Mercedes-Benz C 200 Test drive

Mercedes-Benz C 200 is an important model with a decades-old history that has always been a star in a small class of quality cars with a longitudinal engine and rear-wheel drive.Today together with the 3ara and the Giulia, the Mercedes-Benz C 200 proves that the big manufacturers when it comes to their most expensive and "neat" models respect their tradition and care about the driving pleasure offered by the architecture that separates those wheels that turn the car away from others driving it.

And of course this is because all three models in their top versions have engines that exceed 500 hp - that is, horsepower that requires rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, the excellent rigidity of the chassis and of course the optimal weight distribution between the two axles that is easily offered by specific architecture.

It's something you feel right away - and what distinguishes BMW's 3 Series from the 1 Series and of course the C Class from the A Class that continues the tradition of front-engined, rear-wheel-drive top-of-the-line sedans and sports coupes.

Since the W201 (190 E ), more than 10.7 million Mercedes of this class have been sold to date - and in the last decade alone, almost 3 million units - placing the C Class in the top selling position among Mercedes models and creating a tradition which, however, is in danger of being lost due to the prevailing trend of a market that has turned to the drab SUVs and electric cars.

I had the opportunity to drive first the 170 hp Mercedes-Benz C 180 which starts at €47,950 - and which exceeds €70,000 if your pocket can withstand it - and immediately after the 204 hp Mercedes-Benz C 200 which starts at €54,050 and with the extras you see on the test car it comes close to €80K!!!

Here we are dealing with Mercedes-Benz, so all those who think to comment that it costs as much as a "maisonette in Ekali" should probably stop reading here and go if they buy the maisonette, since we are not a real estate agency here.

I had intended to present the C 180 first and immediately after the C 200, but having lived with both cars I can easily say that the 1.5 lt 4 cylinder M254 in its detuned version with 170 hp is not enough to move decently the C180, so choosing the C200 is a one-way street and fully justifies the €5,000 charge.

With the two models being similar in everything except the mapping, I decided to show you only the white Mercedes-Benz C 200 and keep only a few pictures of the black Mercedes-Benz C 190 which was also magically beautiful!

Appearance

The "magic" starts without delay from the external appearance of the W206 which, despite the long hood and the rear-shifted cabin, resembles an S Class - it successfully manages to hide the dimensions of the body - which, with a length of 4,751 mm (+6, 5 cm compared to the W205), width 1,820 mm (+1 cm), height 1,437 mm (-1 cm) and wheelbase 2,865 mm (+2.5 cm) are probably outrageously large for the class!

And...however, when you look at it from the front and ?, it looks more visually compact than the corresponding BMW proposal, but it is impossible to hide the huge wheelbase that finally reveals that the dimensions of the Mercedes-Benz C 200 exceed those of the first E Class!

The long hood and almost non-existent overhangs that place the front wheels at the ends of the body inform connoisseurs that this Mercedes has a longitudinal arrangement of its mechanical parts – and rear-wheel drive!

The discreet appearance does not in any way mean that one can be confused and think that they are looking at something that is not very expensive, as the characteristic light fixtures and the large grille with the coveted star in its center leave no doubt.

I would like to dwell a little on the DIGITAL LIGHT extra lighting bodies which use technology derived from the new S-Class and which, with the help of 1.3 million (how many??) micro-mirrors, directs the light across the entire width of the road surface - highlighting the lines and the warning signals, while on the high beam they automatically adjust the brightness of the headlights so that they are at their strongest setting without blinding the oncoming cars.

You know I don't like to talk about frills...but the night driving experience offered by this system is truly unprecedented and fully justifies the extra €2,311 it costs over the very good High Performance LEDs that equip the basic version.

The profile of the front is completed by aerodynamic details and functional air vents, while the shark-like grille low on the bumper creates a very aggressive image.

Prioritizing aerodynamics both the front and rear of the body sedan are 'rounded' to achieve an excellent CX coefficient of 0.24 and create the illusion that you're looking at a smaller car - which could be say an A Class Sedan.

The confusion with the smaller models is dispelled by the "classy" (...what adjective did I write now...) rear lighting bodies - reminiscent of Giulia, the AMG rims with tires 245/40R10 rear - 225/45R18 front - and of course the profile of the car which cannot hide the 2.9 meters of its wheelbase...

