Big price hikes for new Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Full pricing and specs have been announced for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class ahead of the new-generation premium mid-size sedan’s delayed Australian release in March.

And the big news is a huge $12,000 price increase for the entry-level 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 200 (now $78,900 plus on-road costs), while the new C 300 sedan is priced at $90,400 plus ORCs – up a significant $15,100.

That makes the price gap between the new C-Class – the first new model to be launched since Mercedes-Benz adopted its controversial new fixed-price agency sales model on January 1 – and its most direct rivals even greater than before.

For reference, at base level these include the Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0 Sport ($63,950 plus ORCs), Audi A4 35 TFSI ($59,900), BMW 320i ($71,900), Genesis G70 2.0T ($63,000), Jaguar XE 2.0 R-Dynamic Black ($68,679) and the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range RWD ($59,900).

Only two core variants of the bigger, smarter and four-cylinder-only new W206 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which was revealed 12 months ago in Europe, have so far been confirmed for Australia, where the new-generation Estate and All-Terrain derivatives will not be sold.

However, the new C 200 and C 300 are expected to be joined by replacements for the previous C 300e, C 43 and C 63, which will morph into the electrified four-cylinder C 63e plug-in hybrid super-sedan.

4MATIC all-wheel drive versions of the C 200 and C 300 are offered in Europe, where the entry-level 125kW/200Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol C 180 is also available.

Mercedes-Benz has also promised an all-electric version of every model in its range by 2025, but the existing C-Class (and E-Class) Coupe and Cabriolet models are expected to be replaced by a single new model called the CLE.

The good news is the successor for the most popular Mercedes-Benz model of the past decade (and the top-selling Benz until the GLC mid-size SUV arrived) will bring a massive uptick in luxury, interior space, efficiency and standard equipment, including some class-leading technologies that are either new or were unavailable or optional in the outgoing model.

Standard equipment for both the C 200 and C 300 includes a new-generation 48-volt mild-hybrid electrical system, AMG Line exterior, second-generation MBUX infotainment system with 11.9-inch central media display, 360-degree camera, Keyless-GO entry and start, automatic powered boot closing, front centre airbag, fingerprint scanner and the radar-based Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC cruise control system.

Apart from adopting a portrait-style orientation for the first time and featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the latest MBUX infotainment system is angled more towards the driver and can be operated via the touch-screen, voice, a console-mounted touchpad or track pads on the multifunction Nappa leather-trimmed sports steering wheel.

Also standard is a floating 12.3-inch high-resolution digital instrument cluster, 64-colour ambient lighting, illuminated front door sills with ‘Mercedes-Benz’ lettering, AMG floor mats, keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, powered/folding/heated wing mirrors, LED headlights with Headlamp Assist and Adaptive High Beam Assist.

The high-definition DIGITAL LIGHT system with 1.3 million micro-mirrors per headlight is optional.

In Europe, the standard LCD instrument cluster and central touch-screen are smaller, at 10.25 and 9.5 inches respectively, but there’s no sign here of the virtual 9x3-inch head-up display that’s optional in Europe.

Also standard in Australia is a four-mode DYNAMIC SELECT drive mode system and a safety suite comprising 10 airbags, Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC ultrasonic sensors, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Speed Limit Assist and ATTENTION ASSIST.

While the C 200 rides as standard on 18-inch AMG five-spoke alloy wheels in Tantalite Grey with machined surfaces, the C 300 comes with 19-inch AMG multi-spoke bi-colour alloys.

Other additions for the C 300 include full leather trim, dark-tinted privacy glass from the B-pillar rearward and Driving Assistance Package Plus including Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function, Active Emergency Stop Assist, Active Lane Change Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Steering Assist, Active Stop-and-Go Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Extended Automatic Restart and PRE-SAFE Impulse Side collision protection.

Of course, the C 300 also adds a more powerful mild-hybrid powertrain also based around a four-cylinder M254 turbo-petrol engine matched to a nine-speed 9G-TRONIC auto incorporating, for the first time in a C-Class, a second-generation integrated starter-generator (ISG) that adds up to 15kW more power and 200Nm more torque.

While the C 200 is powered by a 150kW/300Nm 1.5-litre engine consuming 6.9L/100km (ADR Combined) and providing 0-100km/h acceleration in 7.3 seconds, the C 300 scores a bigger 2.0-litre powertrain producing 190kW/400Nm, consuming 7.3L/100km and hitting 100km/h in 6.0sec.

As we’ve reported, the new W206 C-Class is based on the same new Modular Rear Architecture (MRA) as the latest S-Class limousine and comes with a completely new 48-volt electrical platform.

Much bigger than before at 4793mm long, 1820mm wide and 1438mm high, it rides on a 25mm-longer wheelbase (now 2865mm) and wider wheel tracks (up 19/48mm front/rear), liberating 35mm more knee-room and 13mm more headroom in the second row, plus 26mm more front shoulder-room and 22mm more front elbow-room.

The sedan’s boot capacity remains at 455 litres and, despite its bigger body, the new C-Class is just as slippery as before with an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.24Cd.

Highlights include a new four-link front axle and multi-link rear suspension, the first-in-class option of rear-wheel steering, AMG Line exterior package with bold new diamond grille with chromed star logo, two-piece tail-lights, new powered front sport seats and head restraints, and three optional new paint finishes – Spectral Blue, High-Tech Silver and Opalite White.

The new mid-size sedan will be produced in Bremen (Germany), Beijing (China) and East London (South Africa), replacing a model that found more than 2.5 million customers globally since 2014 (including almost 60,000 in Australia).

While the first C-Class was released in 1993, the model traces its history back to the Mercedes-Benz 190 of 1982. Since then, 10.5 million examples have been sold worldwide.

How much does the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan cost?
C 200 – $78,900
C 300 – $90,400
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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