- Overview
- Technical Specifications
- General Information
- Location
The best thing about the new 2016 C-class is that it's a Mercedes-Benz. We don't mean to say that the last C-class wasn't a Benz; of course it was. It was built in a Benz factory, wore Benz logos, and was sold in Benz dealerships to people who think ballcaps with Benz logos are the bee’s knees...
But Benzness wasn't its foremost business, as it had to conquest buyers from BMW, Audi, and the like while also serving as a price-leading entry point to the brand in the U.S. These goals aren’t wholly incompatible, but they’re close, and the result was a car that never felt as gratifying or as luxurious as a Mercedes ought to. The smaller CLA-class is now a thing, however, and it can absorb the slings and arrows flung at a Benz built to please a spreadsheet.
The new C thus has moved up and moved on; one needs only to sit inside for proof. Prices for the new W205 have risen versus those for the outgoing W204, but the extra bucks were put back into the car in the form of additional standard equipment, new engines and gadgetry, and a stunning interior. This is a mini S-class inside, with far richer materials than before, avant-garde design, and technology that enhances the experience. Hell, the C-class uses the S’s power seat and window switches, and it even offers that car’s perfume sprayer as an option. The detailing is superb; as one example, the outside of the spherical vents carries a piano-black finish that you see only when they’re turned. The interior is better than anything in the segment right now—your move, Audi.
The richness of the cabin carries over to the driving experience. The C still aims to pick off 3-series and A4 buyers by the bushel, but it’s finally comfortable in its own (S-class–derived) skin, being a luxury car first and a sports sedan second. We drove C300 4MATICs—a rear-drive version of this model arrives early next year—with both the optional Airmatic adjustable air springs and without. We came to prefer the well-calibrated steel suspension, at least on the smooth roads of our test route outside of Seattle, as it offers a cushy ride yet is still firm enough to facilitate the occasional strafing run. (Our test examples were outfitted in Sport trim, which means a stiffer, lowered suspension. The C300 Luxury has a softer setup.)
The air suspension’s exclusive Sport+ setting tries to beat bumps into submission, while Comfort is too squishy, allowing for some head toss on heaving pavement and uncomfortable rear-end squirming under hard braking. The Sport mode delivers the same delicate balance of suppleness and capable handling as the steel setup, and it’s the setting in which we’d leave the suspension. Given that, we’d skip Airmatic and save some loot. Even without the air springs, you still can adjust the steering, transmission, and throttle through Eco, Comfort, and Sport settings using the standard Agility Select switch. While Agility Select sort of sounds like an energy drink by Löwenbräu, its preset modes are well delineated and you can mix and match any of the various parameters via the Individual program.
The C-class’s steering is weighty, direct, and accurate, and it prefers to communicate similarly to E- and S-class steering, meaning it speaks quietly until spoken to, coming alive only when you near the car’s limits. It’s a good partner for both sedate cruising and back-road runs. The brakes never call attention to themselves for good or bad, but they also never failed to deliver ample stopping power even as we snaked down the winding roads near Mount Rainier. The new C is a little longer and wider than the old one, but Mercedes claims a weight loss of up to 200 pounds due to a dense mix of aluminum and high-strength steel in the body shell. It certainly feels stiff from behind the wheel, with nary a squeak, rattle, or shimmy detected during several hours of driving.
The C300 is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 241 horsepower and a stout 273 lb-ft of torque. It delivers its output smoothly and without much whining, although it’s not the punchiest accelerative experience even with the throttle sensitivity set to Sport or Sport+. The seven-speed automatic never once tripped over itself or delivered the wrong gear, and it engages its ratios quickly and surreptitiously. The powertrain’s biggest demerit is the slightly rough re-ignition of the engine when the standard stop-start system engages. The four-cylinder will be plenty for most buyers, but the C400 4MATIC and its 329-hp twin-turbo V-6 is also available. Starting about a year from now, the lineup will expand to please eco-nerds and hooligans alike, with a plug-in hybrid, a diesel, and a burly AMG version all in the pipeline to America.
mong the Alabama-built C’s new technologies is Mercedes-Benz’s latest telematics setup, including a standard, smartphone-like touchpad that beetles over the familiar COMAND knob. The pad offers haptic feedback and new functionality like swiping through menus, the ability to enter data by writing letters with your fingertip, and pinching and zooming the navigation map. It also has a handy row of three “buttons” along its trailing edge that serve as shortcuts to the home screen, a pop-up audio menu, and a customizable carousel of favorite apps and functions that you can then swipe through. We found it to be very intuitive and responsive, but for those uncomfortable with The Future, the COMAND knob works just as it has in Benzes past. If that’s still too much, you might consider a used 190E.
