By Paul Gover.
You don’t have to buy a Mercedes-Benz S-Class to live the S-Class life in 2022.
It’s just as easy, and far cheaper, to go for the all-new C-Class.
The compact kid in the Benz range has just had a wheels-up renewal that brings the style and substance of the S-Class flagship into the most affordable family sedan in the system.
It’s still not cheap in the same way as a Toyota Corolla or Hyundai i30, and the price has blown-out badly from the previous generation of C-car, but $78,900 is not a bad place to start in 2022.
For context, that’s up from the $67,000 basic of the previous model, but there is lots and lots more tasty stuff in the newcomer, as well as the advanced standard safety systems – including a new airbag that inflates between the front-seat passengers – that drove the price of the baby Toyota Yaris up by more than $5000.
Benz buys now also get a five-year warranty, no-haggle buying thanks to prices set by headquarters under a (controversial) new ‘agency’ sale program that takes dealers out of the equation, and a fixed $1200 delivery charge at a time when even Skoda dealers are ripping $3000 from buyers.
But back to the car, because it’s a great little thing.
The shape is a familiar evolution of the C-Class theme, not as brutal or aggressive as Benz’s SUVs, and still ideal for a family of four – five at a pinch – with regular luggage.
The engine has been downsized like everyone else, now a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo, but capable of a 7.3-second sprint to 100km/h. It’s a mild-hybrid which means fuel savings to curb its thirst for 98-premium fuel, but no promise of extended battery-only driving.
Australians have one of the world’s largest appetites for the AMG add-ons across the Benz range, so there are smart alloys and some other trinkets.
But, in a very good move, Mercedes has avoided the sporty suspension setting and kept the basic comfort settings to cope with our nasty roads.
Inside, there are giant screens as expected, smartphone mirroring and all the rest, with cushy seats and top-quality materials and finishing.
But the feather-pillow headrests in the S-Class – yes, really – have not made it into the baby C.
The new C200 starter car looks good, swanky in an understated way, but it’s the drive that wins me over.
It’s a very quiet and refined car, the ride is supple and smooth on any surface, and most of the technology from the headliner S-Class has made the trip down into the C.
It might be missing those pillows, and the blow-you-away sound system of the S580 that easily tops $500,000, but the driver-assistance systems are brilliant and not intrusive, the displays are clear and effective and useful, and visibility is good with great headlights.
In any condition, at any time, the C200 is all the car you really need.
It gets along well, the fuel economy is good at less than 8 litres/100km, the braking is solid and it corners without any vices.
The C-Class was overtaken by its long-term BMW rival, the 3-Series, in the previous generation of compact prestige cars.
But now Benz is back in front and with an extended margin over anything in the same price or size range.
It really is a very, very good car.
MERCEDES-BENZ C200
Position: compact family sedan
Price: from $78,900
Engine: 2.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder
Power: 150kW/300Nm
Transmission: 9-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Plus: all new, all good
Minus: a big price hike
Score: 9.5/10
