Mercedes-Benz C 200 2018 Review - International

Mercedes C-Class evolves

Cruising around in the updated 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is very relaxing… and well it should be. This mid-size luxury car ain't cheap, with prices ranging between $63,000 and $180,000.

You can read all about the specific changes and standard features coming to Aussie cars, which arrive here in August, via our 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class news story, but after driving the updated prestige car I reckon it'll cement its position as the top-dog in its class.

Slotting into the driver's chair for the first time, the leather seats are suitably supportive, with intuitive power adjustment controls on the doors. Although much of the interior décor is unchanged, there are two major new eye-catching features across all four body types — sedan, wagon, coupe and cabriolet.

The first is a fancy new steering wheel with elegant controls, doing away with plasticky buttons of the previous model and replacing that dowdy cruise control 'wand' of former models with intuitive toggle switches and buttons.

Peeking through the reshaped steering wheel is a classy new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that thrusts the car into the modern era.

The technology might be four years behind Audi's (admittedly better) virtual cockpit, and it doesn't have the ability to spread the navigation map across its entire length… nor does it have the sophisticated Google Earth mapping of the Audi.

But like a tax return, it's better late than never.

There's scope to customise what info is displayed across three segments of the screen, via the twin touch-pads on the steering wheel first seen on the E-Class.

Even though I've used them before, I found they take a bit of getting used to, because one controls the infotainment screen, the other the instrument cluster.

Even so, the new high-definition instrument screen and its cousin, a 10-inch widescreen infotainment display located in the middle of the dashboard, will be standard on all C-Class models coming to Australia.

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Looks can be deceiving

OK, so you may not be able to tell the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is crammed with new technology by looking it, with cosmetic changes limited to the front bumper and new LED elements inside the front and rear light clusters.

But the C-Class is now smarter than a neutrally-augmented clone of Neil Degrasse Tyson.

It borrows self-driving technology from the flagship S-Class (that costs triple the price!) to deliver an impressive semi-autonomous experience for almost a minute at a time.

It does so by steering, accelerating and braking by itself thanks to an increased number of sensors embedded in its skin. It will even change lanes by itself if you're feeling really lazy or don't want to head-check.

Like a nice cup of chamomile tea with a hint of honey, the new features make freeway driving a soothing affair.

But the best thing about the updated Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the entry-level C 200 – or rather its savvy new engine.

Fitted with a teeny-tiny 1.5-litre turbo-petrol donk and mild-hybrid system, it delivers a seamless, graceful driving experience – with your hands on or off the wheel.

While there's no arguing with the visceral awesomeness and driver involvement of the circa-$100,000 twin-turbo V6-powered C 43 AMG (more on that later), of the four C-Class models coming to Australia the surprise package is without doubt the cheapest C 200.

The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine features a twin-scroll turbocharger that brings ample thrust (135kW/280Nm) to the rear-drive prestige car at highway speeds.

But it's the 48-volt mild hybrid system with its (very) brief 10kW/160Nm of boost that makes the 1505kg car feel swift off the line, by adding a quick injection of acceleration until the turbocharger builds up steam.

In lower gears the hybrid system also fires in some extra herbs between gear shifts, which are managed capably by a nine-speed automatic in all models. One colleagues noted the shift between first and second was a bit rough but its was all smooth sailing for me.

The mild-hybrid boost is delivered via a Bosch-built integrated starter/alternator generator powered by a small 1kWh lithium-ion battery.

Neither has enough juice to propel the car in a pure EV mode, but the compact system not only boosts performance but helps reduce fuel consumption to a respectable 6.0L/100km, with CO2 emissions of 136g/km (claimed).

Given the nature of the driving on test – autobahns and challenging twisty roads – fuel economy as tested hovered just over 8L/100km.

The electric 'EQ Boost' only works at very low revs, so it won't give you a power boost when overtaking at 100km/h like meatier plug-in hybrid systems.

However, there's a neat 'gliding' function in which the engine switches off on mild downhill gradients to save petrol.

Regenerative braking and an incredibly smooth and seamless engine idle-stop system – one of the best I've ever sampled – also save fuel, the latter by turning off the engine when you're sitting at traffic lights, for example.

With a lot more punch than expected, this puny new 1.5-litre turbo may be smaller than the mechanical heart of a Toyota Corolla, yet it delivers an impressive blend of response, refinement and fuel economy.

For mine, it is the most impressive of the four models coming to Australia.

The low fuel consumption levels will help reduce running costs and although the muscular C 300 with its 190kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol delivers more mumbo, it's not a dramatic leap over the C 200.

Only the C 200 gets the clever EQ Boost mild-hybrid system at present, which means the Mercedes-Benz C 300 and C 220d diesel miss out on the new technology, as does the C 43 AMG.

