The Mercedes C-class has already made its mark admirably in its segment, and will certainly continue to do so. Indeed, The C-Class is the highest-selling model series, and therefore of particular importance for Mercedes-Benz.

The current series has found well over one million buyers worldwide since its launch in March 2007. The C-class has been modernised since this spring, and notably received more efficient engines, a reworked front- and rear end, and revamped instrumentation.

Stepping into the car, one feels the workmanship and “savoir faire” of the oldest automaker in the world, in making quality cars which feel “just right” and stand the test of time. Our test car came with the lowest tuned version of its famous BlueEFFICIENCY 4 cylinder Diesel engine, which not only offers very good perfomance, but also very good economy.

We spend some happy driving days with the car. Just read on...

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

Good looks...

The front bumper has now more expressive and dynamic contours, the front section being brought closer to the brand's new design idiom. This starts with a more prominent radiator grille surround.

The central air intake opens out upwards in a V-shape, forming a visual base unit for the radiator grille. Pronounced side sections extend from the sporty V-shape at the centre of the bumper, giving the car an altogether somewhat bolder look.

Continuing beneath the headlamps, these sections blend into the feature lines along the vehicle flanks, linking the front section with the sides. The side air inlets in the bumper are positioned lower, giving the car a more road-hugging appearance.

The Saloon and Estate now have a new aluminium bonnet. Its contour in the area of the headlamps and radiator grille emphasises the V-shape of the front section more than before. In conjunction with the newly designed headlamps, this gives the front section again a more resolute impression.

...and “state of the art” Diesel technology.

Indeed, the 2143 cc engine offers the latest in Diesel technology from the Mercedes stable. We were impressed by the outstanding qualities of this engine during our "Innovation and fascination" run to Stuttgart with the 250 CDI E-class, where it combined exhilarating performance with excellent economy. In the more sedate “180CDI” version installed in our test car, the unit delivers some 88 kW/120 hp at 2800 rpm and has a healthy torque of 300 Nm at 1400 rpm. The way this power is delivered is what this engine really makes stand out. Utterly smooth and vibrationless, the engine produces the typical unmistakable Mercedes Diesel exhaust note, without ever becoming obtrusive. And even with “only” 120 hp, the performance figures leave nothing to be desired: 100 kph is reached after 10.5 seconds, the top speed is 208 kph, also thanks to the excellent aerodynamics of the car, with a Cd figure of 0.26 and its drag area of Cd x A = 0.57 sq. m.

Smooth 6-speed transmission…

The gearbox changes smoothly with very good precision, as is the good tradition with the marque.

It does not invite you to make lightning fast changes though, and the first gear is rather low, which is ideal for starting uphill or with heavy loads, but makes quick getaways a bit fussy, with the engine soon revving (too) hard, as it delivers ample power already at very low revs. But the Mercedes engineers have their good reason for this: the lowish gearing is ideal for crawling in city traffic, and is then easy on the clutch, engine and drivetrain. But we repeat, at quick getaways you will find yourself reaching for second gear within seconds…

When driving in "eco" mode, the gearshift indicator light indicates the shifting points, and we used the good advice more often than not... which resulted in very good fuel consumption figures of some 5 litres on 100 kilometres.

But we must admit that we rather like to drive Mercedes cars with their truly excellent automatic transmissions. For the renewed C-Class, the further-developed 7G-TRONICPLUS seven-speed automatic transmission is offered, and is certainly worth a comparative test drive with the manual version…

Creature comfort

The finish of the car is impeccable, and we like the new interior styling and the quality and "feel" of the materials used. The main focus of the design work in the interior was on restyling the dashboard with its integrated screen and new surface grain.

The control panel of the new-generation communication and information unit has keys with high-gloss surface inserts. The combination of keys, high-gloss areas and a new knurled wheel design accentuates the workmanship of the interior. The car looks and feels indeed more “valuable”.

In conjunction with the new telematics generation, the facelifted C-Class is also available with an optional, high-resolution colour display in the instrument cluster.

The premium character of the interior is underlined by the new-generation steering wheel, which was introduced with the new CLS and is now available in the sporty AVANTGARDE line for the C-Class. We liked the steering wheel with its chromed central spoke, accentuating the sporty atmosphere in the C-Class. We also found the eucalyptus wood inserts quite tasteful.

The shape and quality of the seats and the way the seating position and the ergonomics are laid out lets the marque really stand out. With the seats and controls somewhat massive and hard at first, the car sits and feels “just right” after one has driven it for a few days, and you really don't want it to be anything else. Our test car had heated front seats, which we learned to appreciate… The seats were leather covered, in, as the factory calls it, Artico Black.   

The cruise control is exemplary...

The navigation and audio functions are very logical and easy to use, and yes, the cruise control is one of the best in the industry. Heating and ventilation are also beyond reproach. Our test car came equipped with Thermatic automatic temperature control, which worked beautifully.

LED-light inserts in the tail lights add character to the rear end...

The car handles very predictably, and the suspension offers generally speaking a very good balance between comfort and sportiness. The car does not invite you to adopt a sportier driving style, but certainly holds its own quite well when put through its paces. Our test car was equipped with the AGILITY CONTROL suspension, and felt very sure-footed indeed. The car also offers good all-round visibility in city traffic, which contributes further to a relaxed and comfortable driving style. 

The restyled C-Class will certainly continue its best-selling career, as the car has indeed all the qualities for it, for which the marque with the tree-pointed star has become so famous…

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

The steering wheel has now a leather rim as standard equipment.

We liked also the leather seats, executed in Artico Black...

The eucalyptus wood finish adds a refined note to the car.

Heating and ventilation is beyond reproach...