floridadriver

Hello all, this is my first post. I've enjoyed and learned much by reading posts of others, and figured I'd try and give back a little. These are all my humble opinion, but hopefully helpful to someone out there researching their next toy.

Am interested in the new C, which will be my second Merc, I had an E class 2002. I'm having difficulty narrowing down options desired before pulling the trigger.

Meanwhile, I've test driven 4 models each on similar areas of interstate, curvy roads and some less than perfect patched up roads as typical for USA. One test in the same demo every dealer in USA got, a grey C300 on 18" continental tires, 'comfy but sporty' base suspension. A C400 in sport package on 19" continentals, a C300 Luxury package 'comfortable suspension' on 17" Pirelli, and lastly a C300 on 18" continentals with the airmatic suspension.

The aesthetics of the car and options available are impressive as well discussed on the board. I underestimated how nice the dash differences between the sport and luxury versus the base model are. I also noticed a significant increase in head room without the panoramic...especially in the back seat. And I am undecided if the slightly larger screen is worth $2700 (or $2200 by the time you add the needed rear camera). The smaller screen has a plastic bevel, which dates it a little. The larger screen though if you're not into the 'tacked on look' stands out a good amount more. Neither as out of place as I thought looked in some of the pics. The navigation maps I tried on both 'look' better with command than the Garmin SD card, which looks exactly like a Garmin Nuvi screen, but honestly, either system will have you reaching rapidly for your smart phone for much better usability on directions and traffic. I've read conflicting posts on what is required for Apple CarPlay when it comes, and both of the dealers I visited emailed MBUSA and reported that Audio 20 or command would allow CarPlay, but both would require add on, just like they currently have for iPhone interface. Who knows if that is accurate until it happens. I'm also unsure how often I'd really plug in the phone just for carplay interface after the newness wore off. The HUD on one model was OK, I had to take off my polarized sunglasses to see it.

The C400 had red leather interior, which looked sporty, and MB tex is best imitation I've ever seen, but on my test drive on a 95 degree day, you can't beat how leather cools the legs (and I didn't use the ventilated seats).

For the look, the luxury version didn't have distronic so it had the flaps on the grill. Looked sharp to me. Different lower grill works were more dramatically different than the other 2 versions. A classier but less athletic look.

None of my test drive cars had the driver's assist package, which I would find appealing. None had the air balance or electric trunk.

For the ride, I personally like a nice sporty, stiff car...only if I'm on a track, otherwise, a much cushier (but not boat like) ride is my preference. Roads around here, concrete on highway with asphalt patches and expansion lines are in need of suspension help much more than the 'spirited driving-curvy road' type assistance.

For handling, this is where it's tough. C400 on sport suspension and 19" was much too taught for my taste. It was also significantly louder, transmitting the seams between concrete on highway to the ears as much as the body. Would be fun on the right roads though! The higher HP and torque marked, but there was the noticeable decrease in 'nimbleness'. You can feel all that weight up front between the engine and AWD.

The base C300 on 18" (first one tried) was a great balance, 'comfy but sporty' as Mercedes calls it is spot on. If I lived in Germany, this would be it. For here, a little stiff, but can see how they'd tune this one to please most drivers. Nice engine all around.

The luxury C300 on comfort and beautifully rimmed 17" was a good 20% 'less stiff' than the base, and 'tuned' for our crappy roads here. It was 20% quieter on road noise too. Still very agile. Unless you're driving is significantly more on fun roads than US interstate or suburbia, it's a great match. In a ride in back seat on all my tests as well, it felt more pleasant than the other 2.

Lastly i drove the airmatic on 18". I wish it was on same 17" tires to compare it with the luxury/comfort suspension, but maybe someone else has experienced this and can share. The ride in each setting mimics the above steel suspensions respectively ver well. It's almost like testing the other 3 cars in one car. Maybe it was the exact tire match but the sport setting felt most like the base model steel suspension. It was pretty darn close in the other 2. In all three settings with airmatic, you can subtly 'feel' you're not quite as stuck to the road and riding on air, which on the roads here is a good thing. Never would I call it floaty, but maybe a tiny bit less 'settled'. You feel and hear the road imperfections a little bit less and even on expansion joints, there's never a 'thumpy-thump'. I didn't feel any difference between airmatic and steel suspension in steering feel. I purposely changed just the suspension and not steering/tranny in the agility select to single it out. Maybe it was the difference in tires, but I can't say it was that significantly 'smoother or refined' than the comfort suspension, but would say it was more forgiving than the C400 on sport suspension with no sacrifice in agility.