In addition to the touchpad and Agility Select, the basic $41,325 C300 4MATIC has dual-zone auto climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, keyless ignition, rain-sensing wipers, power folding mirrors, USB connectivity with support for iOS and Android phones, 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, and a seven-inch center-stack screen. It also packs driver-assistance technologies such as the Attention Assist driver-drowsiness monitor, Pre-Safe collision preparation, and Collision Prevention Assist Plus, which can autonomously brake the car in the case of driver inaction (from speeds up to 124 mph) when the car in front is moving or slowing down, brake the car fully in response to stopped cars (at speeds up to 31 mph), and prevent rear-end bang-ups (up to 25 mph). As you’d expect of any luxury car, you can load up the new C with a pile of equipment. Check out our pricing story for all the detailed options info you can handle.
Yes, the C-class has always been a Mercedes-Benz. But this stylish, satisfying, and confident new model means the car is now a Benz in terms of desirability and prestige, too.
Overview |
Starting MSRP
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Engine Type | Gas |
Transmission | 7-speed shiftable automatic |
Drive Type | Rear wheel drive |
Cylinders | Inline 4 |
Total Seating | 5 |
Basic Warranty | 4 yr./ 50,000 mi. |
Fuel & MPG | |
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Fuel type | Premium unleaded (required) |
EPA city/highway MPG | 25/34 MPG |
EPA combined MPG | 28 MPG |
Range in miles (city/hwy) | 450.0/612.0 mi. |
Fuel tank capacity | 18.0 gal. |
Engine | |
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Base engine size | 2.0 L |
Cylinders | Inline 4 |
Base engine type | Gas |
Horsepower | 241 hp @ 5,550 rpm |
Torque | 273 lb-ft @ 1,300 rpm |
Valves | 16 |
Cam type | Double overhead cam (DOHC) |
Valve timing | Variable |
Direct injection | yes |
Drivetrain | |
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Transmission | 7-speed shiftable automatic |
Drive type | Rear wheel drive |
Suspension | |
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Four-wheel independent suspension | yes |
Front and rear stabilizer bar | yes |
Dimensions | |
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Length | 184.5 in. |
Overall width with mirrors | 79.5 in. |
Overall width without mirrors | 71.3 in. |
Height | 56.8 in. |
Wheelbase | 111.8 in. |
Cargo capacity, all seats in place | 12.6 cu.ft. |
Turning circle | 36.8 ft. |
Curb weight | 3,417 lbs. |
Colors | |
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Exterior Colors |
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Interior Colors |
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Front Seat Dimensions | |
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Front head room | 37.1 in. |
Front leg room | 41.7 in. |
Leatherette | yes |
Bucket front seats | yes |
10-way power driver seat | yes |
Height adjustable driver seat | yes |
Driver seat with power adjustable lumbar support | yes |
4-way manual passenger seat adjustment | yes |
Rear Seat Dimensions | |
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Rear head room | 37.1 in. |
Rear leg room | 35.2 in. |
Split-folding rear seatback | yes |
Safety | |
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Pre-collision safety system | yes |
Dual front side-mounted airbags | yes |
Front and rear head airbags | yes |
Passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation | yes |
Stability control | yes |
Traction control | yes |
Child seat anchors | yes |
Rear door child safety locks | yes |
4-wheel ABS | yes |
Brake drying | yes |
Front and rear ventilated disc brakes | yes |
Emergency braking preparation | yes |
Emergency braking assist | yes |
Tire pressure monitoring | yes |
Dusk sensing headlamps | yes |
Auto delay off headlamps | yes |
Daytime running lights | yes |
Turn signal mirrors | yes |
2 front headrests | yes |
3 rear headrests | yes |
Rear height adjustable headrests | yes |
Rear center 3-point belt | yes |
Remote anti-theft alarm system | yes |
Engine immobilizer | yes |
In-Car Entertainment | |
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AM/FM stereo | yes |
2 subwoofer(s) | yes |
USB connection | yes |
Auxiliary audio input and USB with external media control | yes |
Memory card slot | yes |
Speed sensitive volume control | yes |
Power Feature | |
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4 one-touch power windows | yes |
Hands-free entry | yes |
Heated mirrors | yes |
Comfort & Convenience | |
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Keyless ignition | yes |
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel | yes |
Transmission, cruise and audio controls on steering wheel | yes |
Electric power steering | yes |
Cruise control | yes |
Universal remote transmitter (for garage door, security system, etc.) | yes |
Front and rear cupholders | yes |
Front and rear door pockets | yes |
Front seatback storage | yes |
Leather steering wheel | yes |
Dual zone front climate control | yes |
Rear ventilation ducts | yes |
Interior air filtration | yes |
Dual illuminating vanity mirrors | yes |
Electrochromatic inside rearview mirror | yes |
Turn signal in mirrors | yes |
Instrumentation | |
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Trip computer | yes |
External temperature display | yes |
Tachometer | yes |
Clock | yes |
Tires & Wheels | |
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Alloy wheels | yes |
18 x 8.5 in. wheels | yes |
All season tires | yes |
245/35R18 tires | yes |
Telematics | |
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Emergency Service | yes |
Airbag Deployment Notification | yes |
Vehicle Alarm notification | yes |
Stolen Vehicle Tracking/Assistance | yes |
Roadside Assistance | yes |
Concierge Service | yes |
Destination guidance (also Turn-by-Turn Navigation) | yes |
Destination Download |
Engine and Transmission
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Engine2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
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Horsepower241 hp @ 5550 rpm
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Torque273 lb-ft @ 1300 rpm
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Transmission7-Speed Automatic
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DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Steering
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Steering TypeRack-Pinion
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Turning Diameter36.8 ft
Wheels
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Wheels TypeAluminum Wheels
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Front Wheel Size17" x 7"
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Rear Wheel Size17" x 7"
Suspension
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Front SuspensionStrut
