Over the past few decades, the folks at Mercedes have carved out a distinctly aspirational niche in the luxury car category with pricey sedans like the full-size S-Class. Now the freshly updated entry-level Mercedes-Benz C-Class brings some of that style to buyers with more modest budgets.
This compact new C-Class is offered in two trim levels. The C300 Luxury is powered by a 228-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 with a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission and rear- or all-wheel-drive. Our test car was a rear-wheel-drive C350 Sport equipped with a slightly more robust 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 mated to the automatic.
In our time behind the wheel we found this powertrain to be adequate, though it seemed somewhat lacking when compared to the 300-horsepower competitors from BMW and Lexus. On the upside the car’s chassis and suspension turned twisty roads into play-time, though we wished for a little more heft in the steering feel.
If the story ended there, we could give the C-Class a thumbs-up. Unfortunately the interior’s plethora of cheap-looking hard plastics left us cold, especially considering the car’s the nearly-$45,000 sticker price.
While there’s something to be said for the envy you might create when you show up driving a Mercedes, we ultimately think this new and improved C-Class still doesn’t quite measure up to the competition.
Strengths:
Sharp styling similar to the top-drawer S-Class
Firmer suspension ups the Sport model’s fun-to-drive quotient
Silky-smooth seven-speed automatic transmission
Weaknesses:
Cheap-looking materials fill the cabin
Less powerful than competitors
Navigation system lacks touch-screen function
Bottom Line:
While the entry-level C-Class is improved, it’s still at a disadvantage when measured against the best cars in the segment.
/*Antilock Brakes:*/|Standard|/*Electronic Stability Control:*/|Standard|/*Traction Control:*/|Standard|/*Multi-Stage front airbags:*/|Standard|/*Side-Impact Airbags:*/|Standard|/*Side-Curtain Airbags:*/|Standard|/*Active Front Head Restraints:*/|Standard|/*Tire Pressure Monitor:*/|Standard
Standard features
/*C300 Luxury/Sport:*/|AMG-designed bodywork (Sport only)|Halogen auto-on/off headlights|Front/rear foglights|Daytime running lights|Intermittent windshield wipers|Power sunroof|Power-adjustable heated outside mirrors|Rear window defroster|Dual chrome exhaust tips|Dual-zone automatic climate control with filter|Power-adjustable front seats|Leather-wrapped steering wheel/shift knob|Keyless entry|Cruise control|Power windows|Power door locks|Trip computer|Tilt & telescoping steering column|Bluetooth hands-free cell phone connectivity|AM/FM/ CD/MP3/weatherband audio system with|8-speakers|Auxiliary audio input jack|/*C350 Sport adds:*/|AMG-designed bodywork|Rear spoiler|Sport-tuned suspension|Upgraded braking system|Rain-sensing windshield wipers|Universal garage door opener|Auto-dimming inside/outside mirrors|Genuine Birdseye Maple interior trim|Aluminum shift knob|Sirius satellite radio (incl. 6-month subscription)