For my car order, deciding between the air and luxury/comfort suspension is a tough one. Either way will add the lux package for the grill I like better. The cost isn't so much to buy it, but I'm not so naive to think it won't cost more on maintenance down the road, extended warranty withstanding. After the newness of changing setting wares off, I wonder if one would ever select different settings than their 'favorite'. For me, it would stick in comfort. If anyone has the airmatic on 17" and has compared to luxury suspension, or just further experience with airmatic I'd be interested in your perspective.

Either way, I'm glad Mercedes realized that not everyone wants to buy a large car to get the same level of refinement and options, and not everyone craves super sporty.

MB-JIM

Excellent analysis. Thanks.
Based on your review, my choice would be the C300 Luxury and I would wait for the 2 wheel drive model.

jakc

Thanks for the review.

What were your thoughts on acceleration and braking differences between the 300 and 400?

madmax

Thanks for your detailed analysis. I am looking into ordering a C300 sport and your perspective is highly appreciated. Now I gotta figure out what are the must have options and what can I live without.

jakc

Anyone know if the C Class will have the surround view system?

vols1

Thanks for your comments Florida. I would be interested in your thoughts about the sport vs standard seats.

floridadriver

Thanks for replies and thoughts.

I am planning to wait for the RWD this spring. If I'm able, I'd like to test the Luxury/comfort and air suspension on same 17" wheels, and same route. Anyone with delivery of vehicle have this combination? If the airmatic was even 10% more absorbant or quiet, I'd probably go for it, knowing on rare occasion I could dial it up (or down). Unsure if that's obtainable, and the tiny bit less settled ride is a trade off. I know the professional reviews are mostly positive of it, at worse they say 'maybe not worth the extra expense'...then again, they seem to all favor a sportier drive. I'm not aware of any professional reviews of comfort suspension.

Jakc- The acceleration of the C400 is brisk, I didn't measure times, but it is significant. Felt couple seconds faster to get to 70-80mph. Braking felt better in the C300, both very good and responsive. I don't know spec differences in brakes between models if any, but C400 feels (as it is) a significantly heavier car, and much of it felt in the nose.

I asked about the 'birds eye/surround cameras' and sales manager who seemed pretty plugged into the car, had been to assembly line in Vance, AL, and track driven a couple versions of the car, said it originally WAS going to be included on this years US spec model, assumably in the multimedia package. He said he "wouldn't hold his breath for the 2015 model year for it, they usually don't add a feature this late in the game and it was never promised here" that he knows of.

madmax, My friends would say not to ask me...I'd be more likely to talk you into loading it up. I'm a proponent of when if it's well within your budget and in doubt, add the option, you're unlikely wish you didn't have it...some though are a trade offs like their suspension differences.

vols1, the sport seats were the only ones in leather of the 4..and breathable. Equally very comfortable to me in padding/side bolsters. I'm unsure I'd hold much of any difference to the sport and standard seats. I read reviews of seats, and felt they were spot on for my average build.

alsyli

Wonderful review! Sounds like the Luxury trim + increased steering effort via Agility Select will suit me just fine. Now I just need to wait for the diesel to be released....

Roger Bill

Hi Florida. That's a great review which is very useful for me. Here in the UK we don't have the option of the C300 and the dealers won't be getting any cars with Airmatic until January. I've had a brief test drive in a C200 petrol with 17" wheels on the lowered comfort steel suspension. I was a little disappointed in it's ability to handle some of the rough roads around here so I've decided to put off ordering anything until I've had a chance to test drive a W205 with 17" wheels and Airmatic. Your review gives me hope that this suspension setup will be more to my liking.

Also automatic gearbox changes weren't always as smooth as my brother's W204 diesel. l wonder if there will be software upgrades to improve the match of the automatic gearbox to the C200 or if it's a gearbox that needs to learn your driving style which, as I'm now a laidback driver, might not be like most who test drive dealer's demonstration cars.

Alsyli: The 4 cylinder C200 petrol engine is noticeably quieter and smoother than the 4 cylinder Merc diesels.

alsyli

Do we have a version of the lowered comfort suspension in the US? I assume our Luxury isn't "lowered."


Argh. I had been hoping that MB had found a way to silence the diesel into submission (which is what US car mags had suggested about the same engine in the E-class). We'll see if they make any changes for MY 2017 (I plan to get the car in late 2016/early 2017). If they offered a Luxury C400, I'd consider that b/c the fuel economy of the C400 isn't that much worse than a C300. And I still find the lag in my C250 to be vaguely infuriating (which I still think is more of a transmission issue).

I anticipate that the diesel will have MUCH better fuel economy than the 4-cyl gas engine. Where I live in the US, diesel is either as expensive or slightly cheaper than the most expensive grade of gas, and I drive a recent amount on the freeway, so the diesel makes much sense economically.

We shall see....

djejglk

Can anyone comment on the c300's (w205) immediate off the line acceleration ability? Not talking about 0-60 or anything like that, but the willingness of the car to take of immediately?

