Being that this is the first modern Mercedes product that I’ve driven, I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of this car. I’ve always been curious about the C class and how it stacked up to other entry level rivals like the BMW 3 Series, Tesla Model 3, and the Audi A4. When you think of a Mercedes, you think of smooth ride quality, good performance, and a nice balance between comfort and handling. Does the C class hit those key strengths that other Mercedes models are known for? Find out below in my written review.
The first thing I noticed about the C class was the very light steering response. You feel like you can steer the car with your pinky. The car feels very easy to turn and maneuver through parking lots and tight spaces. It’s not quite as solid or substantial as something like a 3 Series, a GTI, or a Tesla Model 3, but the steering does give off the impression that you’re driving something a little more expensive than your average mainstream family sedan. The initial turn in feels well matched to the steering weight as well. Some cars with light steering feel a little jerky and overly quick to respond, but the C class’s initial turn in is tailored back a little to feel more predictable and natural. It has a very linear steering rack, and the precision that you’d expect from a German luxury car is definitely there. The steering also weights up nicely at higher speeds. You don’t get any road feel, but I wasn’t expecting much of any considering that Mercedes models outside of the AMG nameplate tend to be more comfort oriented. The steering also retains a nice pull towards center while you’re cornering, and I was surprised at the fact that you hardly have to straighten the wheel out yourself when exiting a corner. It always goes straight back to it’s exact center position.
Another thing you notice about the C300 is that it feels very refined no matter what speed you’re going. It feels unmistakably German in how it glides down the road with confidence and composure. 60 miles an hour feels more like 50, and 70 miles an hour feels more like 60. You always feel like you’re going a tick slower than you actually are, which is a sign of a vehicle with assured handling and chassis dynamics. The C300 also feels light out on the road, and it’s very easy to maintain a constant speed in this car without having to use cruise control.
The 9-speed automatic transmission in the C300 feels good. When you think of 9-speeds on the market, the words slow and jerky come to mind. However, the C300’s 9-speed has none of that. It surprisingly feels like a dual clutch, in that it bangs out all the right gears and it shifts pretty fast. Like most automatics, there is a slight delay when requesting passing power, however this transmission is quick to snap into action and get you that crisp passing gear within a reasonable time frame. Under normal acceleration, the transmission spaces out the gears well, although I will say that it feels a little tailored back for my liking. It tends to shift a little early before the power band hits, even in sport+ mode, but it’s not by any means terrible. It’s still an intuitive, predictable, responsive automatic.
The 2.0 turbo engine in the C300 makes 255 horsepower and 273 lb. ft. of torque. It’s a nice, peppy engine that provides you with an adequate amount of power. It’s obviously not an AMG, but for the base C300 I think it works well. I thought that the sound of the 4 cylinder in a Mercedes might have sounded a little out of place before I drove this car, but the engine surprisingly has an aggressive throaty growl to it. You hear “just enough” off the engine, and it never sounds like it’s working too hard or struggling to give you power. It’s pretty easy to perform passing maneuvers and pull out into fast moving traffic. The torque comes on early in the rev range as well. There is a split second delay when beginning to accelerate before the revs go up, which I attribute to turbo lag, but for the most part this engine has a pretty linear torque curve. I was able to beat people stopped next to me at red lights without any fuss at all.
The handling of the C300 has a slight amount of body lean and suspension flex, but the wheels grip the road nicely. I’ll admit, I was expecting the handling of this car to be slightly better than it turned out to be. It definitely feels a little entry level and not quite as grippy or confidence inspiring as some of the more expensive Mercedes models would be. It does, however, feel good at higher speeds. Everything feels pretty flat, stable, and composed on the highway. I wouldn’t want to take a C300 on a track, but it feels solid in your typical suburban driving environments with lighter corners. For normal around town driving, the handling feels pretty precise. You can corner harder than you would in a normal family sedan, which I think is good enough for the price point of this vehicle. I wouldn’t call the C300 “nimble” like a 3 series, but it feels decently solid and buttoned down. The steering provides you with great smoothness and refinement around corners, and you can hustle this car around a little if you want to.
You do feel some bumps now and then in the ride quality, but most imperfections are sorted out well. Much like the handling, the ride just feels a little bit entry level. Definitely smoother than something like an Accord or a Camry, but I also think that the ride quality matches up with the C300’s entry level status. It’s good, but it’s not the same type of floaty, cloud-like experience you’d get in an S class.
The C300 is about average for the class in terms of road noise. You can definitely hear the type of pavement surface you’re driving over and you hear some tire noise. Not bad though, about the same as the F30 3 series. It’s not as quiet as an S class, but it’s quieter than a Camry and a Corolla.
As for the pedal responsiveness, the accelerator feels decently stiff, the angle of the floor-hinged pedal matches up well with your foot, and response starts happening at the beginning of the pedal travel. The accelerator itself has somewhat of a long travel, but you rarely have to go that deep into it to get the revs up and feel some of the power that the 2.0 turbo has to offer. The brake pedal surprisingly feels a little chattery, and I think the bite could be just a tad bit more defined. The brakes kick in nicely near the beginning of the pedal travel, and the pedal resistance is stiff, but the brakes also feel just a little bit spongy and not quite as defined as what you’d get in the comparable BMW 3 Series.
Visibility in the C300 is good. Like most modern cars, the front hood is a little wavy from the driver’s seat, but it slopes down nicely and you don’t really notice it while you’re driving. You get a tall windshield, big side mirrors, and nice open and airy sight lines out of the back window. The pillars are pretty thin as well. The C300’s size from behind the wheel feels right in line with how the exterior dimensions look. My only gripe was that the B pillar was on the thicker side, slightly obstructing your blind spot, but it wasn’t a huge deal.
Seat comfort is very nice. You have a huge range of adjustability with these seats, and they feel very supportive. The leather has a nice blend of softness and hardness. I also really liked the power thigh extension, I don’t know why more automakers don’t include that feature. As for the sound quality from the speakers, I am a little disappointed to report that the speakers sound quite tinny for a luxury car. Possibly something was off in the sound settings, but I wasn’t a fan of the speaker quality. I also found that the infotainment was a little challenging to navigate and required somewhat of a learning curve to get used to it.
Overall, the C class performs well. It’s a nice, solid feeling German car. However, it’s just a little bit tame for my liking. If I had to choose between the C class and the 3 Series, I would probably get the 3 series. I think the BMW just has more balance in the ride comfort and the handling capabilities. The C class is good, but it looses some points on the sportiness quotient, and the ride quality is definitely no S class. The C class has a stigma of being the “cheaper” Mercedes model, and it kind of feels like you’re driving a dumbed down version of an E class. While the C class performs well, I was just kind of hoping that it would feel a little more special. Overall though, I’d think this would make a great little sport sedan for someone who cares more about the exterior styling, the interior features, and the overall “bling” that comes with owning a Mercedes. If outright sportiness isn’t quite your thing, definitely check out the C300 for yourself.