Mercedes-Benz C-Class Review (2019)

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Review (2019)

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon has been on sale since 2014, and for 2018, it received a facelift, with its maker saying that 6,500 components have been changed or modified in the process. Not that you鈥檇 think it by looking at it - this has been a very conservative update with the main visual differences being limited to paint colour and lights. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a popular sight on UK roads, and a regular visitor into the UK top 10 bestsellers list. With good reason - it looks good, has cutting-edge safety kit, a luxurious interior and the draw of the three-pointed star placed on the bonnet. Does that mean it's worth your attention? In terms of the technology that underpins it, absolutely. It's safe and fully equipped with some of the technology you鈥檒l find on the company flagship, the impressive Mercedes-Benz S-Class. There鈥檚 also a new engine for the C 200 entry-level petrol model, which now features twin-turbocharging and innovative power-boosting technology. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is competing in a very tough market sector.

It's a rival to the popular BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 - as well as the less obviously default choices, such as the Jaguar XE, Alfa Romeo Giulia and Lexus IS. The C-Class is a comfortable and appealing alternative to its competitors, even if its interior quality lags behind the Audi's, despite its posh look. It鈥檚 not lacking in tech, though, with an optional 12.3-inch digital display for the driver now added, which complements the larger centrally-mounted 10.0-inch infotainment screen. It鈥檚 as cheap to run as the best, too, thanks to a range of frugal engines. But, if you do want something with a bit more poke, Mercedes has plenty of other models in the C-Class range to pick from. The C-Class does have its faults, though. The poor manual gearbox and steering that鈥檚 lacking in feel detract from a pure sporty driving experience. If you want comfort in your compact saloon, come here - if it's driver involvement you crave, head in Jaguar, Alfa Romeo or BMW's direction.

What is the best Mercedes C-Class for you? The C-Class' attributes include a huge wealth of equipment for both safety and luxury, a more transparent ownership proposition and a suite of optional extras that make this car feel every inch the baby S-Class. Two extras we鈥檇 urge any C-Class buyer to try before committing include the air suspension (which dramatically improves comfort levels), and the head-up display which shows sat-nav and speed limit information on the windscreen. A range of petrol and diesel engines are available in the C-Class, suiting most buyers鈥?tastes. Ranging from the petrol C 200 and C 300, to the Mercedes-AMG C 43. If you prefer diesel there are C 200 d and C 220 options. Full details of the power and performance figures for all engines can be found in the Performance section of this review. Some 100kg lighter than its predecessor, Mercedes-Benz claims the fourth-generation C-Class has the lightest bodyshell of the segment, helped largely by the increased use of aluminium. Weight loss played a key part in the design process and CO2 emissions have been reduced over the outgoing model as a result, with some pleasingly low figures from the C 200 d. Sharing much of its interior design with the larger E- and S-Class saloons, the C-Class is luxurious inside certainly looks every inch the premium saloon. Although, probe a little deeper and spend more time in the car and the quality doesn鈥檛 always live up to the look. It doesn鈥檛 feel as solid as the Audi A4 inside. Built into the hand rest on the central control panel, the touchpad enables drivers to control all the functions in the same way we use smartphones and tablets. It also allows letters and numbers to be entered using the handwriting recognition tool - similar to the set-ups you see on BMW and Audi cars.

Four cylinder diesel models were equipped with the same OM601 engine of the 190, in the 2.0L and 2.2L versions. Many of these diesel variants were sold as taxis, due to their low fuel consumption and strong reliability. There were also more powerful five cylinder engines (OM605) which were available in naturally aspired (C 250 D) and turbocharged (C 250 TD) forms. The Turbodiesel was introduced in 1995 and is one of the novelties in the engine range available from this year. The most important was a supercharged version of the M111 straight four, the C 230 Kompressor, using a Roots-type supercharger to generate 193PS (190hp/142kW) at 5300rpm: Mercedes-Benz reused supercharger technology after 50 years. Due to Italian and Portuguese car tax rules, export models in Portugal and Italy featured a supercharged version of the smaller 2.0L (C 200 Kompressor), which had a similar output of the C 230 Kompressor.