Mercedes-Benz C-Class Review: 2015 C 200 and C 250 Road Test
What’s Hot: Typical Mercedes quality, long standard equipment list, amazingly low fuel consumption.
What’s Not: Diesel a tad coarse at low revs, sharp ride on 19”-wheels.
X-FACTOR: The most polished C-Class design thus far, improved throughout and a very decent drive.
Vehicle style: Medium luxury sedan
Price: $60,900 (C 200 petrol) to $70,400 (C 250 BlueTec diesel)
Engine/transmission:
C 200 - 135kW/300Nm 2.0 petrol 4cyl | 7sp auto
C 200 BlueTec - 100kW/300Nm 1.6 diesel 4cyl | 7sp auto
C 250 - 155kW/350Nm 2.0 turbo 4cyl | 7sp auto
C 250 BlueTec - 150kW/500Nm 2.1 diesel 4cyl | 7sp auto
Fuel consumption listed:
C 200: 6.0 l/100km
C 250: 6.0 l/100km
C 250 BlueTec: 4.5 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Mercedes-Benz’s evergreen C-Class is one of the most hotly-anticipated new releases for 2014. After having driven it, we can confirm there are good things to report.
It is an enormous leap forward for the C-Class nameplate in terms of quality, and with styling cues that mimic the high-end S-Class, it’s not only easy on the eye, but surprisingly opulent inside.
It’s bigger too. The wheelbase is 80mm longer than before, overall length is increased 95mm to 4686mm, there’s 14mm more cabin width and 31mm more seat-to-roof clearance.
To give those numbers some context, the W205 C-Class’ dimensions eclipse those of the 1995-vintage W210 E-Class.
And, it's not only lighter than before - thanks to a structure that’s 48 percent aluminium - there are more standard features and technologies.
LED headlamps, a digital radio tuner, anti-collision auto-braking and front electric seats are now standard on every model - packing $10,000 of extra standard equipment into the base C 200 if you believe Mercedes.
Higher-end gear like a head-up display, touchpad controller and air-suspension are also available on the C-Class range for the first time, but as cost options.
All of this new technology comes at a price, however, and, with the base model C 200 petrol retailing for $60,900, the price of entry has risen by $1000.
We drove the base C 200 petrol as well as the mid-grade C 250 diesel and petrol variants. For the previous W204 generation these provided 90 percent of C-Class sales volume, and Mercedes expects that trend to continue with the new W205.
The upcoming C 63 AMG (which launches in the first quarter of next year) might be sexier, but the C 200 and C 250 are far more important to Benz’s bottom line. Here’s how they measure up.
INTERIOR | RATING: 4/5
- Key standard features: power front seats, LED headlamps, power folding wing mirrors, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, speed limiter, dusk-sensing headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, keyless ignition.
- Infotainment: Sat nav, 7-inch LCD display, touchpad controller, AM/FM/DAB+ tuner, 2 USB audio inputs, Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming.
- C 250 adds: genuine leather upholstery, 19-inch alloys, keyless entry, Driver Assistance Package
- Luggage capacity: 480 litres (seats up).
It might be the most affordable RWD Mercedes sedan, but the new C-Class boasts an interior that feels almost as opulent as the marque's flagship S-Class.
The round air vents are almost identical to those of the S-Class, and the sloping centre-stack and touchpad controls for the infotainment system are also borrowed from the C-Class' ultra-premium brother.
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