The fresh-faced Mercedes C-Class is punchy, roomy and glossy, and it proves there’s nothing as swanky as it. Muscular lines trace a body that’s veer, confident and habile. A seamless flow of zest and rigour describe its looks and define its every move. No mess, absolutely. Mercedes C-Class faces the bloodthirsty competition with Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti Q50, Jaguar XE, Lexus IS and the Volvo S60.
Except for anything wearing an AMG badge, every one of the C-Class’ engines choices is a four-cylinder unit. The 1.6-Litre Diesel Engine in the C 200d is an unwrinkled unit and hushed than the bigger turbo 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 car and remains pretty gruff and noisy.
The C-Class’ upscale atmosphere is spoiled when you start it up and that older Mercedes diesel clunks into life. The 2.1-litre engine doesn’t settle down on the move, either, and it sounds pinched when extended and hisses on the motorway.
There’s nothing wrong with the 2.0-litre petrol engine per se, but it’s the hybrids that offer the stronger performance on paper. The electrified models are at least 120kg heavier than any other non-AMG C-Class, but the C 350e saloon dips below 6.0 seconds for the 0-62mph sprint and the C 300h isn’t far behind, at 6.4 seconds.
The range-topping Mercedes-AMG C 63 is a beast of the line-up, powered by a herculean twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine. It is obtainable in standard 469bhp trim and wild 503bhp S guise. The last-mentioned will shoot from 0-62mph in just 4.0 seconds as a saloon 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 terrific, too, emitting a NASCAR-style bellow at high revs. Finding Reconditioned Mercedes C-Class Engines is not a big deal because a lot of Mercedes authorized suppliers are giving this facility at reasonable cost.
Looks count for a lot when it comes to lavish executive class and Mercedes C-Class hits the spot. Sport trim cars get 17-inch wheels, chrome treatment and LED lights, while AMG Line models have an even sportier cabin, 18-inch wheels and body styling to look like the most potent versions of the C-Class. The AMG C 43 could easily be mistaken for an AMG Line car, in fact, with only subtle styling tweaks inside and out.
The flagship C 63 is a bit more distinctive, marked out by its deeper front bumper, subtly flared front wheel arches, quad exhaust layout and a bonnet that features a pair of ‘power’ bulges. The standard C 63 gets 18-inch alloys, while the C 63 S has larger 19-inch rims.
Many of the new C-Class’ elements are turning out to be the best, it has a prevailing engine and gearbox for instance. And the interior feels high-tech and finished to a high standard too.
As you’d expect from any Mercedes, the C-Class is chock-a-blocked with standard safety equipment, comprising of seven airbags, a driver tiredness monitor and tyre-pressure warning. Having said that, the Mercedes C-Class engines in the UK are easy to find at Mercedes authorized engine workshops.
