Our editorial staff has had plenty of time in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which was redesigned for 2008 and continues into 2009 relatively unchanged with the exception of added safety equipment and some new entertainment options. The C-Class positions itself as a sportier car than its predecessor and competes with other sporty sedans like the 2009 Infiniti G37 and 2009 BMW 3-Series.
Most of our driving impressions have come from the C300 model, which Cars.com editor Mike Hanley reviewed, found here. You can read some of our staff’s impressions on the C300 below, and find more first-hand driving impressions in the Friday Fleet Notes and Urban DINK articles.
Hanley writes:
“If someone asked you to name a sport sedan, your first thought probably wouldn't be a Mercedes-Benz. With the new 2008 C-Class, Mercedes gets a little closer to that ideal in some categories while holding fast to its classic idea of luxury — isolation over involvement — in others.
“The result is an entry-level luxury car that will appeal to fans of the three-pointed star but won't win over diehard enthusiast drivers the way the 3 Series has for years. While the C-Class' suspension tuning is sport-sedan worthy, there's still too much detachment from the road in the steering system.”
Joe Wiesenfelder, senior editor:
“Considering the C300 is the less-powerful trim level, I thought it accelerated pretty well. It’s no rocket, but it certainly benefits from the seven-speed transmission. It takes off smoothly and quietly, seeming to start out in second gear when in Drive, an old Mercedes practice. Even in the Sport version, it didn’t live up to the BMW 3 Series or the Infiniti G35, but it was pretty satisfying to drive — and not every luxury automaker can chase the same goal.
“The interior’s aluminum trim and gauge application is very well-executed, and the shifter knob has a great feel to it. The motorized LCD is very slick, and I have to agree with Mike Hanley that the latest generation of Comand is reasonably intuitive and simple to use, though I still think I’d prefer a touch-screen. The quality is a step up, perhaps enough to quiet the complaints that began when the previous generation was new, but there’s still something cheap feeling — and sounding — about those ventilation control dials. The exterior styling is younger and more aggressive, and I love the large star logo in the Sport version’s grille. The regular C looks wrong without it. From the side, the Sport’s design looks overdone. There’s a lot going on there. Too much. But it’s a new direction, and a good one.”
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