With the introduction of the A-Class and more recently B-Class, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is no longer the baby of the brand -- in either size or price.
Nonetheless it remains the German carmaker's most popular model. Despite the current generation having been launched in 2000 and with a new model due next year, it still retains a freshness and level of technology that ensures it is competitive in its segment.
Over the past six years, the model range has been regularly updated -- with a significant upgrade in 2004 -- and grown in size. In terms of sales, it has topped the 55,000 mark making it the most successful Mercedes-Benz model ever sold in Australia.
The lineup currently includes six sedan, two Estate wagon and three Sport Coupe hatch models with a total of six different engines and combination of eight interior and exterior packages that aim to satisfy a very broad range of buyers.
Prices for the range start at $55,390 for the C180K supercharged 1.8-litre three-door Sports Coupe rising to $160,490 for the 5.4-litre V8 C55 AMG sedan. There is, of course, an extremely long list of options that can add tens of thousands of dollars to these recommended retail prices.
In order to find out what gives this car such enduring appeal, CarPoint recently ventured into South Gippsland in Victoria to drive a selection of C-Class models.
As you work your way through the lineup, the variations from model to model are discernable but relatively slight so we chose to top and spending time in each of four models -- two at the top of the range and two at the entry level.
Trying to pick a winner was not the objective for with such a diverse range, it really is horses for courses…
Model tested: C180K sedan
RRP: $57,490
Price as tested: $67,750 (sunroof $3780, metallic paint $2390, Sports package $4090)
Bottom Line: A good entry point for the Benz traditionalist with solid drivetrain, superb comfort and competent road manners. But if you’re on a budget watch the options…
In previous incarnations, the C180 tended to be the car that people bought if they weren't interested in power and performance and one of their main rationales was sitting behind a three-pointed star on the bonnet. But thankfully the old 90kW/170Nm 1.8 has been relegated to history and the present model uses a supercharged (Kompressor) 1.8-litre four that generates maximum outputs of 105kW at 5200rpm and 220Nm at 2500-4000rpm.
It is still not a hugely powerful engine by any standards but unlike before, it is more than adequate for getting the small Benz sedan up and running.
Off the line the power delivery is smooth and linear with the five-speed auto responsive to right foot pressure thus ensuring the car is able to easily keep up with the traffic flow.
Overtaking at highway speeds does require some degree of consideration but it is nothing like the slug that came before. If you want to hold gears for higher revs, there is a set of paddles on the steering wheel (part of the optional sports pack) that respond quickly to driver input.
Like the solid powertrain, the interior and equipment levels are much improved with the car being particularly quiet and refined on the road. It is superbly insulated from the outside world and the quality of the materials and fit and finish is well up to the standard you would expect of a Benz.
Even the latest generation Artico fake leather is a vast improvement on the vinyl-like Mbtex of older Mercs. The sports seats -- also part of the optional package -- are comfortable and supportive and there is plenty of adjustment to get the right driving position. There is also a decent list of standard kit including climate control, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, parking assist and a good quality single disc audio system.
Safety equipment is in abundance with ESP, ABS and eight airbags across the range.
The cosseting ride quality also helps with the classy ambience inside the cabin with all but the sharpest ruts being well absorbed by the compliant suspension.
With the Sports package of our test car incorporating retuned springs and dampers and bigger 17-inch alloys shod with lower profile245/40 Continental rubber, the ride was firm but never harsh or uncomfortable.
At the same time, there is a solid security in the handling with the car being well balanced and poised with plenty of grip. It sits firmly on the road and is surprisingly enjoyable to punt along a winding country road once you are up to speed. The only let down is the steering which although quite weighty lacks any real feedback.
Model tested: C200K Estate
RRP: $68,890
Price as tested: 87,960 (sunroof $3780, metallic paint $2390, Sports Edition Plus $8900, Avantgarde package $4000)
Bottom Line: Great looking wagon with good interior space and decent dynamics to boot but ride is a little harsh…
Despite the badge, the 200K uses the same engine as the 180K albeit with some modifications to increase power and torque. The 1.8-litre supercharged four-cylinder generates a maximum power of 120kW at 5500rpm and peak torque of 240Nm between 3000- 5000rpm. It also gets the same five-speed tiptronic style automatic transmission.
However, a combination of the extra 50kg for the wagon and the fact that the peak outputs are not reached until higher in the rev band compared with the C180K resulted in the feeling that the extra oomph of the 200K was not all that noticeable on the road.
The engine is still smooth and refined (likewise the five-speed auto) but unless you keep the engine spinning high in the rev band, the greater power and torque seemed a little lost.
What isn't lost, however, is the visual appeal of this car. With its Sport Edition Plus option incorporating an AMG body kit, sports suspension, 17-inch alloys, Xenon headlights and various cosmetic details inside and out, this C-Class Estate looks nothing like a traditional wagon. Its sharply raked rear hatch complements the sporty styling but inside there is still room to carry plenty of luggage… Even before the load space is further expanded via the Estate’s 60/40 split-fold rear seat.
With the Avantgarde package as well, the interior too is full of largely cosmetic highlights (apart from the luxury version of the climate control) and again it is a very quiet and refined space in which to spend time on the road. It is also, however, an increasingly expensive place to spend time on the road with his particular car showing just how easy it is to add an extra $20K onto the list price.
As with the C180, the sports suspension and bigger tyres add a bit more dynamic appeal to the car and if you do use the steering wheel paddles to hold and shift your own gears, you can drive this car in a manner that befits its looks.
It's not a sportscar by any stretch of the imagination, but push it harder and it responds in kind delivering a very predictable and surefooted drive.
Whether it is the wagon configuration with slightly different rear end suspension settings or the Michelin tyres (same size different brand as the C180K) the ride quality was not as comfortable and compliant over rougher tarmac as the sedan with a more obvious notification of poor surfaces felt through the seats and steering wheel.
Model tested: C350 sedan
RRP: $100,490
Price as tested: $106,400 (sunroof $3780, Harman Kardon surround sound system $2130)
Bottom Line: Excellent drivetrain, great driving manners and good value make the C350 our pick of the lineup…
Of all the C-Class models, the C350 is the most recent arrival having only gone on sale late last year. As such it sports the latest generation 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and seven-speed automatic transmission -- the same drive train that graces the E350, CLS350 et al.
Being delivered at the end of the model cycle also means that there has been plenty of time to amortise the development costs of the car and of all the models -- ergo, the C350 probably represents the best value.
The massive leap forward for the drivetrain and vast increase in standard equipment questions the validity of buying, for example, a 200K and spending big on the options. Apart from the huge increase in performance and power, the C350 delivers full leather trim, power front seats, a six-stack CD player and the full Command system incorporating satnav and phone operations for just $13,000 more than the optioned-up 200K Estate we drove.
Like the lesser models, the interior offers plenty of space for four adults and is very well finished with the lift in trim materials adding to the refined ambience of the cabin.
But the big news in this car is under the bonnet. The 3.5-litre V6 generates 200kW at 6000rpm and 350Nm between 2400-5000rpm at a listed kerb weight of just 15kg more than the C180K. According to Benz, this translates into a 0-100kmh sprint time of just 6.4sec -- and on the road, it feels like it is well and truly possible.
As soon as you plant the right foot, the surge of power is smooth, strong and decisive getting the car off the line with a great degree of enthusiasm. Where the five-speed auto in the four-cylinder models is smooth, the seven-speed takes the gearshifts to another realm altogether with the only indication of shifting ratios being the rise and fall of the tacho.
Despite the standard rather than sports suspension, it is obviously tuned to match the characteristics of the engine and is on the firm side while still retaining plenty of compliance. The good ride quality is helped by the excellent bolstered seats that keep you firmly in place.
The suspension is definitely set up with a handling bias and this shows with the car sitting very flat and secure on the road as you push on. Our test drive took us along the dirt section of the Grand Ridge Road that winds across the top of the South Gippsland hills and even on the dirt the big tyres offered prodigious grip aided by the well-balanced chassis. When it did get too slippery, the intervention of the ESP was subtle and effective.
Possibly the only disappointment in the handling stakes is the steering. With its speed sensitive variable power assistance, it feels suitably light for parking but didn't seem to gain enough weight at speed for our liking.
Model tested: C55 sedan
RRP: $160,490
Price as tested: $160,490
Bottom Line: The C55 is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing
Mercedes AMG arm has a long history of turning up the wick on bread and butter Benz models -- just enough to make them exciting to drive without being overly in your face. And the C55, the latest generation of AMG-tuned C-Class models is no exception.
From the outside, the body kit is subtle with only the big 18-inch wheels and brakes giving it away. As you slip inside, there are more clues to the potential that lies beneath with very huggy heated leather seats, plenty of cosmetic highlights, and an excellent Harman Kardon audio system.
But once you fire up the engine you are left with no doubts as to the fact that this is definitely a C55. From the twin chrome exhausts comes the delicious burble of a big V8 -- 5.4-litres in this case -- and you only need to give the right foot a little pressure and the car shoots off the line.
Despite the fact the maximum outputs of 270kW and 510Nm are not reached to until a relatively high 5750 and 4000rpm respectively, the surge through the slick five-speed auto to the rear wheels is strong and constant right through the rev band. It really is a case of simply planting the foot and knowing that engine will deliver its response rapidly and effectively.
If you really want to keep the power on, you can hold and change gears with a quick tap of the steering wheel mounted paddles, but the smart auto box is good enough to think for itself and adapt shift points for your needs.
With a lowered sports suspension and the low profile rubber, the ride is obviously on the firm side but it is not harsh, able to soak up most cut up tarmac. But comfort is not what this car is designed for and when the roads get twisty and tight, it truly comes into its own.
Such is the confidence that the chassis inspires you feel you can almost throw it at anything and know that between the superb dynamics and the subtle intervention of the safety nannies, you will come out the other end completely composed.
The C55 sits very solid and flat on the road and when you apply more right foot pressure mid corner, it simply hunkers down in the rear and powers through.
As seems to be a Mercedes trait, only the steering is a slight disappointment with it lacking the precision and feel of some of its rivals.
That said, for all its performance, the C55 still remains a practical sedan -- complete with a 60/40-split rear seat back. When driven sedately it offers almost the same level of comfort and hushed ambience inside as its lesser-endowed siblings. The best of both worlds?
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