The latest C-Class looks good and offers a high-class interior that can be turned into a technological showcase by dipping into the vast list of add-on packs and optional extras. The car looks good too, in a classily understated way.
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The flaws that there are in the C-Class driving experience are highlighted by the all-round excellence of the Mercedes-AMG C63 performance flagship. The long-serving 2.1-litre diesel is punchy but unrefined compared to the best rivals but at least the ride quality is good if you steer clear of the larger wheel sizes. Models with the air-suspension perform well on the motorway but get fidgety over smaller bumps.
Mercedes has added lots more equipment to lure in buyers, so spec-for-spec the new model is actually better value than ever before. Running costs are strong too with Mercedes claiming an average 20 per cent efficiency improvement across the range and the hybrid models offering tempting tax advantages.
The Mercedes C-Class is a strong package that’s faced with some very talented rivals, some of which outclass it on the road. If your priorities are comfort, equipment and running costs, though, the C-Class won’t disappoint.
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The Mercedes C-Class takes on the BMW 3 Series, Jaguar XE and Audi A4 in the competitive compact executive sector. Alternatives to these mainstream choices come not only in the form of the obvious Volvo S60 and Lexus IS, but also well specified examples of D-segment machines like the Ford Mondeo and the eighth-generation Volkswagen Passat.
Where once the C-Class would have been the entry point to Mercedes ownership, the advent of the A- and B-Class cars means the C-Class is now a few rungs up the ladder in the Mercedes range.
Launched last year, the W205 is the fourth generation of cars badged C-Class, the first being the W202 – that model, produced from 1993 to 2000, was a direct successor to the phenomenally successful W201; better known as the 190E.
Ignoring the ‘old model’ Coupe that is due for replacement soon, there are two body styles for the Mercedes C-Class: the saloon and the estate. Trim lines are, on the face of it, simple to understand, as they run from SE to Sport and AMG Line, but three equipment bundles – Executive, Premium and Premium Plus – complicate things somewhat. The Executive pack is only available as an upgrade to the SE, while the latter two packs are for the Sport and AMG Line models. The AMG C 63 gets its own comprehensive equipment list.
The majority of C-Class models are diesels, using either the 1.6-litre single-turbo four-cylinder unit in the C 200d or the venerable 2.1-litre twin-turbo four, which makes either 168bhp/400Nm in the C 220d or 201bhp/500Nm in the C 250d. The higher-power 2.1 can also be supplemented by a 27bhp/250Nm electric motor in the C 300h model, a mild hybrid, but there’s a C 350e plug-in hybrid too with an 81bhp/340Nm electric motor backing up a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol with 208bhp/350Nm. That 2.0 petrol engine is the same unit found in the cheapest C-Class you can buy, the 181bhp/300Nm C 200.
Mercedes C-Class - interior
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Finally, at the top of the range sits the awesome 4.0-litre biturbo V8 Mercedes-AMG C 63, which can be had as an S model, although a C 450 AMG with a twin-turbo V6 petrol will soon bridge the gap between the regular model line-up and the C 63.
Mercedes has recently simplified its badging range-wide, so the old BlueTec, CDI and Hybrid badges are gone. So far, 4Matic all-wheel drive is not offered on the UK’s rear-driven C-Class line-up but it will make an appearance in the C 450 AMG coming in 2016. It may then filter down to other models in the range as an option.
The C 200, C 200d and C 220d all come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with the seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic a £1,500 option. The auto is standard on all other models in the range, bar the AMG versions, which get the MCT Speedshift seven-speed automated manual.
Engines, performance and drive
3.5
The C-Class offers plenty of power and rides well, but gruff 2.1 diesel and inert chassis keep it from greatness
This C-Class was the first car to be built using Mercedes’ new rear-wheel drive architecture (called MRA). This employs around 50 per cent aluminium in its construction – up from 10 per cent before – and cuts 70kg from the body. Other weight savings mean the new C-Class weighs around 100kg less than previously, which helps improve the driving experience and efficiency.
The standard suspension offers a comfortable ride if you stick to 17-inch wheels or smaller. The £895 Airmatic Agility package adds air suspension, adaptive dampers and an Agility Select function that allows you to choose from Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ driving modes. On smooth roads, any C-Class with this floats over bumps, yet potholes, broken tarmac and motorway expansion joints send a crash through the otherwise undisturbed comfort in the cabin.
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The steering is quick and direct, but it’s inconsistently weighted and gives little feedback. Selecting Sport+ mode sharpens the throttle, adds weight to the steering and stiffens the dampers, but the Mercedes’ front tyres start to lose grip more easily than we’d like. Plus, the firm suspension causes the car to skitter uncomfortably over mid-corner bumps.