However, I consider it a great success of Mercedes that they have managed to create a body that gives the illusion that it is smaller in dimensions than it really is, since in the era we live in it can be enjoyable to experience the comfort of a large car, but it is better not to you cause extreme jealousy at the same time!

I think if you remove the tail lights from the rear then quite a few passers-by might think they're looking at the more affordable A Class Sedan - and that's a big hit!

However looking at the rear my personal "taste meter" goes "tilt" and reads "Game Over" when I notice that the impressive parallel tailpipes are just impressive "plugs" - since the real exhaust is hidden somewhere under the bumper...

There are certain things you just don't accept in a Mercedes - and in a car this well-made, the last thing you expect to see are attempts to impress with techniques from lower classes.

Interior

Opening the excessively wide and heavy door of the Mercedes-Benz C 200, you immediately admire the image of luxury emitted by the quality of the materials, the design and the comfort of the space that surrounds you.

The door closes with a loud sound isolating the cabin from outside noises, while sight, touch and smell satiate the brain with pleasant messages - known to us as the word luxury!

And yet, despite the increased dimensions, as soon as you sit in the driver's seat, the feeling you get doesn't make you feel like you're sitting in a big sedan like the competitor's 3rd, for example, but on the contrary, everything seems closer to you and humanly reminiscent of a smaller one. and more everyday car.

Of course when you look up and explore the dashboard it is clear that you are sitting in an extremely luxurious and large car from Stuttgart.

The huge 12.5" digital screen we find on the instrument panel and the 12" screen of the multimedia system that come directly from the new S Class introduce the driver to the new digital age where the screens offer so many customization options that they certainly do not you will get tired of playing with them for quite some time.

The image you will see every day can be different and even shaped according to your own tastes - and while the futuristic dashboard will impress you by showing the future, the three high-quality parallelogram aluminum air vents in the center of the dashboard (trademark) will remind you constantly that the car you drive is the result of a 120-year tradition.

In terms of ergonomics, placing the automatic transmission selector on the steering column is a very smart and practical idea since it also frees up space for a very deep and practical cupboard in the central console.

Certainly the use of the air conditioning system is done from the central screen and it is difficult for those who are not familiar with the ergonomic diversity of cars from Stuttgart, however the trends of the time now also affect the top of the pyramid even if this is at the expense of ergonomics….

On the contrary, the ease of operation of the multimedia system MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) either from the touch screen or from the mini pad located on the visually wonderful steering wheel adds points to the everyday experience of living together.

The technological superiority is confirmed - if you know English - by the optional LINGUATRONIC voice control system that understands you without having to use any specific commands, but that with the use of artificial intelligence can understand what you want to say.

Want to read or dictate and send SMS? No problem! Check the weather at your destination, change the radio station, or find the destination on the navigator!

All it takes to start it all is two words: "Hey Mercedes" and of course you know English to continue..

However, I wonder how Mercedes has not bothered to make the car that costs €70K react in Greek, as it reacts in English, German and 10 other languages including Turkish..

To complete the experience of the MBUX multimedia system, I should also mention the impressive Augmented Reality function that combines the 3D image of the navigator with that of a camera in the front of the car and shows you the road ahead. you have to turn with a sign that says his name!

The dashboard and doors are clad in either premium aluminum and satisfying soft plastics everywhere you look, but the center console bracing left me unconvinced of its fit.

In general the quality of the interior cannot be criticized, but I think the BMW 3 Series and the Giulia manage to exude more quality in their interiors - maybe because they have fewer screens....

However, the special squitzmeter of Autoholix gives zero readings when driving on the well-designed Municipal Dionysus Pit - and thus the Mercedes Benz C 200 excelled in all tests and was rated with 5 stars!

The whole image inside is very similar to the one you will find inside an S-Class and thus the driver is overwhelmed by a wonderful sense of luxury and technological excellence that rewards the choice of its buyer every day.

?Spaces/Amenity

Thanks to the large glass surfaces that give light and visibility to all passengers, as well as the wide angles that all the doors open, the W206 is an ideal car for families.

Despite the low driving position, visibility is very good in all directions, and the only thing that will bother you is the wide front pillars that bother you at intersections in the city and when "fixing" the gaze on the Apex before turning into fast driving.

Headroom for the driver is plentiful and will suit tall drivers who have recently found themselves having to put up with cars that have their heads permanently resting on the roof.

