I don't see one valid complaint other than from someone who has buyers remorse.

The switch material is a non-issue to me. Switches don't define quality of an automobile for me since driving is my main concern.

I have the column shift lever on my GLK and love it. It is a very well designed, human engineered shift that is very easy to use. Driving my other MB, with the old shift lever now seems awkward.

There is no discussion about the great driving characteristics of the W205's.

 

I totally agree with you on this. I've owned several BMW's and Audi's and the new C300 compares very well with those cars in quality.

The switch gear feels fine to me, and I haven't noticed any looseness or misalignment. The shifter stalk on the column is different, but easy to get used to and it does open up the console area for greater storage.

The weather seals on the doors are very effective, and there isn't even a trace of wind noise in this car.

The piano black finish on the console shows fingerprints easily ... one reason I opted for wood trim.

The tire sizes are a good match for the car and I just don't see this as an issue at all. Remember, many of the changes on the W205 are there to save weight while maintaining the integrity and feel of the car.

The electronics do require a learning period before you get comfortable with them ... and some functions would be simpler with buttons rather than menus. But, they all work and the most frequently used functions are readily accessible.

My only two complaints are the lack of an odometer with the speed readout, and a somewhat tedious process to save presets on the radio.

Overall, I think MB has done a great job with the W205 and come up with a car that competes very well in the sports/luxury compact car segment.

 

I take it you never drove a pre-facelift W203? That car had a ferociously nasty and cheap interior w/ mold lines visible on the armrests. And don't get me started on the HVAC controls....


Narrow tires can improve steering feel. And it makes sense that if the car is lighter that they'd put on smaller tires....

B/c it's easier to write Chinese characters on a touchpad?

Multiple posters have already written about this, so I'm not sure if you were surprised by this? Apparently for fuel economy ratings (at least in the US), the system has to default to ECO.

 

I've drive my bosses S63 AMG with the Lorinzer package and he has it too. Non issue to me

 

On my car, Agility defaults to Comfort, not Eco mode.

 

Correct, I think it refers more to the eco start mode

 

I tested one. Found the interior very impressive for this class of car.... until I noticed the price of an even somewhat basic spec. I feel like it's an obvious case of corporate-trickery when it comes to presentation, e.g they want the interior to appear much more expensive than others in its class, but if you look at the details, they had to cut costs somewhere to meet margins, hence some of lacking of finer things.

My impression was mostly mixed. Interior was the obvious home run, though definitely geared toward a classic Mercedes "mature" crowd, which is fine, as it's a Mercedes and IMO they should stop trying to be BMW and sporty. The W205 seems like M-B has accepted and now re-embraced being the less youthful/sporty option yet with the tradeoff of being the more glammy and "older fashioned" option. The design shows this the most as the rear is pretty "old person" looking (not in a bad way, necessarily, as it's M-B appropriate though I personally don't really like it as a design, therefore maybe exposing itself as too mature for a C) as it takes directly from the S (another issue, as I think the S and C should have similar but different rears, the W204/W221 did this well as the 204 was a little more simple and youthful, while the S more opulent vibe'd.... now they both wear the same, not the best design IMO to begin with, and it doesn't quite work on the C). The design as a whole was pretty off, gawky, quirky and inconsistent to me, personally.

The drive was pretty good, but didn't really impress me one way or another. Solid, livable, everyday "enjoyable for the masses" style, not very characteristic or shining in any one area (handling is decent but gets a little sloppy when pushed, comfort and solidity are strong but the chassis didn't feel write-home-about tight and its solid comfort levels came at the expense of a sort of floaty ride), definitely not as dynamic as the 3 Series, but maybe the C400 would inject more life into it. I feel like the drive is also geared as more luxury and commuter-driven than sporty, and that even the W204 felt a little sportier?

All in all, I think even with the interior inconsistencies, it shames the 3 Series and current A4 interiors, no doubt, a total step up. Everything else, it wasn't really my thing and I wasn't too impressed, especially for the seemingly raised price, but a solid car through and through, definitely more balanced and better executed than the current E, which makes that car pointless to get IMO with the new C simply trumping it.