Mercedes C-Class - rear tracking
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However, it’s not all bad news for keen drivers, because Mercedes’ tuning arm AMG has come to the rescue. AMG has worked hard on the suspension and steering, so the C 63 delivers the sort of grip, composure and engagement that drivers of the standard C-Class can only dream of.
The C 450 AMG arrives in summer 2016 and uses many of the C 63’s suspension and steering components to deliver a more involving driving experience. More importantly, the sharper handling is mated to Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive transmission, which helps deliver terrific all-weather security.
Engines
Except for anything wearing an AMG badge, they’re all four-cylinder lumps. The 1.6-litre diesel in the C 200d is a smooth enough unit and quieter than the bigger biturbo diesel, but it doesn’t dip below 100g/km CO2 in any format and is in broadly the same VED bands as the 2.1.
The big selling engine is the 2.1-litre diesel in the C 220d and C 250d cars, which provides plenty of power and competitive fuel economy figures. However, it’s carried over from the previous generation, and remains pretty gruff and noisy.
The C-Class’ upmarket atmosphere is spoiled when you start it up and that ageing Mercedes diesel rattles into life. The 2.1-litre engine doesn’t settle down on the move, either – it sounds strained when extended and drones on the motorway.
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The seven-speed auto gearbox is unresponsive to throttle inputs and often holds gears too long before shifting up. And while there are steering wheel paddles, there’s no option to lock the box in manual mode, so it frequently kicks down when you'd rather it didn't.
There’s nothing wrong with the 2.0-litre petrol engine per se, yet it’s the hybrids that provide the best responsiveness, despite the fact they’re at least 120kg heavier than any other non-AMG C-Class. The C 350e dips below 6.0 seconds for the 0-62mph sprint as a saloon and the C 300h isn’t far behind at 6.4 seconds.
The Mercedes-AMG C 63 is a beast of a car, powered by a mighty twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8. It’s available in ‘standard’ 469bhp trim and wild 503bhp S guise. The latter will sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.0 seconds as a saloon (4.1 seconds for the estate) and can be specified with a raised speed limit of 180mph; decide not to opt for this and both cars are electronically limited to 155mph. The new engine sounds incredible, too, emitting a NASCAR-style bellow at high revs.
Under the bonnet of the forthcoming C 450 AMG is a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol that catapults the car from 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds and delivers a pleasingly sporty growl from its twin exhausts.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
4
Hybrid models offer staggering on-paper figures but cheaper diesels are impressively frugal and easier to live with, too
The original launch line-up for the C-Class has expanded to three diesels, one petrol and a pair of hybrids, as well as the AMG V8. The C 200d returns 72.4mpg and 101g/km, but adding the automatic or 18/19-inch alloys sees its returns fall to about the same level as the more powerful C 250d.
Indeed, both the 2.1-litre diesels are in Band B if you can stick to a maximum of 17-inch alloys. With those smaller wheels the C 220d records a combined cycle return of 70.6mpg and the C 250d gets 65.7mpg, with emissions standing at 103g/km and 109g/km respectively.
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Only the hybrids dip below 100g/km, the C 300h turning in 78.5mpg and 94g/km on 17-inch wheels. Try and avoid 18- or 19-inch wheels, as they push the diesel electric out of the free-from-VED Band A.
Mercedes C-Class 2014 badge
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However, the C 350e plug-in hybrid is way ahead on paper, with an incredible 134.5mpg official economy and emissions of anything between 48- and 53g/km. That means not only is it exempt from VED but it also beats the London congestion charge. The C 350e is helped by a fully electric range of around 19 miles, whereas the C 300h can only drive in zero-emissions mode for very short periods of time at low speeds.
Despite all C-Class models having stop-start functionality, the C63 AMG cars can only achieve 34.5mpg as a saloon or 33.6mpg as an estate, with emissions figures of 192- and 196g/km.
Benefit-in-Kind company car tax is as low as five per cent on the C 350e, with the C 300h next behind at 13 per cent. The C 200d is entry point for BiK in terms of conventional drivetrains, at 18 per cent, while the more powerful models in AMG Line 7G-Tronic trim command 21 per cent. The AMGs are out on their own, both sitting in the 34 per cent bracket.
Insurance groups
Insurance starts in group 24 for the C 200d and rises to 48 for the C 63 S, with most models clustered in the 30s. This is on a par with comparable vehicles from the 3 Series and Audi A4 range.
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