It’s not all-new, as the marketing speak goes, but Mercedes-Benz’s facelift of its evergreen C-Class range brings some welcome updates to South Africa’s most popular executive sedan. BERNIE HELLBERG looks at what’s new.
The importance of the C-Class range in the overall Mercedes-Benz portfolio cannot be overstated. Not only is the popular executive sedan and its coupé sibling a brand ambassador for Merc in this country, but the East-London plant – where C-Class is built for both local and overseas markets – keeps the local Stuttgartian subsidiary viable in Africa’s most industrialised nation.
Sustaining the C-Class’ popularity in a tight market means keeping it up to date with Merc’s global standards, and keeping it ahead of the competition, technically speaking. To achieve this, Mercedes has introduced a number of significant enhancements, mostly inside the cabin.
SLEEKER FRONT AND BACK
To appreciate the scale of improvements to the C-Class interior, one has first to consider what minor changes were brought to the C-Class exterior.
Most significant of these changes are found in the revised head- and taillight designs across the range. Improvements not only to the daytime running light design, but also to the variety of headlight options now available to buyers.
High-performance LED headlights are now standard across the range, but can be specced to include Multibeam LED units that sport Merc’s Active Highbeam Assist technology, which illuminates as far as 600 metres ahead of the vehicle.
There are also some changes to the grille options – the diamond grille design is now standard on all coupé models, for instance – and bumpers now reflect different designs for different levels of trim.
ENGINES & PERFORMANCE
While exterior changes might be subtle, there’s nothing understated about the improvements to the C-Class interior, and engine line-up.
Most significant to note here would be the mid-range C200 with its brand new 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo powerplant. Beyond the entry-level C180, the new C200 engine is a smooth runner that punches above its weight, literally, producing 20 kW more power (135 kW in total) than it’s entry stablemate does at 115 kW, and 30 Nm more torque as well, thanks to the added turbocharging and a 48-volt electric assistance system – a first in the Mercedes line-up.
To fully appreciate the boost given by this system, consider that it adds at least 10 kW of usable power that doesn’t have to generate by the relatively small capacity petrol engine.
And to work around the potential problem of engine noise, vibration and harshness that often spoils the party in higher-revving small turbos, Mercedes has added a smooth new nine-speed automatic gearbox, which is also introduced across the C-Class range.
The C-Class line-up is rounded off by the tried and tested 2.0-litre (180 W and 370 Nm) available in the C300 sedan and coupé, with the only remaining turbodiesel option being the C220d with its 2.0-litre oil-burner that generates 143 kW and a punchy 400 Nm of torque.
As range halo model, the Mercedes-AMG C43 remains the most powerful and enthralling option in the line-up, at least for now, and is augmented by an additional 17 kW of power for a total of 287 kW and 520 Nm. It’s a proper performance beast!
IMPROVED C-CLASS INTERIOR
It would be safe to say that Mercedes-Benz has all but replaced the C-Class interior with an entirely new one. The transformation is from the ground up, with over 6,000 part changes claimed by the manufacturer.
Most of these upgrades are mostly under the skin though, where the proliferation of next-generation electronics systems determine what the tangible changes are that we experience inside the cabin itself. For the updated C-Class range this means new digital screen options, a new steering wheel design which closely resembles the wheel found in the bigger E-Class, and enhanced safety and autonomous capability which Mercedes claims is up to S-Class standard.
Admittedly an option (and not a cheap one), the technology highlight for us is the addition of a digital instrument cluster with a 10.25” central display similar to the set-up available in both the E-Class and S-Class derivatives.
The screens (yes there are two of them) respond individually to inputs from either the COMAND system, or from the new touch-sensitive thumb pads on the C-Class’ new steering wheel.
Speaking of steering wheels, Mercedes have at last done away with the old-style stalk cruise control activator – DISTRONIC PLUS is now commanded directly from the wheel too.
Apple CarPlay is standard on all C-Class models, although the COMAND system has been upgraded to appear and act more like a smartphone interface. Having used both systems extensively during our launch drive, we can report a significant improvement in overall functionality and user-friendliness.
LAST WORD
Overall, the C-Class doesn’t disappoint both inside and out. Although we did not get the opportunity to test the new engine of the C200 – we will reserve judgement until we’ve had a chance to conduct a more thorough road test – the updates and changes to the C43 and C300 which we did sample on launch, mostly confirmed that the improvements are more than just skin deep.
The C-Class has been plagued by criticism that it lacks the premium feel of other (read more expensive) Mercs, but this seems to be a thing of the past – at least from what we could gather with limited time at our disposal during the launch drive. This is particularly true in the cabin where most materials both look and feel more upmarket and solid, qualities that were not always apparent in previous models, especially as they get older.
The question then remains; has Mercedes-Benz done enough to maintain the C-Class’ status as premium executive sedan range numero uno? Considering the extent of the upgrades we believe that the C-Class still has some years left in it, which is a tough ask, especially so in the face of upcoming modernisations to related ranges from both BMW and Audi.
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG | Images © MERCEDES-BENZ SOUTH AFRICA