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Rear SuspensionMulti-Link
Tires
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Front TireP225/45HR17
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Rear TireP245/40HR17
Fuel and MPG
Fuel Economy
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Combined27 MPG
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City24 MPG
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Highway31 MPG
Fuel Tank
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Fuel Tank Capacity18 gallons
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Cruising Range City432 miles
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Cruising Range Highway558 miles
Emissions
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CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year6.6 (Est) Tons/yr
Dimensions and Measurement
Exterior Dimensions
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Length184.5 in
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Height56.8 in
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Max Width71.3 in
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Front Width61.6 in
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Rear Width60.8 in
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Wheelbase111.8 in
Interior Space
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Seating Capacity5 seater
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Front Seat Leg Room41.7 in
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Front Seat Headroom37.1 in
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Rear Seat Leg Room35.2 in
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Rear Seat Headroom37.1 in
Weight and Towing
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Curb Weight3,594 lbs
Cargo Space
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Trunk Volume12.6 ft³
Colors and Materials
Standard Exterior Colors
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Black
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Polar White
Optional Exterior Colors
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Dakota Brown Metallic
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Diamond Silver Metallic
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Diamond White Metallic
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Iridium Silver Metallic
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Lunar Blue Metallic
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Obsidian Black Metallic
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Palladium Silver Metallic
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Steel Gray Metallic
Standard Interior Materials
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Black, Leather Upholstery
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Black, MB-Tex Upholstery
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Crystal Gray, MB-Tex Upholstery
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Crystal Grey, Leather Upholstery
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Silk Beige, Leather Upholstery
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Silk Beige, MB-Tex Upholstery
Features and Options
Infotainment
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HD RadioStandard
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Bluetooth ConnectionStandard
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Hard Disk Drive Media StorageOptional
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Premium Sound SystemOptional
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Satellite RadioOptional
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Smart Device IntegrationStandard
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WiFi HotspotNot Available
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Auxiliary Audio InputStandard
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Entertainment SystemNot Available
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MP3 PlayerStandard
Interior Trim
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Bucket SeatsStandard
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Cloth SeatsNot Available
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Leather SeatsStandard
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Leather Steering WheelStandard
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Premium Synthetic SeatsStandard
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Vinyl SeatsNot Available
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Woodgrain Interior TrimOptional
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Sun/MoonroofOptional
Comfort
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Head-Up DisplayOptional
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Navigation SystemOptional
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Steering Wheel Audio ControlsStandard
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Power LiftgateOptional
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Power Mirror(s)Standard
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A/CStandard
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Adaptive Cruise ControlOptional
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Automatic ParkingOptional
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Climate ControlStandard
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Cooled Front Seat(s)Optional
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Cooled Rear Seat(s)Not Available
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Cruise ControlStandard
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Hands-Free LiftgateOptional
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Heated Front Seat(s)Optional
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Heated Rear Seat(s)Not Available
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Heated Steering WheelNot Available
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Keyless EntryStandard
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Multi-Zone A/CStandard
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Power Driver SeatStandard
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Power Passenger SeatStandard
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Remote Engine StartNot Available
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Remote Trunk ReleaseOptional
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Seat MemoryStandard
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Universal Garage Door OpenerStandard
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Seat-MassageNot Available
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Rear A/CNot Available
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Keyless StartStandard
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Navigation from TelematicsNot Available
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TelematicsStandard