Mercedes-Benz C-Class review

It’s the Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloon – still a hugely significant car for the three-pointed star despite the world’s obsession with SUVs. Heck, Merc sold 2.5 million examples of the previous fourth generation C-Class between 2014 and 2021.

So, what’s new for the fifth gen? Not the platform – the new C sits on a heavily revised version of the outgoing car’s underpinnings, but is physically bigger in every respect bar height. Significantly the new C borrows much tech from the current-gen S-Class, including the basic layout and concept of its interior. The engines are all hybridised in some form or another but only come with four-cylinders, even when you make the step up to the AMG-ified C43 and C63 these days). The choice in the standard C-Class range that we’ll cover here is between a mild-hybrid petrol, a mild-hybrid diesel and a plug-in hybrid petrol.

Rivals? The BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 are still the big two, but there's also the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Jaguar XE to think about. New-age EV rivals keep cropping up every day too, so you might consider things like the Tesla Model 3, the Volkswagen ID.7, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and even the Polestar 2. 

Wait, so it has the same interior as the S-Class? 

Yup, the basic architecture of the new C’s dashboard is shared with Merc’s luxurious flagship. The 11.9-inch portrait touchscreen, pinched directly from the S-Class and standard on all UK cars, is pretty intuitive and packed with too many features to list. Merc’s ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice assistant gets cleverer with every generation (it’s not quite Alexa, but it’s not bad), and is the safest way of operating the system while you’re driving. Over-the-air updates mean the system ought to get better as time goes by, too.

You’d expect a Mercedes to be comfortable, and the C-Class doesn’t disappoint. The seats and driving position are spot-on and it’s very quiet. Pity some of the interior materials let the ambience down, and that despite being generally bigger than its predecessor, it isn’t very spacious relative to its competition. More on all that in the ‘Interior’ section.

How does it handle itself?

The big shift with this latest generation is the focus on comfort. The ride is notably softer and more pillowy than the BMW 3 Series, particularly if you go for the C300e plug-in hybrid with its standard comfort suspension. All the mild-hybrids in the UK come in some variation of AMG Line trim with sports suspension that’s 15mm lower than standard, but if you want driver reward, the BMW is still the car to have.

The Mercedes is the one for consuming distance and whiling away the hours. It’s happy on motorways and well cushioned on B-roads. It’s still a shame that UK cars aren’t available with the adaptive dampers our European counterparts get, nor the rear-wheel steering, but neither is a deal breaker. This is a smooth, confident, capable car to drive – a bit woolly when pushed, but good at the stuff that actually matters in this class. Full details on the ‘Driving’ tab.

Any more info on those engines?

Let’s run through the full range (excluding the aforementioned AMGs) available in the UK, shall we? If you want to fill up from the black pump, you’ll be choosing between the C220d and the C300d. Both pair 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engines with nine-speed automatic gearboxes, but while the C220d makes do with just 194bhp, the C300d gets a much healthier 261bhp and transforms into the engine into arguably one of the finest 2.0-litre diesels you can buy right now. Refined and punchy – a great match for the C-Class and its auto box, if not as lovely as the BMW 330d’s straight-six. Both of those engines are mild-hybrids, featuring a 48-volt battery and integrated starter/generator motor that recoups energy lost under braking, using it to assist the engine at start up and when accelerating.

Two of the petrols use that same mild-hybrid tech – the C200 pairs it with a 1.5-litre four-pot that makes 201bhp, while the C300 is a 2.0-litre with 254bhp. Again, both send that power through nine-speed auto gearboxes.

And finally, there’s the option of a petrol plug-in hybrid with an impressive electric range of up to 70 miles. This is the C300e, and it pairs yet another 2.0-litre four-cylinder with a 25.4kWh battery and a 127bhp electric motor for a combined total of 309bhp when both power sources are working together. The electrics are better integrated here than they are in most equivalent plug-in hybrids, with good functionality and genuinely useful range. 

How much does it cost?

Great question. Prices start from a hefty £45,165 OTR for the entry-level petrol C200 in AMG Line trim, making it slightly more expensive than its counterparts from BMW and Audi.

From thereon, trim levels follow the typical Mercedes formula, with AMG Line Premium bringing more kit and setting you back an extra £3,000 or so. AMG Line Premium Plus is the top trim level on our shores and starts from £52,555, but if you want that in plug-in hybrid form then you’ll need to stretch to £59,025. Yikes.

Oh, and if you’re wondering whether you can have the C-Class with a bigger boot, don’t fear because the estate is still available and you can read our full review by clicking these blue words. 

The new C-Class is a handsome and capable car, more closely aligned to the Audi A4’s comfort, refinement and quality than the BMW 3 Series’ dynamism. It looks upmarket and has a sophisticated, comfortable cabin packed with S-Class-grade tech. The engines aren’t the most satisfying to use, but they are efficient, and the plug-in hybrid sets new standards for the class. If you can stretch to it, that or the more powerful diesel would be the one to have.

That said the brakes are a bit odd, it’s not particularly spacious relative to its competitors and parts of the dashboard and interior trim feel a little cheap. If you can look past all that, it’s an assured choice.