1705 Boggs Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096
Actual rating will vary with options, driving conditions, habits and vehicle condition.
The standard features of the Mercedes-Benz C 300 Base include 2.0L I-4 241hp intercooled turbo engine, 9-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), side seat mounted airbags, curtain 1st and 2nd row overhead airbags, driver and passenger knee airbag, airbag occupancy sensor, BabySmart airbag childseat sensor, automatic air conditioning, 18" aluminum wheels, cruise control, ABS and driveline traction control, electronic stability.
Starting at: $43,200
MSRP | Engine | Transmission | City/Hwy mpg | |
---|---|---|---|---|
C 300
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$43,200 | 241-hp 2.0L 4-cyl | 9-spd auto | 22 / 30 |
C 300 4MATIC
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$45,200 | 241-hp 2.0L 4-cyl | 9-spd auto | 22 / 30 |
The C300 offers sharp handling, and the four-cylinder turbo feels wonderful, whizzing to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, according to Mercedes. Turbo boost is almost instantly available, and it’s strong throughout its full range. Power is rated at 241 hp and 273 foot-pounds of torque.
The C350e adds a 60kW electric motor for a massive increase in torque to 443 foot-pounds, allowing it to accelerate as quickly as the C300.
The potent AMG C43 uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 making 362 horsepower and 382 pound-feet of torque. It’s strong and willing in any gear or at any rpm, able to accelerate to 60 in 4.9 seconds. The exhaust note is muted and pleasant, joined in the cabin by induction sounds to provide that familiar AMG whuffle.
A snarling 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 powers the C63. It makes 469 horsepower and 479 kick-in-the-butt pound-feet of torque. It’s not as mental as the masterpiece motor in the Cadillac ATS-V, or as clinical and tactical as the BMW M3 and M4, but it’s the envy of every other enthusiast. It comes only with tire-smoking rear-wheel drive.
The engine in the S version of the C63 is tuned to make 503 hp and 516 lb-ft. If we called the C63 motor mental, then this one is mentally insane.
AMG versions use a different steering geometry for sharper cornering, bigger brakes, adjustable dampers to better control the ride, and torque vectoring at the rear. The standard all-wheel-drive system provides 31/69 front/rear bias. The transmission has five modes, including manual, rev-matching, and sport exhaust. With the 18-inch staggered wheels (19-inch available), the AMGs not only handle more crisply than the regular models, but also better than the competition from BMW.
The lines of the C-Class sedan are graceful, and the coupe is a knockout. The lines are also deceiving, as the sedan looks bigger than it is, easily mistaken for the flagship S-Class, despite a profile that’s all its own.
It’s 184.5 inches long, on a wheelbase of 111.8 inches, and 71.3 inches wide. The Cabriolet (convertible) is also gorgeous.
The C-Class grille is upright and the headlamps are intricate, with LED brows, or optional all-LED. Big flared air intakes. Flared front fenders with sleek creases on the hood. The rear has soft, rounded lines, pleasant.
AMG models are all hotted up, with a more aggressive nose, spoiler on the deck, black trim glitz, and red seatbelts.
The C-Class cabin strives for S-Class quality, noticeable in the executive luxury door panels, inlaid. Some woods look better than others: The open-pore black ash is stunning. The wide centerstack flows like a waterfall, in wither wood, aluminum, or carbon fiber. The lines wrap around the cabin.
The power front seats are spacious and have an excellent shape, with extendable bolsters for thighs, and good back support.
The rear seat and its entry are compromised by the low roofline. Comfort for six-footers will be adequate on long drives, although lacking in knee room. The rear seat easily flops flat for longer cargo.
A 7.0-inch screen is standard, with an 8.4-inch screen available and standard on some models. The COMAND interface with its new capacitive touchpad controller needs patience and understanding. After a full day it still confounded us. It looks like a round smartphone mounted at an angle, and brings Bluetooth, AM/FM/XM, and USB together, using voice commands and touch control. The system is a haptic mess. Scrolling isn’t as smooth as a phone, and its menu management makes BMW’s iDrive feel streamlined, and Audi’s MMI feel especially effective.
The AMG C43 has grippy suede sport seats with more bolstering. They’re extremely comfortable, looking at the gauges through the three-spoke flat-bottom Nappa leather steering wheel. The seatbelts don’t have to be red; black and silver are available too. You can order it with no badging except for the Benz emblem.
The sleek roofline takes up some trunk space, with just 12.6 cubic feet in the sedan, 10.0 in the coupe, or 8.8 with the convertible.
Every C-Class has graceful and striking looks, with quality interior trim, sharp handling and a wide range of powertrains. The standard 2.0 turbo in the C300 is smooth and powerful, and it gets better (and more expensive) from there.
Sam Moses contributed to this review, with staff reports.
2018 C-Class models come in three body styles: C300 Sedan ($40,250); C300 Coupe ($43,200), and C300 Cabriolet ($51,200) come standard with vinyl upholstery, cruise control, keyless ignition, rearview camera, COMAND interface with capacitive touchpad and a 7.0-inch display. (Prices are MSRP and do not include destination charge.)
The 4MATIC versions include all-wheel drive, among them the C300 4MATIC sedan ($42,250), C300 4MATIC Coupe ($45,200), C300 4MATIC Cabriolet ($53,200).
The C350e Plug-in Hybrid Sedan ($47,900) uses a hybrid gas-electric powertrain.
Options include leather, navigation, power passenger seat, LED headlamps, fragrance dispenser, panoramic sunroof, head-up display, hands-free trunk closer, a Sport Package with AMG bodywork; AMG Performance sport seats; AMG wheels; sports suspension.
AMG versions come in sedan, coupe and cabriolet versions and feature high-performance engines, among them the AMG C43 Sedan ($53,400), AMG C63 Sedan ($66,100), and AMG C63 S Sedan ($73,700).
Safety equipment includes a rearview camera, pelvis airbags in front, a new window airbag, side airbags in the rear, and driver knee airbag.