I also on a personal level think that being built in America is a deterrent. I feel like M-B's made in Germany (same goes for BMW) have a certain feeling to them, and a certain finer consistency that the American built models don't. It's definitely emotional, maybe it's also tangible (maybe it sways between both), but I personally prefer my German cars shipped from Germany.... after all, you know it's part of the badge-premium you pay on all these cars.

 

Good analysis....the apparent strategy is for MB to make different sizes of luxury sedans. No matter the name of the package, none of these Cs are "sport sedans" any longer. They are leaving that to BMW (if they can get the next 3 and 5 back on track in their direction), and in-between the two, Audi. In the last/current gen of C and 3, respectively, each tried too hard to approach the other to grab volume. MB learned that the money is just as green by satisfying its traditional customers. BMW will likely head the 3 back to its sweet spot next time too. Although, the current 2 is spot-on and significantly more fun than my old W204, even with its more basic interior (which I don't spend much time looking at while engaged in driving! )

 

Well put. The W204, as great a car the post-facelift is (after the pre-facelift interior disaster), tried too hard to be BMW, which made it lose focus of it being an M-B. The facelift really helped mend that.

The W205 indeed isn't a Sport Sedan in the least to me, no matter how many boy racer scoops and such M-B (awkwardly, IMO, especially mated to such non-sporty inherent design) they put on the "Sport Package". It's M-B's return to being the Luxury-Car offering in a market of cars that are all advertising themselves as "sporty" (C unfortunately still included in that as well, seems to be a knee jerk marketing approach).

And yeah, BMW could stand to add a sense of interior refinement to the current 3, and I think it'd be nice if they did what M-B did yet in their reverse (BMW) way, i.e embrace it as the sporting champ, especially since M-B seemed to let them and Audi (and Cadillac now) battle it out for Sport Sedan champ designation. Same goes for the 5, the current one is very luxurious, I love mine, but it's too soft, and adding that core BMW dynamic aspect would really bring it up a notch for the next gen, as I'm sure they won't sacrifice much if any luxury. And I'm sure, as the C shows, the next E will try and ensure its position as the luxury champ in its segment after letting BMW take it this generation.

The 2 Series is the most "BMW" BMW right now. Also, believe it or not, but the i3 is as well, that car felt so impressive to me. A throwback to when BMW's weren't about power or mass, weight, etc. Just a well balanced car, perfectly powered to be able to put a grin on your face in day to day driving, without getting to speeds that will get you (or others) in trouble.

 

Probably your idea of sporty is very different then mine, and i am neither a BMW or Mercedes man. But is there any real basis for that statement? When did Mercedes try to sell their cars with a sporty image as part of the ownership?

I think most who participates in Track events, or spend time on the a public track like the Nurburgring, will agree that Mercedes is not a very common sight. In my personal experience, often the owners of the more exotic track toys will have a high end mercedes as their daily driver.

In my opinion, the difference between owning a 335i and a c400 or a 320 diesel and a c-class 220 diesel, is 90% image and at best, 10% difference in driving dynamics.

probably 95% of the owners of this type of cars, are just ordinary drivers with a sense of quality. They are not able to use their car to the extent where the difference between the models comes to life.

When you buy a BMW, you have the option to buy into the whole "sports driver" concept. The Factory backs the very well organized "BMW drivers experience" programme. Do not expect to see many of the BMW main sellers at these events though.

Point being that it is 90% image.. Many babble on and on, but very few BMW owners are able to drive their cars in anger with any noticeable talent. On the other hand a lot of late model Mecedes owners, are able to drive their cars in the style that goes with the image. Showing that you have done well in life.

 

Marketing probably varies quite a bit by location. We've been watching tv ads of C Classes doing power slides and other highly aggressive activities during the W204. The tone of the marketing here had been very "BMW-ish". I suspect this strategy has been reevaluated at MBUSA as the product has become more plush and luxury oriented, even as its dynamics have been made more for "riding" than "driving".

