nick776

My dealer got in their "demo" today. I was the first customer to test drive it. Sadly, I forgot my phone so I did not take pictures. The outside of the cars looks (to me at least) a bit smaller in person than in pictures. Perhaps that is simply because I had built up in my mind that it was a "bigger" car than the outgoing model. It seemed "smaller" in a VERY good way, though. The interior, however, did not seem small at all. It felt more roomy--just right. My son rode in the back seat during the test drive (he is 7) and he seemed to have more than ample room.

The car I drove did not have either the sport package or the luxury package. Regrettably, I did not get to test the sport suspension since that was the case. It was a base car with premium package and panorama roof only. The Burmester audio system sounded good BUT my album art DID NOT sync from my iPhone when I streamed via. Bluetooth. Some have said on this board that album art does show, but mine did not.

My only "gripe" is the cover over the center cup holder. That has not been discussed very much on this board. It felt very flimsy, cheap and plasticky. It was a definite downer for me considering the overall quality of the car. Perhaps if it were more weighted, etc. it would not have seemed that way. I almost fear it will break very easily, either with too much force or wear and tear.

Other than that, I'm glad I have one on order. Mine is fully loaded with everything but AirMatic, so what I drove isn't exactly what I have coming.

MDMercedesGuy

I just sat in one at my dealer - I did not have time to drive. It's quite nice, and has more legroom than my 204.

I found that the center console cut into my knee space a bit more than I would have liked, and the infotainment screen should be angled toward the driver a bit more. Other than those small gripes, it's a fabulous car at first look.

c400benz

how tall are you?

utsenmo

just messing with you. how did the bluetooth stream from your iphone if you forgot your phone and took no picture. or was that an excuse for keeping the beauty to yourself? :P

how was the handling? was it good? was it?

nick776

Typo--it was salesman's iPhone, already synced. I am 5'11".

If the handling on the car I drove was what I was getting, I wouldn't get it. It was way too soft. I'm coming from an F30 with Sport Line. I am hoping the sport package improves it.

djejglk

Did your knee space feel more or less restricted than your 204? I find the 204 to have a somewhat restrictive knee space to begin with. From the pictures of the 205 it's hard to tell if there is a little more or not. Or does it feel about the same?

MDMercedesGuy

6'2 with a 32" inseam (long in the torso).

It feels more closed in than my W204. In my car, my knee sits higher than the console so it has more clearance - on the W205, the console is higher than my knee. The door pull hits my knee on the other side.

ddarko

[deleted, mistaken post]

bigevil

test drove one tonight, I have a W204 and it felt very similar to me in terms of size and space (it's a bit more streamlined in the dash with the screen placement and moving of the gear control to the steering column). The little trim and button upgrade were really nice and the touchpad controller is cool (yet a hint finicky to be honest). The salesmen all pitch it as the same as a s class and although I'm a loyal c-class enthusiast for years and years, its definitely not an S class.

That said, I will say that on the exterior the thing looks damn sexy, looks way more expensive than it is. All of the salesmen came out after my drive since it just got in today and most hadn't seen it. I had to admit it's quite impressive aesthetically.

Seems to have a subtle bit more pep (the one I drove was a C300 4matic) than my W204 and I enjoyed trying out the Sport+ mode which actually seemed to set itself apart more on the downshifting than the off the line speed.

The most noticable improvement to me was the steering way better. Its hard to explain but it just feels way lighter/smoother than a typical drive of a Mercedes which when compared to other luxury cars can feel a little stiff.

All in all, unless the dealers are getting crazy with the pricing I'm fairly certain I'll grab one once the 2WD ones trickle in to SoCal (they arrive exactly as my lease is up so its perfect timing).

skullboy

Which dealer did yougo to? Did you have a feeling that they are willing to negotiate any discount ?

bigevil

Mercedes Encino. It's the only one they have(dealer demo) and they were most certainly hinting that they'll be in demand and are more expensive than the 2014s. In my opinion, they know they have a real hot commodity so they're going to play it up, but to be honest any solid dealer you have a good relationship with should make you a fair deal. I love my guy there Sam Lee, worth a phone call to him to feel it out (tell him Evan sent ya).

He's never anything but easy, no bs, and gets right to the bottom line. Biggest key for me always when getting into a new lease (or purchase) is just being patient. The deals/programs and timing of it all will have a lot to do with how flexible they can be. If you wanna be the first guy off the lot in the new model, you'll pay for it.

alsyli

That's such a coincidence! I was about to ask if you had test-driven the car in Encino b/c yesterday, as I was walking to my car after work, I saw a 2015 C-class w/ MB Encino plates zooming down Hayvenhurst.... Small world. Does the salesguy mind if you go in for test, even though you don't plan to buy for yrs? I'd love to take one for a spin....

bigevil

haha, very likely me as I wanted to make sure sport + was workig

They definitely didn't mind, Sam told me it's not even available to pre-order/buy but simply wanted me to see if I liked it etc. I think they're pretty cool about things there. Its a great dealership.

NYC-Style

I drove one this week here in Vegas. I was able to pre-order one back in May...with a delivery sometime in late September. I think this will be a hot selling car!!

MB-JIM

For anyone who has driven the C300, Is there any noticeable turbo lag?

Also, how does the cabin seem compared to the current E Class?