Merc's New C-Class Does Luxury Wafting With A Dose Of Sporty Edge

When it comes to compact executive saloons, there are three main belligerents that have been at it hammer and tongs for 20 years now: the BMW 3-Series, the Audi A4 and the Mercedes C-Class. Despite ever more convoluted line ups from the Germanic big three these cars have remained popular, so when a new one arrives - in this case, the Merc - it’s a very big deal indeed. So, in a segment where failure isn’t an option, how well does the new C stack up?

It’s certainly a success on the looks front. The outgoing ‘W204’ model was starting to show its age, but the new W205 brings the C bang up to date. It has a more stunted look - rather like the CLA - and so long as you avoid the ungainly ‘Classic’ grille (only available on the SE) and opt for the sportier two-slat design, you get a nicely aggressive face.

Spec the AMG Line trim that our C250 BlueTEC diesel test car has, and this is complimented by a sportier front bumper with bigger air intakes, a pair of side skirts, plus a rear bumper with brake vents and integrated exhaust tailpipes. This car is finished in Obsidian Black with 18-inch AMG wheels, but if it was us ticking the boxes, we’d probably go for a shade of silver and splash out on the lovely 19-inch multispokes.

The inside is more of a mixed bag. There are some exquisite details: the air vents, for instance, which are each controlled by a tiny dial in the middle, and I love the way the leather-clad dash swoops over the dials. Then there are the not-so-nice bits. Piano black plastic trim is something that rarely looks good in cars, and the C’s entire centre console is covered in the stuff, which looks a little cheap. And as with the A-Class-based cars and the facelifted CLS, you get Merc’s loathsome new navigation system, which isn’t the easiest to use, has naff graphics and is in a unit that looks like someone’s glued a bargain-basement tablet to the dashboard.

Under the bonnet of this car is a 2.1-litre four-pot turbo diesel engine. We’ve found it to be clattery and agricultural-sounding in other Mercs we’ve driven with it (it’s used across the Mercedes range), but at least here the C-Class’ hefty sound-proofing tunes out much of the unpleasantness. In this state of tune it’s kicking out 201bhp and 368lb ft of torque, which sounds like enough for punchy performance. The 6.6 second 0-62mph time certainly backs that up on paper, but it doesn’t feel all that quick. The upshot is that it whisks you along with effortless, graceful pace, which suits the baby limousine pretensions of the new C down to the ground.

Despite the wafty nature of the car, it’s impressive on the twisty black stuff. You’re given a choice of five driving modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. Stick it into Sport+, and you get a crisper throttle response, the steering sharpens and gets a little weightier, and if you’ve optioned the £895 AirMATIC suspension, the dampers firm up.

Lob the C-Class into a bend and it feels confident and assured, with minimal roll. Really throw it in, and the traction control even allows for a playful little slip from the rear end. Despite the occasional shimmy from the rear, it’s lacking a little excitement in the drive, but once the petrol V6-powered C400 (not yet confirmed for the UK) and twin-turbo V8 C63 AMG are here, they’ll liven things up nicely. I have no doubt the chassis will be more than up to the task of handling the extra power.

As fun as clowning around on country roads is, though, it’s on the motorway that C-Class really needs to impress; that’s the sort of driving the average compact exec owner does most, after all. Fortunately, it passes the test with flying colours. Even on the 18-inch AMG wheels, the C250 rides impeccably. It’s also quiet, and the mildly bolstered leather seats are extremely comfortable. I usually hate long motorway journeys, but I’d happily rack up many a mile behind the wheel of the C-Class.

Even on the 18-inch AMG wheels, the C250 rides impeccably

If it were our hard-earned, though, we’d probably go for the £28,695 C220 out of the two oil burners in the current UK range. It has the same engine as the C250, just with a little less poke at 168bhp, but feels barely slower. With a combined figure of 70.6mpg verus the 250’s 65.7mpg, it’s more economical too.

Unlike the £31,350 C250 it’s also available as a manual. That’s something worth considering given the dimwitted nature of the auto ‘box, which seems determined to downshift at inopportune moments in Sport+ mode, and comes with a set of frustratingly titchy paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Why the more generously proportioned paddles fitted to certain other Mercs aren’t present here, I’m not sure.

The sportier styling and suspension of the £3490 AMG Line package also feels a bit wasted on the diesels; until the more powerful Cs are here, you’re probably better off speccing the £1995 Sport pack, or sticking with the standard SE. And if you’re allergic to the stuff that comes out of the black pump, the 179bhp C200 petrol sits below the two diesels at £26,855.

So, if it’s a compact exec you’re after, does the new C-Class cut it? The BMW 3-series offers a sharper driver, while the Audi A4 has a better-built (but less classy) interior. You do also get the feeling that Mercedes could have done a little better with the new C (what with its irritating niggles), but there’s no denying that it’s a very strong package. If you want something in this hard-fought segment with a good dash of sartorial elegance, the new C-Class is a good bet indeed.