As to the 90% image, IMHO, that is absolutely wrong. The day I stepped from my C Class into my new 228i (derived from a prior 3 series platform design), the difference was dramatic. This new car is comfortable enough, but primarily about feel, feedback, and "athletic" driving....even without ever going near a track. I am not surprised owners of exotic track toys drive MBs at the end of the day. After working hard, I like to fall onto a comfortable living room couch too!

As for showing how well one has done in life to others.....who cares? If you want comfort and luxury, the MB is the best choice....if you want fun and entertainment every time you sit down behind the wheel, you just need a different flavor of car.

 

Mercedes airs a lot of commercials here that uncharacteristically paint their C Class, even SUV's, etc. as "sporty", fake V8 engine sounds and all. Honestly it reminds me of cheesy Chevy commercials more than M-B commercials. It's quite misleading as M-B's are arguably the least sporty out there, save for AMG models.

I guess it comes down to how you like your cars to feel. Yes, it's mostly image when it comes to marketing, and I used to think the same way, i.e why have a sharper car unless you're gonna drive like an idiotic hooligan. However, it's more about the "feel". Driving a car and feeling the underlying engineering that resonates from the driver seat, the chassis balance, rigidity, precision, etc. are all things that certain drivers feel even during normal commuter miles. M-B seem to especially now be going for doing what you want it to do at face value, which is swallow up commuter miles, but I guess it's really how you want your car to truly "feel" as opposed to how you think having it "makes you feel", if that makes sense. When I drove the C, other than the interior, it didn't give me a vibe of being a car over engineered or THAT much better than your standard economy car, which matters to me more than the superfluous stuff.

 

I used to be on the E Class forum and put up with a lot of anti-MB rants
from a BMW mole who became unwelcome on the E Class forum. I hope he isn't on a new crusade trying to run down MB's on this forum.

 

I don't think these are anti-MB rants. I've taken part in a lot of forums, and I think there's a big difference between difference of opinion and trolling.

I was seriously considering buying a W205. However, after my test drive and further thought, I won't be. It's a great car, don't get me wrong, but for the price and what I'm looking for, I was somewhat disappointed. The driving dynamics aren't quite where I'd like them to be.

All of this doesn't mean I won't buy a C63 though.

 

Presumably this is also b/c MB does high-end luxury *way* better than BMW (which has always been the case) and b/c an S-class is probably more prestigious than a 7-series.


For me, the beauty of a BMW has always been more obvious in its cheaper cars. For an MB, you've usually needed an E-class or above to see what makes the brand special (except for the W202 which was, IMHO, a truly exceptional car).

 

Well, I guess we can safely conclude that the W205 isn't going to appeal to every car buyer. We know what it isn't: it isn't a high performance sports sedan, it isn't a high end luxury cruiser, and it isn't an entry level compact sedan. So what is it, and why would anyone want to spend $40-60,000 USD on it?

I have owned high performance sport sedans and sports cars all my life, and currently enjoy my 2013 Porsche Boxster S with a 6 speed manual transmission and 20" low profile tires. I've owned a variety of BMW's, Audi's, Corvettes, Volvos, and even Peugeots over the years. This time around, I really wasn't looking for a sport sedan, but rather something that was competent, economical, and offered reasonable ride quality to deal with our ever deteriorating local roads. I also need AWD due to the fact that we deal with severe and long lasting winter driving conditions here.

I didn't like the BMW 3Xi series, felt the Audi A4 was way too long in the tooth at this point, and was not impressed enough with my 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD to order another one. When I first saw the new W205 I was interested and waited for the first road tests to come in before scheduling a test drive.