The updated 2.0-litre turbo-diesel in the C 220d pumps out a bit more power (143kW/400Nm) but isn't as involving to drive as the petrol models, with lethargic throttle response.

However, it was the most frugal of the four models I tested, using 5.8L/100km. Claimed real-world consumption is just 4.1L/100km.

As diesel engines continue to decline in popularity, Mercedes-Benz Australia reckons the C 220d will account for just 10 per cent of sales, with the C 200 and C 300 the most wanted versions locally.

I get the distinct feeling that in the not-too-distant future all cars will come with mild-hybrid systems such as the one in the C 200 -- a small stepping stone on the automotive industry's transition toward electric powertrains, if you will.

But you know what? I'd love to see AMG slam two of these C 200 engines together and combine them with a more potent hybrid system to unleash a next-gen 3.0-litre twin-turbo eight-cylinder! Stranger things have happened, dear readers.

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Mercedes-Benz C-Class driving dynamics

The new Mercedes-Benz C 200 sedan is a pleasant car to drive and although dynamically it doesn't feel too different to its predecessor, with similar ride comfort, handling and road holding, it still hustles along nicely.

Ride quality is generally good, the multi-link independent front and rear suspension soaking up most lumps, holes and cracks in the road without allowing excessive body roll. All models are suitably quiet too, with tyre, engine and wind noise kept to a minimum.

As mentioned, throttle response in the C 200 is impressive, as is its handling ability, tracking through corners with notable composure. In the name of thorough testing, I can tell you from experience it indeed can reach 240km/h – and felt remarkably stable at that speed.

The 1555kg C 300 feels just that little bit more spritely when gunning the throttle and navigating corners, but the 1645kg C 220d isn't quite as dextrous. Despite the move to an aluminium engine block, it remains a fair bit heavier at the nose when tipping into corners.

Then there's the Mercedes-AMG C 43, whose suspension has been given an overhaul, as has the rear-end design, with a new diffuser and four circular exhaust outlets replacing the outgoing model’s trapezoidal jobbies.

On a sinuously snaking ribbon of road, the C 43 AMG begs you to go faster and, when you do, it rewards you with progressive grip and raz-tastic speed. While all Australian-delivered C-Class vehicles will be rear-drive, the C 43 models are all-wheel drive with a torque split of 31/69 front/rear, giving them a kung-fu grip of the road.

At 1690kg, the C 43 sedan is a lot heavier than its rear-drive siblings and you feel its extra mass under brakes, but its ability to carve through German foot hills like a hot knife through butter is undisputed.

It just hunkers down and slingshots out of bends with predatory purpose.

Indeed, it's so potent I almost wonder if a C 63 is necessary? Thanks to the fitment of larger turbochargers that increase boost to 1.1bar, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 now pumps out 17kW more power (287kW/520Nm) and rips to 100km/h in 4.7sec. It feels every bit that fast from standstill, pushing torsos into the slick AMG sports seats.

There's also a soundtrack to match. This side of a supercharged Jaguar F-TYPE or Alfa Giulia QV, the C 43 is one of the best sounding V6s money can buy.

Gravelly exhaust acoustics, complete with rifle-cracks between full-throttle gearshifts and guttural burbles on the overrun, make every drive glorious. The rowdy exhaust theatrics are like the crisp toffee topping on a crème brulee – making something already tasty even more delicious.

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The good, the bad, the ugly

Initial impressions of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class are very favourable. The standard feature list has been expanded and the C 43 will come with wireless phone charging, which will become optional on other models and after the August 2018 launch in Australia.

The Mercedes Me app will be launched in April 2019. This can do things like notify owners if their car has been dinged by another vehicle when parked or – perish the thought – even stolen.

But there are still a few bugbears to report.

Firstly, there's no touch-screen interface for the infotainment system. Benz is still resisting the switch to a touch-screen system but it will succumb… give it time.

The column shifter is also an ugly, dated relic that has no place in a premium car that otherwise feels so well resolved. The gear shifter should be an elegant piece of technical sculpture, not a black plastic baton that looks about 20 years old.

There's also the potential for mistaking it for the indicator and switching it to neutral, which can result in extreme revs, no drive and added stress – or worse.

The C-Class already outsells the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 by a substantial margin, even if it could be argued the current model is probably the least exciting of the German trio.

But the upgraded 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class brings a lot more technology, most of which will be standard in Australia, and that alone will ensure the car's continued dominance in the segment.

How much is the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 200 sedan?
Price: $63,000 (estimated)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/280Nm (EQ Boost 10kW/160Nm)
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (WLTP)
CO2: 136g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP