4 Cyl vs 6 CYL My Experience
 

Have been following C300 vs C400 discussion. Slightly off topic but still relevant.

Over a year ago I bought a 2013 CPO C250 COUPE. It was a good car but I thought it could be better. After MUCH searching I found a 2014 CPO C350 COUPE. I feel great every time I get into the C350. Great increase in power and not much lower gas mileage. No turbo lag. Just stick my foot into it & GO. About 3 weeks ago took a day trip into the mountains on many steep/curvy roads. Very short passing opportunities. No problem-just stay in "S" and push the pedal down.

I mention all this as I think that a similar condition would exist between the C300 & C400. 4 is good but 6 is GREAT!!!

Though your experiences with 4cyl vs 6 cyl might be typical, they might not be transferable to the W205 C300 vs 400. The turbo 4 is completely different than the outgoing one.

I wouldn't under estimate the turbo 4 in the C300. I've owned lots of big block, high torque cars over the years including three Corvettes, and I actually like the feel of the C300.

The C400 is awesome, and is a really fast car. Sure, it is more powerful than the C300 and sounds great. But, the C300 is fast and has plenty of power for passing, even in mountainous terrain; the kind of terrain I drive in every day.

No, it won't turn sub 5 second 0-60 mph times, but low to mid 6 second runs are not exactly slow.

The choice of engines depends on what one is looking for in the W205. In my own case, I have a fairly quick Porsche 981 S (Boxster S) which is capable of low 4 second 0-60 sprints. When I bought my C300, I wanted to maximize my cruising range and local driving fuel economy. I knew I would be giving up the power advantage of the C400, but that was a trade-off that, to me, made sense.

After a month and over a 1,000 miles, I am enjoying the C300 and have never felt it offered inadequate power, whether entering highway traffic or passing in short passing zones. Fuel mileage has been exactly what I hoped for: over 30 on the highway and a consistent 27 locally.

The C300 and C400 are two variations of the same car, one offering a larger engine with more horsepower and torque, the other a smaller engine with better fuel mileage. Either car is a good choice ... you decide what you want and you spend your money.

the price difference is exactly 3000 if you purchase the sport pack and the premium pack in the C300. However, it grows to exactly 5000 if you plan on waiting for the RWD C300. For me, that is enough buck to sway me to get the C300

I have driven a 2013 c350 (same power as the 2014 I believe) and the new c300. I don't know the stats but I think the new c300 is quicker in every way.

Benz 4 cylinder engine progression:

M111 - Crude, course, unrefined & a gas guzzler ~ but robust
M271 (supercharged) & M271 Evo Turbo ~ improved refinement but certainly not class leading ~ reduced reliability.
M270/M274 - Lacks refinement & makes a diesel like drone ~ not class leading. Retains M271 simplex timing chain. Needs duplex chain.

None are exactly inspiring ~ 270/274 is at least frugal.

the C300 feels faster because it has the same amount of torque as the M276 3.5l V6, but comes in at much lower rpm's (I think its around 1300rpm for the C300 while the V6 has to rev to 3500 rpm for the same peak torque). So from a dead stop, or at slower speeds around town it will feel stronger/faster than the V6.

For most people in the US, the I4 in the C300 will feel just as strong if not stronger then the V6 in the older C350.

It's not just about the price at the start. Extra fuel consumption also adds up.

And for me, there's the environmental consideration too.
Yes, I WOULD buy a C200 if it were available, and even the diesel, but the C300 would do just fine with the available choice.

Got a B200T right now that does 0-60 in 7.6 seconds. Feels super-fast to me for any sorts of overtaking maneuvers in any terrain.

I know that I'm in the minority on this forum with the above opinion (judging by posts from others), but...

^^ for me, environmental consideration is also a priority, but in the grand scheme of things, we are talking about 2-3 mpg difference. I know the extra hp would put a huge smile on my face too :D

Back Again
 

I am not against the C300. Have not had the chance to drive one. I have had the opportunity to own BMW's,Porsche 911s,1 Ferrari,and a large assortment of other brands including MB's. Have also owned a Ford Falcon & Fusion,Jeeps,Datsun even a Simca (45 yrs ago) and numerous 4 Bangers. Every one had its plus & minus's.

