This is the fourth generation of Mercedes’ smallest and most affordable saloon - an S-Class in miniature if you like, and a direct challenger to BMW’s dominant 3 Series and Audi’s popular A4.
Though in fact, this C-Class is less of a miniature of its limo big brother than the last, Mercedes anxious to vest the car with a visual character of its own that’s more dynamic and athletic. It’s a look intended to appeal to the more youthful driver who currently owns a BMW. But the older Mercedes loyalists have not been forgotten, which is why this car comes with two front grille styles.The grille opening is the same regardless of model, but three grille bars and a big three-pointed star planted among them - a look deliberately reminiscent of the company’s more sporting coupes and sports cars - signifies the more dynamic style aimed at the young at heart, the more traditional, busier-looking grille and three-pointed star gun-sight planted on the bonnet is aimed at older buyers.

Mercedes has changed its derivative naming stategy for the UK market and the gun-sight grille package comes with the SE and Elegance trim levels, while the coupe grille marks out your Sport. But never mind this Benz’s dress - what matters more is its technical heart. It has new suspension and steering designed to deliver the agility suggested by its more muscular look, a stiffer bodyshell (enhancing those dynamics as well as safety, performance and refinement), a sleeker silhouette through the air (its 0.27 Cd is best-in-class and one of the best, period) more cabin space, an infotainment system that’s quicker-witted and better able to understand your voice commands, improved phone connectivity (important for these owners) and an optional surround-sound stereo and DVD that will have you watching your favourite films out in the garage rather than the living room. An MP3 player with 1000-track storage is also available. Despite being bigger and carrying more equipment, it weighs broadly the same, model for model, as the old C Class.

Some things haven’t changed so much - the engine range is essentially the same, if usefully bolstered with more power and improved economy, the interior is classily sober if not as polished as those of some rivals (of which more later) and the overall look of the car is not a huge leap over the model it replaces, even if it is more muscular.

Does it do the job?

This time around, a major aim of Mercedes has been to make something a little sporting with the C-Class, and in its bigger-engined guises at least that mission has been accomplished. The driving position, being relatively low and unobstructed by the dashboard, encourages enthusiastic driving, and the energy of both the 320CDi diesel and the petrol 350 soon has you moving briskly down the road. And this car also changes direction with a verve that few C-Class owners will previously have experienced. This is especially true of Sport versions equipped with the Advanced Agility package, which not only provides adaptive, switchable shock absorbers but quicker-acting steering with more positive feel, a lower ride height and stiffer springs, all of these gluing you to the road below with greater conviction. The result is a swooping, confident way with bends that’s very enjoyable, especially in combination with the automatic transmission’s optional steering wheel mounted paddle shifts. Less impressive is the agitated bounce that breaks out over puckered Tarmac, but that, explains the C-Class’s product development boss, is why you can switch the shockers between Sport and Comfort. C-Class’s without these subtleties nevertheless benefit from electronically-controlled shock absorbers (non-switchable) that provide a decent blend of comfort and sportiness, though we suspect that Britain’s battered roads can will often have you feeling that you’ve been short-changed on the comfort side of the compromise. The less direct steering inevitably feels a bit lazier too.

The C350 gets Mercedes’ seven-speed auto as standard which changes ratios with mostly tremor-free efficiency, but the ‘box needs stirring with a deeply-plunged accelerator unless you’re in sport mode, in which case lower gears are selected more readily and hung onto for longer to spur slingshot performance. And the 272bhp 350i engine is not short of propulsion either, even if it sounds less at ease with itself at high revs than a BMW six.

The 320CDi summons surging bursts of acceleration still more impressive, but your right foot must dig deep to unleash them, and the transmission - a six-speeder in this case - often pauses before they’re delivered. Driven more sedately, this car surges along with a potent, docile authority that is very relaxing. Or it would be if it weren’t for the wind noise, which is Mercedes most disappointing feature.

Possibly not, if your lot is to ply the nation’s motorways. And that, after all, is what this car is mainly built for. Its problem, you see, is wind noise, the noise of gushing air apparent from as little as 60mph and rising to the point that at 85mph this quietly insistent background roar turns wearing. ‘It’s the door mirrors,’ explained an engineer with a smile, but without suggesting that Mercedes is working to fix the problem. It’s liveable with, but in a car of this class, sophistication and price this is an intrusion that you should not have to put up with. You don’t in a BMW 3 Series. Far less serious, but a mild disappointment nonetheless, is the finish of some aspects of the interior. The grain of the soft-touch dashboard and doors looks a little cheap, the obviously-moulded steering wheel looks decidedly so and many of the switches, though logically placed, look a little unsophisticated. You will quite genuinely find a better standard of finish in Ford’s S-Max, C-Max or new Mondeo, all three of these cars providing dashboard mouldings and steering wheels of greater quality.

On the plus side this new C provides more room (if not quite enough for rear seat knees) decent comfort, a mostly excellent infotainment system, a superb optional surround-sound stereo (which will drown the wind noise), pleasing instruments, effective air conditioning, high safety standards and an otherwise calming level of quiet. And it also promises to be exceptionally safe. There’s a seven-strong airbag count - the driver gets leg protection - ESP anti-skid control is standard as are whiplash-countering head restraints, while the Mercedes Pre-Safe system tensions the seatbelts, closes the windows and sunroof and repositions the electric front passenger seat, if necessary, just prior to an accident.

But that refinement flaw is serious, and slightly worsened (slightly) by three high-end engines (the petrol 350 and 280, the 320 CDi diesel) that sound a little strained and uncouth when pressed. And the six-speed auto ‘box that most of these versions will come with is sometimes sleepy and jerky too. So it’s a bit of a nearly car, this new Benz - nearly excellent in fact, but undermined by these obvious flaws. That’s a great shame, because it’s a more satisfying drive than the last C-Class, it’s better to sit in and more handsome too. Hopefully Mercedes can deal with the wind noise problem at the least - this car deserves it. But for the moment the 3 Series remains the more polished premium saloon, even it flaunts less sophisticated toys.

Specification

Make and model: Mercedes C-Class 320 CDi Sport
On sale: June 2007
Engine: 2987cc V6 turbodiesel
Power: 224bhp at 3800rpm
Torque: 376lb ft from 1600-2800rpm
Performance: 0-62mph 7.7 seconds, 155mph top speed
Fuel economy: 39.2mpg combined
CO2 emissions: 195g/km

A more complete car that’s livelier and much better to drive than its predecessor, particularly with the optional Advanced Agility suspension package. That’s an option, as is much of a particularly impressive roster of available equipment that includes a superb voice-controlled infotainment system and a surround-sound stereo. It’s mostly of higher quality too, the cabin more pleasant to sit in now, but serious wind noise and question marks over road noise significantly undermine this car’s luxury ambitions.

Source: Fifth Gear on FIVE

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