2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C350 Coupe Review

2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C350 Coupe Review

Mercedes-Benz would rather forget the unloved hatchback Sport Coupe from a decade ago, a failed attempt to get on terms with the breed of compact Japanese-made hot rods that were making everyone look twice. Instead, the German maker of luxury cars would like you to look twice at its 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe, the first real coupe ever based on the C-Class Sedan. Above and beyond this car's sleek silhouette, you'll find a reason to look twice at a new 302-horsepower direct-injected V6 and a surprisingly precise suspension calibration. The top-of-the-line C350 Coupe uses a new direct-injected version of the new DOHC 3.5-liter Mercedes V6. Equipped with variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust valves, it's a smooth runner from start-up to its redline of 6,750 rpm. The Advanced Agility package allows the driver to switch between a standard suspension setting and firmer Sport. There's a significant difference between the two, and trust us, your backside will notice big bumps in Sport mode. The front seats do a nice job of holding you in place during hard cornering thanks to supportive side bolsters on the back of the seat, yet ingress/egress never becomes a problem.

The seat cushions are firm in the typical Mercedes style, but they're up to the task of all-day touring. The downside to the coupe's radical roof line is reduced head- and knee room in the backseat (which has two individual buckets). Even though headroom is down by 1.4 inches compared with the sedan, average-size adults can survive back there thanks to cutouts in the roof. Even though the Mercedes C-Class Coupe's interior isn't big on flash, it is big on class. The controls have nice detents and the numerous buttons don't feel plasticky or cheap. And the three-spoke steering wheel? A perfectly thick rim with grippy, perforated leather just where you want it at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions. But the exterior is what will draw buyers initially to this car, the fastback roof line giving it a sporting flair. The aggressive front end with the two-bar coupe grille demands attention, too. You definitely notice a C-Class Coupe bearing down on you from behind.

Power vanishes, speed diminishes exponentially and the two-door simply tracks in the correct direction. Don't expect to be able to hold any beautiful slides through the powder or kick out the tail with any flair with the e-nannies on. You may find yourself fighting the system if you have solid experience on slick surfaces, too. Turn in for any brief sliding or attempt to power your way out of impending doom, and the Benz's traction control systems will yank the rug out from under you. It's almost as if driver and machine stumble over one another in a series of clumsy reactions. If you're looking for a vehicle to imperil life, limb and sheetmetal in the name of drifting, this isn't your steed. In addition to 4ETS, the C350 4Matic Coupe is laden with a small symphony of safety system acronyms. While 4ETS may not be defeated by the driver, the closely linked ESP system can be switched off via the vehicle menu mounted in the gauge cluster.

Doing so can be useful for trudging your way through deep snow and the like, but the instant the driver touches the brakes, ESP is reactivated. What's more, even with ESP off, 4ETS will continue to actuate the brakes to direct power to the wheel with the most grip. Fortunately, we doubt C-Class Coupe buyers will be interested in drift-happy showboating. For those who simply need to get where they're going in style regardless of weather, the C350 4Matic Coupe is a more than capable machine. As we threaded our way between the peaks of Stouts Mountain and Ross Peak and wound through the Teton Pass toward Jackson, the two-door simply wouldn't falter. On dry tarmac, and presumably without the Continental snow tires on our tester, the 4Matic can jump to 60 mph in around 5.9 seconds, a time identical to the figure served up by the standard C350 Coupe.