After years of coming in second place in popular reviews, the Mercedes-Benz C Class has now become the one to beat in the competition between entry-level luxury performance sedans. Previous models have been overpriced with lackluster performance. Last year, however, saw a complete redesign of the Series and emphasis was once again placed on the qualities Mercedes has traditionally been known for.
The things that haven’t changed are the car’s dimensions, its V6 engines and the design of its suspension. The new C Class, however, has a better interior, made with materials of higher quality, a COMAND interface that’s easier than ever before to use and even an optional multimedia and hard-drive-based navigation system. That navigation system is larger at 40 GB, six of which have been reserved for audiophiles to store their music.
There are clear differences now between the Luxury and Sport trims, in terms of interior styling and suspension. The Sport models now boast a new instrument cluster to match their new sportier exterior styling, while the much anticipated C63 AMG model became available midway through the 2009 model year. The C63 AMG is a car made for performance, with a 6.2 liter, V8 engine with 451 horsepower.
The C Class also comes with a host of safety features. Front side airbags, full length side curtain airbags, active head restraints and front seat mounted pelvic airbags are all standard on the Mercedes C Class. Other standard features include stability and traction control, and adaptive antilock brakes, featuring brake drying and brake assist. In government testing, the C Class received four stars in front impact crash tests, and five stars in side impact crash tests – not perfect, but certainly nothing to scoff at.
Competition among entry-level luxury cars is stiff. Some of the other popular vehicles in this class include the Audi A4, the BMW 3 Series, the Lexus IS, Infiniti G35 and the Cadillac CTS – however, the Mercedes-Benz C Class edges ahead of the competition in terms of top-notch quality and model distinction. It does cost a little more and the engine is comparatively less powerful. However, reviewers agree that the C63 can compete with the Audi RS4 and Lexus IS-F and come out ahead.
The interior of the C Class can be a bit lackluster, although the quality of the material and workmanship is without parallel. The Multimedia Package turns the C Class into a movie theater and sound studio on wheels. Trunk size is still a little small, at about 12.4 cubic feet, although some models offer split folding rear seats that create additional room.
Four different trim levels are available on the C Class, including the C300 Luxury, C300 Sport, C350 and C63 AMG. All of the models come with a standard 3.0 liter V6 engine with 228 horsepower. The C300 Luxury comes with a standard seven speed automatic, and the seven speed automatic is optional on the C300 Sport, which comes with an automatic six speed transmission.
Whichever model you choose, you can feel confident that your money was well spent when it comes to Mercedes’ outstanding quality and top-notch features.