The central console is high and wide, offering plenty of storage space under the armrest, while I was impressed both by the ease with which you enter the car, and the feeling of spaciousness in the area of the shoulders and elbows of the front passengers.

The heated seats have a lovely suede leather trim and provide plenty of luxury and comfort, but cornering lateral support could be better...

As can be expected from the dimensions, the spaces for the passengers of the Mercedes-Benz C 200 are huge.

Friends from my son's basketball team were carried for a while and with relative comfort in the back seat for their practice with room for both their knees and their heads, while if we're talking about normal people under 1.95m tall , the distances between passengers and the quiet that prevails inside the W206 are impressive.

Even if the front seats are pulled as far back as they go - in a position where I literally can't reach the steering wheel and pedals - the space for the rear passengers is still annoyingly large!

The only thing that falls somewhat short is in the comfort of the middle passenger, as the transmission tunnel is too bulky, limiting the space for his legs, but on the other hand, thanks to the large width of the body, the spaces are enough for three passengers in the back seat.

The luggage space with 450 liters is in the middle of the category but will completely cover the needs of a family with its normal shape and low loading threshold.

Motor

Under the large hood of the Mercedes-Benz C 200 you will find the turbocharged, 4-cylinder petrol engine (M 254) of 1.5 liters which is here tuned to produce 204 hp and 300 Nm of torque (Mercedes-Benz C 180. 170 hp), which makes a mockery of the tax system of the psorocostaina, leaving the tax collector speechless to swallow the star without being able to charge it...

I really like it!

The small-displacement engine is combined with an electric motor that produces 20 additional horsepower and 75 Nm, and is located inside the "shell" of the automatic transmission, occupying the space of the torque converter.

When the car is moving normally the EQ Boost system charges the regular lead acid battery just like it does in conventional cars, but when we take our foot off the accelerator it works like a powerful electric generator which charges a small lithium ion battery located under the rear seats.

So the energy of rolling, or braking on a downhill, which would be lost to the environment as heat, is converted here into electrical energy and stored in the battery to be used, offering economy in traffic.

The generator also ensures quiet, reliable operation of the Start-Go system by drawing energy from the EQ Boost battery, while turbo-lag is reduced through the electric motor's superior torque which allows the internal combustion engine to spin faster. thus keeping the pressure in the turbo high.

This wonderful tax engine is in perfect harmony with the nine-speed 9G-Tronic gearbox that achieves fast and smooth changes, while thanks to its advanced electronics it makes sure that it is always in the right gear so that it highlights the characteristics of the little Mercedes-Benz.

Forget manual mode because you'll simply never need them... This gearbox will never go wrong!

The torque leaves the gearbox and reaches the wheels but unfortunately it cannot overcome the ESP which is not fully isolated - cutting the appetites of heavy-heads for vagaries which anyway do not suit the character of a Mercedes.

So with the distrust shown by both Alfa Romeo and Mercedes in the drivers' abilities, they leave the BMW drivers to be the only ones who can enjoy the rear drive of their cars.

However, I wonder if those who own such rear-wheel drive cars know it - and if they do, if they have ever dared to drive it as it should be... That is, with the doors! less than 8 liters in heavy city traffic.

It is just as good on the highway where thanks to excellent aerodynamics it manages to travel at 140 km/h where consumption drops below 7 litres/100 km!

If there's one thing that might bother you, it's the harshness of its sound and its reluctance to rev at high revs when using the manual transmission.

Performance is just as good with 0-100 coming in 8.6 seconds according to my phone and the odometer rumored – because we never run – to easily hit 230km/h!

Suspension / Brakes

The new W206 has a lower center of gravity and a 50 : 50 distribution, while the rigidity of the body structure and suspension bases have been significantly increased.

The suspension with double wishbones at the front and multilinks at the rear is made of aluminum for lower unsprung weight - and is responsible for the high degree of comfort and safety that the Mercedes-Benz C 200 water provides to the driver.

Brakes consist of ventilated discs on both axles, and the electrically assisted suspension offers a turning radius of 5.8 meters.

In town

At low city speeds the steering is soft (in the normal position), while it's impressive how much the wheels cut with a small movement of the steering wheel (2.6 turns end to end) thanks to the variable ratio rack.

Visibility in all directions makes driving through the city an easy task and although the dimensions have increased significantly, the new Mercedes-Benz C 200 looks smaller and more compact than the previous one.

