2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Review

PROS
Serene ride, Buttery transmission, High-brow interior materials

CONS
Tight door openings, Difficult control layout

There's money to be made selling luxury cars, lots of money. Higher prices generally mean more profit, and that's why just about every automaker, including Hyundai, is moving upmarket with each new model. But selling high-profit luxury models also means low volume and more exposure to economic downturns in a fickle marketplace.

One way for luxury automakers to counteract the high-profit/low-volume trap is to offer a value-priced high-volume model. At Mercedes-Benz that model is the C-Class. Long known as the Baby Benz, the C-Class competes with compact-to-midsize luxury sedans like the Acura TL, Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Cadillac CTS, Jaguar X-Type, Lexus IS, Lincoln LS, Saab 9-3, and Volvo S40. It is the best-selling model in the Mercedes lineup.

For 2008 C-Class is completely redesigned. Though interior dimensions are virtually unchanged, wheelbase and width grow nearly two inches and overall length shrinks four inches. Exterior and interior styling are completely new as well.

For now, C-Class comes as a five-passenger, four-door sedan. However, it's likely a wagon version will be offered in the future. Four models are offered: C300 Luxury, C300 Sport, C350 Sport, and the limited-edition C63 AMG. C300 models are powered by a 228-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6. C350s get a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. The C63 AMG has a 451-horsepower, 4.7-liter V8. C300 Sport comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Optional on that model and standard on all others is a 7-speed automatic with separate shift-gate for manual operation. All models come with rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional on C300s.

Standard safety features include antilock brakes, brake assist, stability control, tire-pressure monitor, and front, front-side airbags, and curtain-side airbags. Park assist and a back-up camera are not offered.

C300 models come with dual-zone automatic climate control, tilt-telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, cruise control, vinyl upholstery, eight-way power front bucket seats, center console, aluminum interior trim (Sport), wood interior trim (Luxury), heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, sunroof, AM/FM/weatherband/CD/MP3 player, digital-media player connection, satellite radio, Bluetooth cell-phone link, automatic headlights, theft-deterrent system, front and rear fog lights, automatic adjustable suspension, sport suspension (Sport), 225/45HR17 front and 245/40HR17 rear tires (Sport), 225/45HR17 tires (Luxury), and alloy wheels.

C350 adds heated front seats, wood interior trim, automatic day/night driver-side and rearview mirrors, universal garage door opener, and rain-sensing wipers. The mid-April-arriving C63 AMG adds the hand-built engine, up-rated suspension, tires, and brakes, unique seats and interior badging, AMG race timer, and aero package.

Prices start at $31,000 for the C300 Sport and climb to $53,800 C63 AMG. All C-Class models have a destination charge of $825 and are assembled in Germany.

Get Up and Go
Mercedes-Benz quotes a 0-60 mph time of 7.1 seconds for the automatic-equipped C300. Based on seat-of-the-pants impressions, that time seems reasonable and is well within the class norm. Sill, the C300 is no fireball thanks to a throttle that requires a stiff prod before it calls for more acceleration and a transmission that quickly upshifts into higher gears to help fuel economy.

The engine itself is incredibly smooth and willingly revs up to redline. The automatic transmission is even smoother, likely the smoothest-shifting automatic in the class and one of the best in the world.

C300 with automatic is EPA rated at 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway and requires premium-grade fuel. In an equal mix of city and highway driving you should expect to average about 18 mpg. In straight highway driving it's easy to net 24 mpg.

On the Road
Perhaps the biggest improvement between the previous-generation C-Class and the 2008 model is in ride quality. On bumpy roads, the '07 model plodded along, bounding over bumps and expansion joints, not knowing if it was a sport sedan or a luxury car.

On those same roads, the new model simply glides along, the suspension effortlessly absorbing impacts and transmitting little vibration to passengers. Luxury models ride with the most smoothness, but even Sports, with their lower-profile tires, ride with more comfort than ever expected.

Amazingly the C-Class also drives like a sports sedan. Steering is responsive and has great road feel, tires have ample grip, body lean is kept in check in all but the most dramatic lane changes, and brakes have ample stopping power.

Overall, the C-Class is neither as nimble as a BMW 3-Series nor as smooth riding as a Lexus ES. Yet it offers the rare combination of an extremely comfortable ride and a nimble and responsive chassis. Buyers looking for more athletic moves from a car with the three-pointed star on the hood might want to consider the C63 AMG.

Compared to most other sedans, the C-Class is bank-vault quiet. Wind rush is modest and the engines are virtually silent when cruising. Occasionally, tire roar will intrude on coarse concrete surfaces. One note, the C63 AMG is likely to have considerably more road noise.

Behind the Wheel
The interior of the new C-Class is at once classy, elegant, and modern. Materials are well above the class norm--highlighted by chrome surrounds on knobs and buttons and real wood accents.

Analog gauges are easy to read and feature digital display inserts for ancillary information--a unique trend among luxury cars that helps drivers maintain focus when driving. Though positioned low on the center stack, climate controls consist of simple buttons and handy temperature dials. Mercedes also gets points for locating the window, lock, and mirror buttons in a vertical position on the driver's armrest. They are easily the most conveniently placed controls of their kind.

On the negative side, radio presets are small and a long reach. Its display sits behind a sliding door that seems gimmicky and doesn't save any space on the dash top. The jog dial that controls the navigation system isn't intuitive in operation. Also the cruise control stalk and turn signal are too close together, and this relationship leads to accidental activation of the cruise control.

Front seats are supportive and comfortable. Leg and head room are abundant. Drivers should have no problem getting comfortable behind the standard tilt-telescope steering wheel, and outward visibility is excellent thanks to thin roof pillars.

Rear-seat passengers are treated to comfortable seats. The cushion seems a low, but only long-legged adults will have any complaints. Head room is good and leg room adequate as long as the front seats aren't positioned all the way back. C-Class isn't wide enough to sit three adults abreast comfortably.

Both front and rear door openings are narrow and require a somewhat awkward twist when getting in and out. This is especially troublesome for drivers who must slide around the steering wheel as well.

C-Class' trunk is very deep and one of the largest in the class. Split-folding rear seatbacks are optional, which is puzzling given the price tag. Interior storage is simply adequate, highlighted by a deep glove box.

Bottom Line
The new C-Class is a huge improvement over the model it replaces. It has also carved out a niche at the top of the compact-luxury class in terms of overall refinement, features, and safety. Pure performance is left to the limited-edition C63 AMG as the other models blend enough performance with sumptuous luxury and a creamy-but-controlled ride.

As you'd expect, the C-Class is far from the least expensive model in the class. On paper, the Mercedes costs thousands more than comparable models from Acura, Lincoln, and Saab. Still, the pricing is on par with European cohort BMW 3-Series and well within the budget for fiscally responsible luxury-minded shoppers. Add in the C-Class' positives and Mercedes' stellar resale value and you've got a compelling compact-luxury sedan.