In person, I found the car to be just about everything I was looking for in a car. I was willing to sacrifice some performance for increased fuel mileage, and the C300 with its little 4 was ideal. Capable of delivering over 30 mpg in real world highway driving while posting mid 6 second 0-60 numbers was just fine for me. Even with the Panorama roof, I had lots of headroom for my 6'3" frame. Legroom was generous and I found the seats comfortable and almost infinitely adjustable.

The handling of the C300 I drove, with the standard steel suspension, was not as crisp as my BMW's but certainly comparable to both my 2006 and 2009 Audi A4 sedans. Steering is lighter than my past BMW's (non-electric), similar to the Audi's, and lighter than the Volvo S60. The feel improves slightly when set to Sport, but I have no problem with the weighting, on-center feel, or even the rather subdued feedback since it's no worse than any other electric power assist system I've driven. Ride quality is quite good ... compliant and not at all floaty.

I find the interior design very pleasing and, especially with the wood trim, even borderline luxurious. Little details like some plastic switch gear look fine and function well. That big 8" screen serves a real purpose and, although many dislike it, I find it fits the car and its function well.

Exterior design is very subjective, but I find it attractive. I do find the rear quarter awkward from some angles ... where the sharp side creases meet the soft lines of the rear fenders ... but I think it's an overall distinctive and attractive design.

Between the current AWD series, and the upcoming RWD entries, I think MB has introduced a very competitive series into the compact car segment. It won't appeal to every buyer, either because of pricing, styling or performance, but it will attract many buyers looking for something a bit more sedate than some other brands, and perhaps more luxurious and balanced than others.

My initial impressions are very positive and, so far, it looks like the C300 is exactly what I was looking for in an AWD sedan.

 

I appreciate k-a's opinion and am glad he likes it ... Says a lot

Looking forward to driving one

 

A great review from someone who can objectively compare cars for what they really are. I have had four Porsches as well as SL's and they were completely different cars. We should evaluate cars based upon what they are designed for. Having had several S Class and many E Class cars, the W205 seems to me to be the best of the sports sedans for me.

 

+1 A good and balanced review from StanNH

 

Glad it could be of some information. I did find some impressive things about it indeed. Namely the interior really shocked me.. though so did the sticker price so I guess it starts to add up. The drive was what it is, a preference thing but it did what you expect it to, especially if you listen to the language of the interior and exterior. The infotainment finally takes COMAND out of the Atari age, though I didn't use it enough to realize the lag mentioned.

Re: The headroom comment above, I'm surprised to hear it was comfortable for a 6'3 frame. I'm 6'5 with long torso so headroom in every car is an issue for me, but I found the W205 with Pano to have some of the worst headroom I've ever experienced. Practically un-driveable. Even without Pano it was incredibly tight for me. MB make the worst use of headroom for my build, especially odd since their cars are generally more upright than competitors. The 3 happens to have some of the better headroom from other premium range sedans.

 

The C-Class felt no better engineered than an economy car? Here we go with this bull**** again.

M

 

K-A We know you don't want a W205 so can we get on with the forum?

 

Go re-read that comment again. I said the drive didn't feel that much different. Feel free to pinpoint how you feel differently.

Entire point is that it drove like a solid commuter car, but it doesn't feel very sporty at all, the powertrain felt solid, but not overly impressive, and it felt pretty comfortable, like a nicer ride though in a similar intent from what you'd get from a solid economy car.

This seems to be EXACTLY what MB is going for. Not something I'd buy as it's not what I'm looking for.but I'd say they nailed their driving intent considering it doesn't seem to be trying to be anything it's not (unless you watch the marketing nonsense about it being "sport sedan" with V8 noises coming from a 4 cylinder).

What is a C to you, is a good way of putting it. To me, this gen is an economical luxury sedan. Take it as you will.

 

Bye Bye !!!

 

Same difference, all BS. The sooner you realize that not car has to be a sports sedan the better. I find it hilarious that you keep harping about BMWs being so much sportier yet BMWs are at an all time low when it comes to being sporty, especially the 3 and 5-Series. Lifeless steering and they get beat time and time again by Lexus and Cadillac at being "sporty".

M