I was never really a fan of the W203 C-Class when it first came out, mostly because it felt so cheap and wasn't worthy of the Benz badge IMHO. Then came the facelift and after testdriving an entry level C200 CDI 6-speed and a C220 CDI A/T back-to-back, I came away really impressed because they felt solid, expensive, handled well etc. Now, if the entry-level diesels felt like this, then the higher-end models must be tons better.

Design wise, the W203 was ok. It became better with the facelift because it looked more expensive with its clear headlights and changed front lower body kit Check this out.

Original W203


Facelifted W203


I think the W204 looks really good so far. Can't wait to see it in real life. The W204 looks really expensive and premium to begin with (well, maybe not in Classic trim level from an exterior POV).