If I needed to be practical it would definitely be a C300. As you can see I have not been too practical when it comes to owning cars. Cars have always been my #1 hobby. Who knows I may stay with what I have. I know that I have said this before. Just ask my wife.

Well I had the opportunity to test drive both the C300 and C400. My test drives on all my MB are with me the driver only. This gives you the opportunity to "drive the car" the way you would normally drive. In Toronto we have a toll route which we can also test drive the cars on, no questions asked.
Having driven both fully aspirated V6s in the GLK 350 and the W204 300 I can honestly say that both current W205 engines outperform both of the previous power plants hands down. Now the last W204 V6 would have been an interesting engine but its HP and peak torque were totally different so I am sure that the C400 would best it without too much effort.
You have to test drive both, I have said this on here a few times before I decided on mine.
The W205 new suspension with the "Agility Select" has changed the game. Its no longer just C or S like in my previous MBs with just shift reset points.
With AIRMATIC (IMO) you truly get 3 different cars in the C300 and C400.
I like to keep my C300 in S mode because I love to engine break and use the paddle shifters which are awesome BTW.
On the highway my C300 in S+ mode will only stay in D5 up to 130kmh I have to go to 140 to get it to think about shifting to D6. I would tell you what it takes to get it to go into D7 from a straight acceleration but lets just say its way up there and I only wish it was legal :) If you do hard acceleration in S+ Mode, well the transmission just holds onto the lower 4 gears even longer and you will see the asphalt slide under your car like you are in some crazy video game.
The C400 was power from the start. If you come from a V6 this engine has so much instant torque that its a bit of a learning curve to get used to it but its does not take too long. The engine noise inside the cabin when you punch it is really nice and its the one note that I would say that give it an aesthetic edge.
One of my favorite maneuvers it to accelerate on left hand turns throughout the entire maneuver. Perhaps it was just me but I did try this a few times and the steering was not as planted as I expected in the C400. I can not honestly say why this was the case, it was not toe in or under steer. I did come away after my test drive with the conclusion that I would be fine with the C300 and that the C400 are for the more advanced racing crowd that actually never bought the C350 or C300 but instead headed for the C63 in droves.
A few weeks back I made a joke to someone who sat in my car that I did not mind long commutes anymore :) Well that day only it took me almost 2 hours to get home from my usual 40 - 50min. I had to take roads that I have never driven on but it was mostly stop and stop and a little bit of go driving. This was still a challenge to drive, and I was wondering how some folks drive like this on engines that are now mostly producing a lot of low end torque without going insane? There were times I drove for more than 10 min without pressing the gas pedal. YES I did eventually turn off that eco/stop/start which BTW does come back on all by it self after a few min of just sitting there, that was a first for me :)
Back to the original theme of this Thread; The configuration of my current C300 put me way into a C400 pricing territory. I did consider the C400 for the small extra dollars for all that additional power is certainly attractive and a bargain in my view.
But its like the options I did not get but wanted like Intelligent Drive, I would try it out for a while but end up never using it after. My previous C300 had passive lane keeping and blind spot assist and its something that seems great at first until it activates as you try to just go around someone or move close to the line marker and the merging onto the highway with indicators just set off all the alarms as there is usually someone on the right. I can count on my hands how many times I have actually used Cruise control. I will have to try out the Parking assist one day, but if you need this then you should not be driving any car imo :)

Leslie- 2015 C300 review
 

Nice report. Take it that you have bought 2015 C300. If so would you tell me what options you have. Sometimes we all can get carried away with "stuff & things".

Awesome review. Thank you!

Just to clarify...on those accelerating left turns, the C300 did not misbehave?

My signature shows how my C300 is built. Other than winter X-Ice x-3 18" on rims its as it shows.
Good luck with your C Class.


TO Mihaelb: Yes the C300 was fine and there was no need for letting off the throttle or steering tweaks to perform the left hand powered turn.

Thanks for the clarification!

Leslielp, can you please confirm that you have Airmatic? On the online builder, it's not an option on the C300...
MP1 and MP2 are the Premium and Premium Plus, I take it?