The suspension swallows the many potholes of the D.L.D with impressive comfort and despite the beautiful wheels with the low-profile tires, while the incredible sound insulation gives an ultimate relaxing experience.

As long as the car is not pushed too hard, nothing is heard from the engine compartment, and thanks to the hydraulic engine mounts, no vibration from its rough operation passes through the cabin.

I took it for granted that nothing would creak in the damaged road network of the Municipality of Dionysos - and I was not disproven as indeed nothing inside showed any tendency to creak in this decade we are going through...

On the highway

Here the robust frame of the W206 cooperates in the most ideal way to highlight the Mercedes-Benz C 200 not only as one of the most economical high-speed travelers, but also as one of the most comfortable!

What impressed me about the Mercedes-Benz C 200 was the comfort of the suspension and the way it filtered the rolling noise of the low-profile tires that, as is known, make more noise than the "tall" ones.

Without being harsh, the car manages to turn in at high speeds, making long bends look like straights and road irregularities are lost in the amazing suspension that gives new meaning to ride quality.

Consumption on the highway can even drop to 7 liters if you decide to drive completely legally, while it will not exceed 11 liters / 100 km even if you exhaust the engine's capabilities.

In the Turns

The Mercedes-Benz C 200 may not be a sports car, but the suspension settings manage to provide comfort while simultaneously controlling the well-balanced and sturdy body.

The springs are not particularly hard, but the shock absorbers have strong compression damping - and even stronger rebound damping, and thus, in combination with the anti-roll bars of different tolerances (more compliant at the rear), they make the Mercedes-Benz C 200 not lean in the corners and it is at the same time a comfortable sedan with amazing ride quality!

The small engine assisted by the micro-hybrid system can get noisy at high revs, but it always has enough reserves of power and torque so that, working with the flawless gearbox, it highlights a chassis that is built to handle almost two and a half times as much C63 power!

Driving with clean lines and the "shield" of electronics, nothing is going to surprise the driver even if he moves at semi-absurd speeds, while the 1670 kg of the body completely disappears..

If the ride gets rougher any attempt to transfer weight and upset the rear end is met with apathy and efficiency by the proactive electronic systems.

If you choose to drive fast, but defensively, at turn entry you will experience a slight understeer that gradually fades into a four-wheel skid that will disappear if the foot is off the accelerator.

With a slightly more aggressive approach you'll find the front end pushed by the rear drive and literally bolted into the turn with the steering feeling even surpassing that of the Giulia.

I don't know why I have to compare the two cars ... which are both so similar and at the same time so different, but each of us has our own standards from which it is difficult to escape. Sorry Guys!

The gearbox in the sport position gives a recital of technological superiority, and the 204 hp seems a lot more if you decide to drive with clean lines trusting the brakes to collect kilometers.

Just so you don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say note that with the Mercedes-Benz C200 you can eventually go very fast on a country road, simply because the electronics are never completely isolated the process doesn't have the fun you dream of when you start driving a rear wheel drive car.

Conclusion

Compared to the previous generation, the W206 has been transformed into an almost perfect sedan that stands out both in terms of interior space - which is probably the best in the class - and in terms of the integration of new technologies that are also top .

But the full upgrade of the Mercedes-Benz C 200 made it as expensive as the Giulia and the 3rd and so the tax advantage of the 1500cc engine is not redeemed at the till, with the result that the medium sedan from Stuttgart finds itself facing the amazing two-liter engine of the Bavarians and the loveable feeling of the Italians.

While the previous model had a clear advantage in terms of purchase price and car use, the new "little" W206 if loaded with all the extras that make it stand out starts to become quite a bit more expensive than the competition.

Of course, with only three rear-wheel drive cars in the class, some will choose the ability to burn their rear tires at will, others will enjoy the thoroughbred character that accelerates the heartbeat, while others will find here in the new Mercedes-Benz C 200 the absolute combination of luxury and state-of-the-art technology.

In any case, because the Mercedes-Benz C 200 completes the indivisible and almost identical trio of rear-wheel drive luxury sedans(Alfa, BMW, Mercedes(, it remains a "holy" and valuable addition to the wall that we at Autoholix build "against the new world order " of the automotive industry of various SUVs and EVs.

So respect to Mercedes-Benz for still being able to produce cars with a unique character... and if you have the money - and if you categorize yourself in one of the three groups I've described... well, yes, buy it immediately to strengthen the maintain category!

Thank you for reading,

Ismeni Fabiatou

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