AN ALL-NEW Mercedes-Benz A-Class is almost upon us, with the German manufacturer poised to take the covers off the fourth-gen model late this week.

Ahead of the official unveiling, Mercedes-Benz took to Twitter with a darkened teaser image of the hatchback, revealing headlights that bear a striking resemblance to those on the new CLS.

Much of the 2018 A-Class’s interior was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. The centrepiece is a widescreen display made up of two 10.3-inch screens that stretch across to the top of the centre console from in front of the driver. It debuts the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, which the brand claims is even more advanced than the systems found in pricier E-Class and S-Class models.

The A-Class’s MBUX system puts focus on advanced connectivity. Wheels senior journalist Daniel Gardner was able to try it at CES and wrote, “with a new level of natural language control, we were able to speak to the operating system without needing to use specific keywords. When the BMUX was told ‘I am cold’ it increased the cabin temperature a couple of degrees.”

Exterior dimensions will grow, compared to the current model, with passengers seeing most of the benefits through a more expansive cabin.

The available transmissions are unlikely to change from the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox of the current A-Class, in both all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations.

It is expected the A200 will be the only A-Class variant available at launch, with the other models arriving later in the year, and AMG-badged hot hatches in 2019.