ShortDesertGuy

I live in Palm Springs, CA. We've had some extreme heat the last few days - 118 degrees! The W205 A/C handles it with no problem. In addition, I was concerned the Pano Roof screen would allow too much heat in. I don't feel any heat enter the cabin with the screen closed.

Score: 10 out of 10

laz81

I had the same concerns . As long as i close the screen everything is good. If i forget the screen open on a hot sunny day my car is burning.. The black interior doesn't help

StanNH

Cool.

jolt8631

See what you did there.....

I too can vouch for the efficacy of the Aircon - it reached over 22 C over here at the weekend, what's that? 72 F? and I was as cool as a Cucumber.....

CornishPasty

Haha.. our summers are like winter for them Jolt... My Fiancè is also from California and she thinks its cold unless its over 30

ManiacGT

Its not quite so effective in the Estate (s205). It takes quite a while to cool all that space in the car. Its much quicker in my smaller BMW to cool the cabin. I also find the auto air/fan speed control a bit weaker in the MB than the BMW. The BMW seems to control the environment much better. Fan speed on auto in the MB is seemingly all or nothing.

CO2010

I think the rear vents are a bit too weak. Even with the fan speed on 4+. I'm also not sure about the placement of the rear vents. I had three passengers in the car. When I asked if everyone was comfortable, the middle passenger said his knees were cold Lol. Meanwhile know one else could feel the air.

chicagofan00

I don't think I've come across too many vehicles with really good rear A/C. Even the large SUVs for most manufacturers seem to just have OK rear A/C.

ShortDesertGuy

I hope this post can be found by Google Search down the road. Living in the desert, looking for a car with a great AC is valuable knowledge. An ownership experience in 100+ degree can go sour very fast in a sweltering car with mediocre AC. My 2012 BMW 328i was "ok". The C300 blows it (literally) out of the water. Transmission - BMW. AC - Mercedes all the way!

StanNH

Also, living in an area that can go well below 0F during the winter months, this car has an excellent heating system as well. It heats up fast, defrosts very well, and has really toasty heated seats. The lack of a heated steering wheel for 2015 is too bad, but gloves work fine.

vic viper

Funny you mention this as I consider the AC system to really suck


Our climate in summer is very unstable and even though I dont think it lacks in output power it sure has its problems.


First and most noticable is the startup lag, it can take up to a minute and a half before the AC starts blasting cold air even if the cabin is hot as h*ll
This only happens during "warm starts", when starting the car after a longer period of standing still the AC is strangely very responsive.


Then there is the inconsistancy in keeping a even temperature, I usually want 20 degrees C but during longer trips I see myself adjusting the temp up and down as the temperature slowly seems to drop or rise.


I wasnt impressed with the W204 AC and was hoping for a vast improvement with the 205, but I was unfortunately very disappointed by this.


Heating during winter is much better on the other hand.


Maybe it is supposed to suck so that people select the 3-zone option instead?

ManiacGT

Agreed on this Vic. I bought this car for my dogs and I don't find the ac that great, climate control is not as controlled as my BMW but there you go, I've bought it now.

Boudicca

Hi Vic,
What would be considered a hot day in Sweden?

CO2010

You want hot. Stick a palm tree in the oven and set it to 375. I give you South Florida! My A/C struggles to keep the cabin cool.

Boudicca

Ha ha. You want hot.... In summer it's so hot the Kangaroos come and drink out of the birdbath outside my office window . AC on my C has worked well through the summer.

CO2010

^^Lol great pic

Boudicca

Thanks.....a palm tree stuck in an oven would make an interesting photo too

floridadriver

I love the Kangaroo pic!

A/C in the C sedan here holds it's own. About the same as other cars I have or have had. Window tint here is almost mandatory, and I purposely ordered without the sunroof though.

vic viper

Around 30 deg. C is a hot day here, usually we have around a very pleasant 20-25.


I havnt had time to upgrade the AC software yet but I am going to try that soon.

gfmohn

A couple years ago, I was in the back seat of an Audi A4 (maybe A6). It had vents high on the B-pillars, about face-level. They could be pointed right at the face (great if someone was starting to get a little carsick). The location was so good that I wondered why all cars had not always had their rear seat AC vents there. I forget whether the car also had center AC vents in the rear. This trip was at night. The tiny locater lights on the vents floated like little red stars in the all-black interior!

chicagofan00

Now that seems like a logical placement for some rear AC vents. Too bad that doesn't seem to be the norm.

Boudicca

Yes. With all that extra interior space to cool down it really makes sense. We just bought a Volvo XC90 and this was one of the features that I noticed and it makes perfect sense, along with the built in 2nd row booster seat that can be slid forwards. One of the better family SUVs around IMO.

turt

You may have a valid point, I have 3-zone on mine and also impressed by the air-conditioning.
Mercedes tends to offer subpar equipment when there's an upgrade available. For example the audio 20 sucks, as do the basic sound system. However Comand Online and Burmester are top notch.

chicagofan00

Is this the newly redesigned XC90? Those are actually looking pretty nice and from what I heard, lots of new/fun tech in them as well.

ddeliber

I have to say, the first thing that popped into my head was, my god what people do for their pets!




Now, I am sure you meant "because I have" instead of "for", but still, the image search was fun!