Mercedes-Benz C-Class First Drive Review

The comprehensively updated Mercedes C-Class is out and we’ve driven it from the serenity of Gonnesweiler in Germany to the bustle of Luxembourg.

Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Daimler

Sparkling like stars in the night sky, the full-LED headlamps shine bright in the day. The new Mercedes C-Class line-up stands glistening in the morning light. We’re just outside the airport in Luxembourg, some 350 kilometres away from the company’s home in Stuttgart, and we’re heading to Germany to see how the most comprehensive update to the C-Class brings it into the future.

The C-Class is one of Mercedes’ most popular models worldwide and the facelift brings with it some major revisions; with almost 6,500 new parts, 80 per cent new electronics, and a 50 per cent new interior. First, of course, is the new face, distinguished by the revised grille on AMG line models, earlier reserved for the AMG C 43 — single-slat on a star-studded mesh — and bold, futuristic-looking, new MultiBeam LED headlamps. The UltraRange high beam is also on offer for the first time on a C-Class. LED High Performance lamps adorn some of the cars in the line; their distinctive aura courtesy the sharp reflector fins. Being a facelift model, the pronounced side-profile lines aren’t new; however, they seem sharper. They lead into revised tail-lights, which, though in the same outline, feature a completely different design within, with the LED signature circling inward rather than outward and forming a “C”. There are new bumpers front and rear and the lower section of the rear bumper also features revised exhaust finishers.

The cabin is well-appointed and the C-Class gets keyless go as standard. The dual-tone seats in the C 200 offer both ventilation and cooling here. What level of equipment comes to India remains to be seen, though. Another change is the use of open-pore wood in the cabin trim. The “anthracite oak” in this car looks neat and isn’t prone to fingerprint stains. The new steering wheel adds more controls to your fingertips and complements the new display interface well. The gear-shift paddles sit just behind the middle spokes. Oh, and you now have 64 colours to choose from for the ambient lighting.

The user interface is what has undergone a revamp inside. Apart from the plush seats and sport-luxury layout, the large screens are what catch the eye. Gone are the round dials — well, in physical form, anyway — and in comes the rounded rectangular digital display that seamlessly integrates two dials with an information section in the middle. A second screen mounted in the middle of the dash acts as the interface for the Comand system. The primary display is 12.3 inches. The second screen in the centre is seven inches as standard, but we had the 10.25-inch option installed in each of the cars here.

The C 200 has long evolved from a supercharged 1.8 to a turbocharged 2.0 and now it’s turned into a turbo’d 1.5 with “EQ Boost” — something I’d only seen on their Formula 1 cars, apart from the new CLS. The key difference here is that the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine — developed with their French engine partner — is not a hybrid per se. Like the CLS, it features the EQ Boost 48-volt electrical system where an e-motor takes its place between the engine and the gearbox. This delivers a short burst of electric propulsion that kicks in way down at the starting line and fills in for any sort of turbo lag or any sort of shortcomings in power delivery by providing 160 Nm of torque from the word “go”. What it does is effectively deliver a credible response low down, even at idle speed, immediately when the foot touches the pedal. This makes for decent go at all speeds — electric boost low down and turbocharged grunt above mid-range. The motor also assists with a coasting function at speed, leading to further fuel saving.

The key to the C 200 was in my possession on the trip from the beautiful Seezeitlodge, along the Nahe, back towards Luxembourg airport. The route was a beautiful stretch comprising town streets, open country roads, and, of course, some derestricted Autobahn sections. The petrol engine is near silent at idle and low revs, thanks to the typically excellent Mercedes sound-deadening and added boost respectively. In Eco and Comfort, the revs stay reasonably low and the car lumbers along adequately. The steering feel is also light and feels effortless. Move to Sport and the shifts occur later and that means the revs pile on. Past 4,000 rpm, the engine is very audible and, for its acceleration, seems to need more revs to perform; that’s probably because of its 25 per cent lower displacement.

The ride height and agility are both taken care of well thanks to standard selective damping on the suspension. The optional Dynamic Body Control enhances its abilities even further. The ride is appreciably pliant in Comfort, making for a relaxed drive. In Sport, the dampers strike the right balance between a comfortable ride and welcome agility. Sport+ makes responses even sharper and the ride firms up reasonably, allowing better attacking of bends and holding the intended line well. The multi-link suspension plants the C down and inspires confidence with its road-holding and allowed me to enjoy the scenery a little better.

All said and done, the C 200 impressed with its luxury and equipment level. The classic chrome grille with the three-pointed star atop harks back to Mercedes tradition. No, it’s not meant to be driven hard with the focus on improving efficiency quite evident. That doesn’t mean it’s slow. Oh, no. It can be driven fast, and getting up to 200 km/h was easy on the derestricted sections. It makes for a good, safe, and stylish family Saloon.

Need to Know – Mercedes-Benz C 200

Price: Rs 42 lakh (estimated)

Engine: 1,497-cc, in-line four, turbo-petrol
Max Power: 184 PS @ 5,800-6,100 rpm
Max Torque: 280 Nm @ 3,000-4,000 rpm
E-motor: 12-kW (recuperation), 10-kW (boost)
Output: 10-kW (13.6 PS), 160 Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed, automatic, rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1,505 kg

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Tags: C 200, C 220 d, EQ Boost, german, luxury, mercedes, mercedes-benz, New C-Class, saloon