I do indeed have AIRMATIC. You can ask your dealer for the latest update to the options packages. They were constantly changing back in September and Airmatic only became available near the end of September along with AMG interior. The MB website has never shown AIRMATIC for the C300 or AMG interior or Hands Free trunk open/close.
I believe that AIRMATIC is still causing delays in production so unless you find something in the inventory that meets most of your requirements you will be looking at after Xmas by my guess.
Good Luck

I thought the M271 timing chain issues occurred a decade ago? I haven't seen any reports of the 271 Evo with timing chain issues (in the U.S. anyway). Other markets having issues?

Does the C400 have duplex chain?

To me, one of the reasons to go with the M276 in the W204 was because it was NA. If you were going to keep it a long time. Now that all 205s are FI, I'm fine going with a single turbo. Can you imagine the repair cost on the C400 with twin turbos? Ouch.

The M271 chain issue continues. We have seen similar, if possibly not as frequent, issues with the Evo Turbo as mileage rises.

The C400 has a duplex chain.

The engine in the new C300 sounds like a diesel and lacks refinement?

That hasn't been my experience at all. Quite the opposite, I've been impressed with how quiet and smooth it is.

If you are happy with it that's all that matters. Many international motoring scribes would agree with me. My expectations are different. I am an absolute Benz fan but when I drive a new BMW 328i while I don't like that I4 Turbo either I have to accept that it is more refined than the Benz unit.

I have not driven the BMW with the I4 in it. I have owned 2006 and 2009 Audi A4's with their 2.0 liter turbo 4's. The engine on my C300 is much more refined than my 2006 A4, and very similar to the one on my 2009 A4. It spools up quickly, exhibits no perceptible turbo lag, and is very quiet when cruising. It does sound a bit raspy during full throttle runs, but not to the point of being objectionable.

I can't objectively comment on it being "best in class" simply because I haven't driven most of the competition. Based on the reviews I've read, it probably isn't. Still, it's a good power plant with few vices that I've been able to find ... yet.

Going to have to disagree with you Glyn. I found the C300 to be much smoother and quieter than the 328. Just stand beside a 328 and it sounds diesel like, particularly at idle. This was noted by many reviewers. I also noticed a very slight turbo lag on the 2012 model that I drove a while back. It wasn't very noticeable but on the short test drive with the Merc I couldn't detect any lag.

The 328 certainly has the DI knock at idle like the M274. But it's otherwise smoother through the rev range than the M274. There are a long string of motoring scribes that agree with me. Remember we have lived with this family of engines in M270 (transverse form) in the B Class for a while. They are not class leading. It is smoothest in 1600cc form.

I tried similar maneuvers during a test drive of the C400 on some twisty back roads and I came away with the same feeling. I told the salesperson who was riding with me that I honestly couldn't really tell what the car and tires beneath me were doing during those aggressive turns due to the lack of feeling in the steering. It didn't give me great confidence even if someone were to tell me that the car is perfectly capable to make those maneuvers.

That all being said.. still ordered the C400 and very much looking forward to it because well.. the significant other wants a nice fast cruiser and not a canyon carver :zoom: :)

By way of background, my last car was a 2012 C63, so I am accustomed to the hey-it's-like-catapulting-off-an-aircraft carrier feeling of huge power.

My dealership gave me a last generation C class 4 cylinder as a loaner a year or two ago, and I was really unimpressed. I thought the engine was gutless and dull and not worth the dough.

On the other hand, when I test drove the new C300, I thought the engine provided plenty of power for the car. The turbos give it that low end thrust that is critical to making a daily driving car feel "fast." The decent mpg is a sensible plus. I kind of feel the same way about the BMW 328i.

I haven't tried the C400. I'm sure it's nice, if nowhere near my old C63. And I obviously can't fault anyone for picking more power without being a hypocrite. But, unlike the last gen C, I think the base four cylinder really does the job, and even most enthusiast drivers would be happy with it. If I were buying, I expect I'd save some $$ and get the C300.

Actually, no. I'd be irrational and wait for the C450 and buy that, but at least I could admit to myself I was being irrational.