German Car Zone

cawimmer430 · 01-21-2008, 02:33 PM

I testdrove another W204 C-Class today, this time an S204 C220 CDI estate in Avantgarde trim with an AMG body kit and sport leather seats.

Basically there's not much to report here as it drives almost like the last W204 I drive: a C200 Kompressor AMG. The wagon feels instantly more spacious on the inside the moment you enter it. The leather seats were quite hard and the side support was quite good, but this was because they were part of the sport package. The seat comfort would turn out to be decent over the course of the testdrive.

In person the car looks quite nice. I was afraid that the rear would turn out to be too wide and boxy as it looks in the press photos, but see the car upclose and this isn't really the case. The rear of the estate actually wasn't very wide at all and the feared extreme boxy look didn't take shape thankfully. The flow of the roof lines is especially pleasing making the wagon actually sexier than the sedan, which is usually the case in my book.

I like the '204 interior. The darker colors of the cabin reinforce that sporty personality. Like always, I personally feel the cabin is well made. The panel gaps are small, the alignment of materials looks great and you get that premium feel, despite the overall spartan cabin. The brushed aluminum and little strips of chrome here and there complete the premium atmosphere of the cabin. When driving, the cabin does an excellent job of keeping the exterior noises out. I was able to drive the C220 CDI T on the nearby Autobahn and the large mirros only generated slight wind noises at around 160 km/h (on the first C220 CDI sedan I drove the wind noises around the mirros appeared at around 140 km/h). The Autobahn was virtually empty and thankfully there is no speed limit on this one so I pushed the car all the way to its top speed of 224 km/h (which is also what Mercedes' claims it can top). At this level the engine was pretty loud but the handling was excellent. More on that below. Incidentally, the C220 CDI T-Modell almost "storms" to this top speed (love the midrange power of this thing!).

The driving experience is almost like those of the sedans, though in this case there is a little more noticeable body roll due to the extra weight of the estate. The steering wheel is light in feel but the feedback is generally decent, especially at lower speeds where the Parameterlenkung ensures that the steering is direct and responsive (at higher speeds the steering response becomes a little vaguer for enjoyable high-speed Autobahn cruising). Handling is still good and moreover the car is easy to drive and control. If you want a sportier C-Class though stick to the sedan. As mentioned not too long ago, the high-speed handling is good with the steering feedback becoming a little vaguer allowing for relaxed high-speed driving control.

On the C220 CDI automatic sedans, there was a slight delay when pressing the accelerator, but here, on this testcar, this delay didn't feel that long. The acceleration is brisk and fluid. From a standstill, the car doesn't accelerate right away when floored. It takes a second or two before enough torque is built up, but once this happens, the C220 CDI accelerates with a visciousness far impressive than its modest 170-horsepower make you believe is capable. The enormous torque reserves ensure that acceleration in any situation is a piece of cake. Indeed midrange acceleration is simply awesome! I enjoyed hammering the car as it always responded brutally! Loved it! Essentially, you don't really need a C320 CDI. The engine is reasonably quiet too at most normal and cruising speeds (loud at higher speeds), especially when warmed up but it is an "outdated" motor in comparison to the newer offerings from Audi and BMW.

As with the last W204 C-Class I drove, the sport package doesn't turn the car into an uncomfortable sports sedan. The handling is still good and the comfort isn't affected in a negative way at all. Even with the sport package, I suppose the C-Class T is still a comfortable long distance cruiser for families. The suspension does a decent job of filtering out road impurities too. The sporting factor is there, but the car feels more tame and like a family sedan. Nevertheless, kean drivers can still find enjoyment and pleasure at the wheel of this car.

Overall, I liked this machine. It displays the traditional Mercedes values such as safety, comfort and quality and it feels the better family car than the regular sedans. The larger trunk really reinforces that "family" aspect too. Slap on some proper rims and you have yourself a nice-looking family car. As usual, the downside is the price. This C220 CDI T was reasonably well-optioned out and was priced at a hefty 54,222 Euros!

Oh yeah, and this baby below is my kind of S204 wagon!

Tarek · 01-21-2008, 02:52 PM

Great review as always,now why that car has those hideous rims instead of nice 18 inch AMG wheels? is it winter thing?

And if that old dated engines is pulling like that then i can't wait for the new CDI ones should be great engines,and Chris damn he price is massive for a 4 cylinder unit

Just_me · 01-21-2008, 04:15 PM

so the kombi felt just like the Sedan to drive?

CorpusCallosum · 01-21-2008, 06:29 PM

Excllent review and excellent pictures - Karma given mate!!!

Monster · 01-21-2008, 09:04 PM

Thanks for another great review and photos mate, you should really be getting paid for this.

cawimmer430 · 01-22-2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atuv

Great review as always,now why that car has those hideous rims instead of nice 18 inch AMG wheels? is it winter thing?

On the Price / Options List it mentioned AMG wheels, so I am 100% positive that these were winter tires on different rims and the original AMG wheels with summer tires were in storage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by atuv

And if that old dated engines is pulling like that then i can't wait for the new CDI ones should be great engines,and Chris damn he price is massive for a 4 cylinder unit

Yeah the price is expensive! MB's aren't cheap but I suppose you're getting a better deal than ever since newer Mercedes' come much better equipped than even a facelifted W203 C-Class ever did.

The engine pulled really nicely. The C220 CDI is possibly the most realistic choice for most people. It pulls nicely, accelerates nicely, is reasonably quiet, quite refined and gets good gas mileage. However compared to the competitors it is a little "thirsty". A sign that a replacement is needed.

According to Auto Motor und Sport the next generation C220 CDI will be a 2.0 200-horsepower CDI diesel engine!

cawimmer430 · 01-22-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just_me

so the kombi felt just like the Sedan to drive?

Pretty much, except the estate had noticeably more body rolls as would be expected.

Also, the estate felt more family oriented than the sedan. Design wise I think it flows better too.

cawimmer430 · 01-22-2008, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

Thanks for another great review and photos mate, you should really be getting paid for this.

I'm applying at Winding Road for a job. Still fine tuning my CV for them etc. Wish me luck!

ree · 01-22-2008, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cawimmer430

I'm applying at Winding Road for a job. Still fine tuning my CV for them etc. Wish me luck!

That would be just awesome!!

Alles Gute!!

Tarek · 01-22-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cawimmer430

I'm applying at Winding Road for a job. Still fine tuning my CV for them etc. Wish me luck!

Best of luck man u deserve it

German Car Zone

***Testdrove a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI T-Modell (S204) AMG***

Testdrove a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI T-Modell (S204) AMG