- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The overhauled Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan — the brand's smallest, lowest-price sedan — is another large bit of evidence that while German automakers emphasize their big, pricey machines, they do their best work on smaller, less-expensive vehicles.

Other examples: Audi A3 and BMW 3 Series.

But … the big issue with Mercedes-Benz vehicles is whether you'll pay more and get less.

Mercedes-Benz ranks fifth out of 35 brands in the most recent new-vehicle quality study by J.D. Power and Associates. But the brand drops to 13th in Power's survey of problems in 3-year-old vehicles.

And Benzes populate Consumer Reports magazine's "used vehicles to avoid" warning list well out of proportion to their sales numbers, and certainly in contradiction to their high prices. The C has been on the magazine's "bad dog" list as recently as the 2006 model.

The '08 is a major overhaul and might have eliminated reliability issues or might have introduced new ones. The 2008 C hasn't been on the road long enough to judge.

No issues arose in the two test cars, a $40,385 C300 luxury and a $43,225 C350 Sport.

Spokesman Rob Moran says the C underwent more extensive testing than any previous Benz. And two sore points were addressed by simplifying controls and reprogramming the automatic transmission for smoother shifting.

Judging the new C strictly by behavior, the verdict is easy: excellent. A car that embodies the best of Benz's bedrock attributes.

It fits, feels, flows the way a good sedan should. It delivers a remarkable blend of comfort, poise, sportiness and style. The Sport model is pleasantly luxurious and the Luxury is delightfully sporty.

Based on suburban miles in good weather in a C300 Luxury and C350 Sport, both rear-wheel drive, here's what stands out:

•Dynamics. The 3.5-liter V-6 in the C350 is a marvel: thrilling acceleration and respectable fuel economy. The seven-speed automatic transmission in both test cars shifted brilliantly. There's a manual mode if you think you can do better.

Both the C300 and the C350 dispatch corners nonchalantly. The Sport does a crisper job in the turns, of course, but the Luxury version more than suits the sporting needs of most folks.

Both versions soak up road irregularities nicely, the Sport transferring a bit more thump to the occupants but well short of harshness.

Brakes on the C350 come on right now when you push the pedal. Something that, after a short acclimatization, makes you wonder why so many others settle for sloppy-feeling brakes.

•Styling. Improved. Just enough of the big S-Class sedan's swoop to arrest the eye, and on the Sport, enough hunker and insouciance to titillate the deviant.

•Interior. Roomier. The '08 redo is about 4 inches longer, 2 inches wider and stretched the wheelbase nearly 2 inches. The result is a fraction of an inch more leg and knee room in back. There's more lateral leeway front and rear, as well.

The added knee room in back is enhanced by deep sculpting in the panel on the back of the front seat. But getting into or out of the rear reminds you the C still is a small car.

Moran says the engine was moved back in the redo, taking up some space that otherwise could have gone to rear legroom.

The engine placement helps balance the weight for nimble handling, he says, and provides additional space in front to absorb crash forces.

•Décor. Pleasing. The mix of colors, shapes and textures ravishes the eye and hand. The navigation and control screen is a good example. Every time you turn on the car, the screen rotates up and out from concealment on the dashboard. Don't need no stinkin' screen? A button lets you retract it.

•Utility. The usually gawd-awful electronic command and control centers with which luxury-carmakers have infected their vehicles isn't as gawd-awful in the new C. The system is approximately decipherable by ordinary individuals, and even can become likable.

The navigation system, typical of systems in German cars, has too few street labels.

No rear-view camera is available. Seems a huge omission, especially in the luxury genre. Moran says Benz buyers aren't clamoring for it in cars the C's size. Makes more sense in SUVs and bigger sedans.

Mercedes' reliability record is troubling. Would be in a $10,000 car, let alone a $40,000 machine. That tight back seat might not suit your needs. And a backup camera is such a useful feature that you might feel cheated without one.

But if those issues are secondary, do yourself a favor and spend some wheel time in a C-Class before you sign on any dotted lines.

ABOUT THE C-CLASS

•What is it? Remake of the brand's four-door, five-passenger compact sedan. Available with rear-wheel (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD); manual or automatic transmission. Manufactured in Germany.

•How soon? On sale since Aug. 7.

•How much? Starting prices range from $31,975 for the C300 Sport version to $37,275 for the C350 Sport including $775 destination charge.

•What's the drivetrain? C300 models have 3-liter V-6 rated 228 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 221 pounds-feet of torque at 2,750 rpm. C350 has 3.5-liter V-6 rated 268 hp at 6,000 rpm, 258 lbs.-ft. at 2,400 rpm. Six-speed manual transmission is standard on C300 Sport RWD. Seven-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode is standard on all others. Traction control is standard.

•What's the safety gear? Expected array of front, side and head-curtain air bags; anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control.

•What's the rest? Standard features include dual-zone automatic climate control; sunroof; AM/FM/CD/MP3/weatherband stereo; power steering, brakes, windows, locks, mirrors, seats; cruise control; trip computer; remote-control locks; interval wipers; automatic on-off headlights; Bluetooth phone connection.

•How big? Slightly larger than its predecessor, the '08 C is 182.3 inches long, 69.7 inches wide (79.5 inches including mirrors), 56.3 inches tall on a 108.7-inch wheelbase. Weights for RWD models range from 3,527 to 3,615 lbs.; AWD model weighs 3,737 lbs.

•How thirsty? C300 RWD with manual transmission is rated 18 miles per gallon in town, 26 on the highway, 21 in combined driving. C300 RWD with automatic is rated 18/25/21 on gasoline, 13/19/15 on E85 ethanol fuel. C350 and C300 AWD are rated 17/25/20.

Premium fuel is specified and is required to get advertised power. Mercedes-Benz says lower octane is OK temporarily but over time could lead to engine deposits.

C300 RWD automatic test car recorded 18.3 mpg in suburban driving. C350 recorded 18.4 mpg.

•Overall: A sweetheart. But has Mercedes-Benz exorcised the reliability demons?

Nice read

Must be a typo, Audi A3?

For sure is.

I really hope the C can pull off the same record first year like the S-Class has. That would really be something because the C is in the hands of many more buyers than the S so for it to be as reliable would really mean something.

M