that renders the larger CLS-Class in miniature, the Mercedes-Benz CLA gets a more curvaceous look come fall when it goes on sale. Looking much like the 2023 Concept CLA-class, the entry-level 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is still as sexy as ever.