Mercedes-Benz to shift A-Class production from Rastatt to Hungary in 2026

Mercedes-Benz will shift production of the A-Class from its Rastatt plant in Germany to its facility in Kecskemét, Hungary, starting in the second quarter of 2026.

The move will free up capacity in Rastatt for new vehicle lines, as the company works to make its global manufacturing network more flexible and efficient. It comes across as a pragmatic recalibration of where each model is built to better balance capacity and costs.

Hungary is viewed as an appealing production base for Mercedes-Benz thanks to comparatively lower manufacturing costs, a path already taken by BMW and Audi. Against that backdrop, assigning the A-Class to Kecskemét looks like a logical next step.

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Rastatt has been the brand’s main hub for compact cars since 1992. It employs around 6,000 people and is the region’s largest employer, and refocusing the site on upcoming models should help sustain its importance within the company’s European footprint.