Warning: The following review is extremely long.

Sorry guys i ran out of time to take some photos, but i got some from the dealer website.
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- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

I went for a test drive in the C220 CDI (W203) today, and it is a rather nice surprise. Sadly the Australian launch date for the new C-class is at 27th July so I drove the older version. For a long time now I have been wondering why people will bother to buy a basic C-class when you can get a much better equipped and faster Saab, Audi, BMW or a Subaru.

Originally I was going to test drive the C200k, but the car is stuck inside the dealership and it is impossible to move the car out, so I settled for a C220 CDI. I have never driven a diesel before, so it will be a new experience for me.

The C220 CDI I drove is a Classic version with the optional sports packages. This adds “direct steering package” which has a 18% quicker ratio, sports suspension, 17”inch 5 spoke alloys, cross drilled front discs, exterior chrome strips, sports steering wheel and a sports (louder) muffler with stainless steel exhaust tip. Despite being 7 years old, the C-class looks great with the sports package; however the interior design looks very dated.

I was surprised by the amount of engine noise after ignition. You can clearly hear the diesel engine rumbling away, the noise is almost truck like, but it idles smoothly. The C220 CDI has 110kw of power but 340Nm of torque, in typical diesel turbo engine style. I was expecting a slow drive and lethargic engine performance, but the engine manages to exceed my expectations. Once the car is on the go, the diesel engine noise dies away and you cannot hear it at all. Initial throttle response is a bit slow, just like all other Mercedes, there is virtually no lag from the engine at all, and the power delivery is very linear. There is a massive amount of low end torque, so I don’t have to rev pass 2500rpm to get the car up to respectable speed. The engine doesn’t spin as freely as a petrol engine, but it does feel lively enough to keep me interested. The engine isn’t working hard but the power is there, despite having only 110kw, the car really does go fast enough for normal daily driving. I was going at 20km/h higher the speed limit without even trying. For the uphill sections you only need to press accelerator a bit deeper to get the car moving.

For me, the steering feel of a car matters the most, and this C-class was better than expected. The steering in our E350 is too light, and it has no feel at all, so I was expecting the same from the C-class. To my surprise, the steering has a solid weighty feel to it. There is a slight vagueness at the dead centre position, but once you turn pass that point you will discover the steering is accurate, but the response isn’t as direct as I have hoped for. The self centring action is very strong and quick; in fact it is too quick for my preference. There is no steering kickback. The turning circle is small, so it was nice and quick for me to do a U-turn.
Overall the steering feel is better than our E-class but it cannot compare to the direct mechanical feel of my Subaru Liberty.


The sports suspension has a well compromised setup. The ride is definitely more “sporty” than the normal version, but it not spine breaking hard. You can definitely feel the bumps but the damping of the car is just right that the all the sharp edges of the bumps have been absorbed well. Overall the ride is smooth and comfortable.

Because the salesman is sitting next to me and I haven’t have my full licence yet, I chose not to “explore the outer limits” of the car’s handling ability. The car feels VERY stable and VERY smooth during medium speed cornering. There is a hint of body roll but the car just grip and turn, you can feel the grip generated from the 4 tyres and the entire car tuns with you. Because the suspension is just right, bumps does not upset the trajectory of the car, or the steering, unlike driving in my Liberty.
The brakes are powerful, as you would expect from a MB, It is more progressive than brakes on the E-class, but strangely enough, I cannot manage to perform a smooth stop in the C-class. It is a bit difficult to modulate the brake peddles travel because it is a bit short.

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The car is a bit tight in every dimension, and the rear seating position is too upright for our preference. It is a bit of a bitch to adjust the front seats. The padding on the seats is not as thick as those on the E-class, and because the seats have half manual and half electrical adjustments it took me forever to find a relatively comfortable seating position. As I have mentioned previously, the interior is the least impressive aspect of the C-class. The dashboard material and the general fit and finish are above average but the design and the material used for the major and minor buttons are rather cheap.

Overall, I can sum up the driving experience with 2 words, VERY SMOOTH. I was a bit suspicious before the test drive, but I was deeply impressed by it after the drive. Now I can understand why people will pay for a C-class, even if it is a basic C180 or C200, Japanese cars such as the Honda Accord Euro, and the Lexus IS250 simply cannot compare to the C-class. It is on the next level, along with the BMW. It is no surprised that I see a load of them on the road.