IMO, the main issue for "lag" in the c250 seems to be immediate off-idle response. When idling, and in park, slam the accelerator pedal down. Almost a full second goes by before the engine revs.

I drove an e350 once, and the off idle response was pretty much immediate, as well as the response in taking off. Now if we're talking about trying to pass someone, then it might be both the acceleration lag combined with transmission programming. None of this concerns turbo lag, which is another discussion (I really think the c250 is pretty linear, and don't even notice any lag there).

So, with that being said, has the c300 resolved that laggy feeling from a stand still, or even in passing ability?

Obviously I haven't had the chance to test drive one, or my questions would probably already be answered

MB-JIM

In my test drive there was no objectionable turbo lag, not like the 250 that I didn't like at all. I didn't floor it but with a normal, in traffic, takeoff the engine response was excellent.

Glyn M Ruck

Good write up. Your findings very much mirror mine except I only tested RWD models.

The 19" wheels with 30 profile rubber & sport suspension is too firm for my likes in day to day use.

I would be quite happy with C400 RWD with steel comfort "Exclusive" suspension & 17" wheels with decent wide rubber on them. The way Airmatic RWD models in SA are set up I really believe they give you the best of all worlds. Pretty impressive.

jakc

I think all recent MBs have that build in. I've drove GLKs and MLs as loners and also test drove the new S class and none of the pedals were as responsive as my first car, 1996 Accord.

floridadriver

Thanks Glyn.. Were, or are you able to test out the comfort suspension and airmatic in SA and give us your impressions? Albeit we're just getting the w205...here in the states the luxury package/comfort suspension is so far rare, airmatic is elusive. Most on dealer lots are spec to the middle suspension (comfy but sporty as they call it).

alsyli

Are you a long-term MB owner? Older MBs used to start off in 2nd gear to ensure a smooth take off. I assume that more powerful modern MBs have some sort of programming to ensure a similarly "gentlemanly" take off.

That isn't the case w/ the W204. There's a pause, pause, pause, and then POW! when you're trying to accelerate or pass. Not fun when you're trying to point and shoot in mildly heavy traffic.

Glyn M Ruck

I first drove Sport & Airmatic suspensions. I have subsequently driven a car with Steel "comfort" suspension. The Sport is too firm for my liking & our local Car magazine has also criticised it. The Exclusive model I drove with steel comfort suspension was just right. Comfortable, well damped, my sort of Benz ride. I found the Airmatic excellent. If I have one very minor criticism of the Airmatic is that it can be ever so slightly jiggly on corrugated surfaces but when I consider what the wheels are doing it's minor or just a little different. I found agility of all RWD models to be good. The C400 RWD certainly let's you know it's carrying more weight but I found it gave the car a more planted feel. We are all different ~ these are my personal feelings. I have not driven a 4Matic yet. They are not big sellers here due to our climate. On older models 4Matic does sometimes dull the steering a little. I also suspect that as with W204 & W203 tyre choice will have a fairly large impact on turn in. Michelin PS2, as an example, always seems to give improved turn in. The 400 I drove was a factory mule/demonstrator. The 400 launch has been slightly delayed here.

floridadriver

Glyn, it sounds we have identical taste in MB on-road ride preference...or we just drive similarly patched up roads. I have to go retest comfort and air, but it's a 4 hour drive between dealers, until/if one dealer gets both.

Costs and ability to change suspension agility from comfort setting aside, IF going for just the quietest and dampened ride on corrugated road, would you (or anyone who has driven both) pick the steel comfort or air suspended car? In other words, to your impression, was the minor jiggling on rough road criticism (which is inherit in air suspensions) overcome enough by any more smooth/quiet ride on the air?

Glyn M Ruck

I could be equally happy with Air or steel comfort suspension. Nothing about the Airmatic is any kind of deal breaker. The only thing that might put me off of the Airmatic is likely higher maintenance bills if one intends keeping the car for a long time. If I was buying for 10 plus years and out of motorplan I would probably go steel suspension with adjustable magnetorheological dampers. Otherwise I would go for Airmatic which has slightly greater isolation.

equetefue

Can you still adjust the suspension in the non airmatic? If somewhat are the full benefits?

MBNUT1

It's much better than the C250 which frankly was pretty bad. IMHO it's not bad but not as good as a NA 6.

floridadriver

The non automatic suspension isn't adjustable. The agility changes AC, transmission and steering in case of steel. I'm still stuck on whether the luxury/comfort suspension or air in comfort mode will best squelch the poor roads here. More test drives to come. Others try the combo for same desired ride?

Glyn M Ruck

We've been told that the comfort steel suspension dampers will be switchable here on the C400 like W204 rather than the passive magnetorheological dampers. Spec is not yet finalised & I suspect that might only apply to C450. Time will tell.