In-depth reviews

Mercedes C-Class owner reviews

"The Mercedes C-Class is more comfortable, luxurious and efficient than ever before, and a thorough facelift has added the latest technology"

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13 Jan 2021

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Carbuyer Rating

3.7 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.0 out of 5

Price

£45,895 — £59,450

SPECIFICATIONS

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

49%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Suspension, Other (1 case)
Brakes, Electrics, Other (2 cases)
Electrics (6 cases)
Engine, Other (4 cases)
Engine (2 cases)
Gearbox / clutch, Other (2 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Other (7 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch (1 case)
Electrics, Gearbox / clutch, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Gearbox / clutch (1 case)
Electrics, Engine, Suspension, Other (1 case)
Other (1 case)
Brakes, Other (1 case)
Brakes, Electrics, Gearbox / clutch, Other (1 case)

Review 1 of 51

Tell us what you think about your car?

Some plus points but let down by poor reliability. As for plus points, it's very comfortable, thanks to a quiet drive and that's down to its air suspension. Overall, I've done 60,000 miles and averaged 65mpg which is not too bad. HOWEVER, the reliability is not great. I've had two faults with the air suspension, including one due to water ingress (my dealer tells me it's quite common) - that came with a £1000 repair bill. My plug in charger also had to be replaced because the old one MELTED! The fuel line came loose and sprayed petrol all over the engine. The automatic transmission is poor and jerky, as others have mentioned. The weakest point by far though is the in-car entertainment/navigation. The sat nav is the worst I've ever had in any car - takes you off route at random times then brings you back to where you started! We now ignore it and use google maps instead. And trying to play audio from your phone requires a degree to set up. Compare this to my son's £5,000 polo which is a dream in comparison! Others have mentioned the zero road tax, which is a modest benefit but I would not buy another.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This 350e hybrid is the worst car I’ve ever owned. Right from the second day I had it I wanted to return it. I thought there was something wrong with the electric side as I could only get 6 miles on a full battery. Mercedes say this is normal and to not expect anymore. I’ll get more miles on my electric scooter. Also the car no longer qualifies for the free congestion charge. The car has suffered major repairs due to its hybrid system. Which is costing thousands of pounds. This car will cost you a lot of money stay away.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've had the car now for just over a year and have had no reliability issues at all with it. I Just took it for its service, it was collected by M.B. As a package it works well for me and I like it more as time goes on. Its a comfort car with reasonable handling. The diesel engine gets down the road at a decent rate of knots which should keep the majority of drivers happy. I take to Germany two or three times a year and on (now rare) unrestricted stretches of autobahn I took it up to a top speed of 146MPH and it was fine. The engine when pushed is vocal but for acceleration you get it is worth it. On the move during normal driving it is smooth quiet and comfortable and is hard to beat on long drives.For its price that is. The auto gearbox is good with different driving modes.I drive it on the setting which allows it to be tailored to my needs with the stop start function off which I find to be to keen to operate in town. All w205 c class have artificial leather heated seats which I find more comfortable than leather.The Sat Nav is not the best as it can be slow to operate and the voice command with the wrong accent is near on impossible.I put on a southern accent which seems to work most times. As with lots of modern cars the door seals have to be kept clean or you get a noise that sounds like trim creaking.There are plenty of seal conditioners available which may also help. I am more than happy with the car. Is it value for money? Probably not as you pay for the brand but you will get it back at trade in time. Would I buy another one? Yes.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've had the car a year now and it is about to be collected for its annual service. During the year I have owned it it has not needed any repairs. It is a very comfortable car on long trips,I take my cars to German at least twice a year. On the open unrestricted autobahn (not much of it left) I took it up to it near max speed of over 140MPH and it was fine. I usually do the recommended limit of 130KPH there. The engine can be a little noisy but it has been around a while but it is brisk and should be reliable. Once at speed it is quiet.The power is nice. From time to time the door seals creak a little like a lot of newer cars. I use a retail seal softener which does the trick. The offset righthand drive steering wheel does take time to get used to. The automatic gearbox is fine and comes with different settings. In a busy town or winding "A" roads I would tend to have it in Sport mode. Most of the time I have it on individual mode set to my needs which includes the stop start system which is a bit keen to switch itself off. The sat nav/info system is a little slow compared to other systems but its gets me across the UK and Europe ok.I have it on constant manual night setting as on "auto" it is too bright out of towns. I also switch off the center tablet if I still feel it is still to bright. No car is perfect but for comfort and looks it does well. I believe a facelift model is coming out using the engine fitted to the latest E class which I have driven. That will make it much smoother.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

My 5th Mercedes, and love it, unfortunately electronics let the car down, as does the service departments they cannot repair cars on the first visit to workshop, have to wait weeks for loan car and then weeks again for repair, not what one would expect when paying so much for a vehicle. having said that I love the car, service once purchased is terrible. Mercedes do not have a complaints procedure, terrible

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

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I ordered this car new from Mercedes dealership in August 2015. Delivery was due for November but eventually delivery date given for 19th December. 30 minutes before collection time telephone call from dealership to cancel handover as fault has appeared on dash showing faulty airbag to passenger side. Mercedes dealership technicians unable to fix problem so contacted MB Germany who have now been trying various fixes with dealership for 3 weeks and still no fix. My car that was traded in has been moved on so the dealership have loaned me a car. The car was registered on the 19.12.15 but I have never sat in the car so am just losing money awaiting Mercedes to fix the problem. I have seen on this site one guy who has been waiting 3 months for Mercedes to fix his problem. Should I reject this car? Avoid Mercedes C-Class if my problems are anything to go by.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

excellent well rounded car compared to previous last few angular versions of c class and good compared to rival offerings. Light usage, on country and motorway roads, maybe 2k-3k miles per year. Comfort, appearance, performance, level of luxury and specification is all good. the bug bears are: petrol engine chugs like a diesel on start up and when not moving. quiet when moving. maybe this is the modern way. satnav is unfathomable, and the navigation controller could be easier to move through menus and options for all the infotainment system. don't even dare play with voice recognition. a good main dealer discount with options made this a good choice car. Will probably chop it in after 3 years to see if the latest & greatest version has sorted those little niggles. Finally MB are making cars again that you look at and think 'quality & luxury'.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A great all-round car but sadly let down by the poor sat-nav that seems to take great joy in sending you around in circles. Have had a few issues, as well as the 2 urgent recall notices, it was back in the garage within 2 weeks of new due to an emissions issue which was cured by updating the engine management software which does beg the question, if the car is only 2 weeks old, why does it need an update? That said, it is an excellent motorway cruiser. It is fitted with an auto gearbox which is great and although fitted with steering wheel paddle shifts, I have never needed to use them. Just has its first service at 17,000 miles with no problems to report.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

All the previous peeps complaining about range - I have yet to find any PHEV that is as comfortable, fun, well built as this Merc. I have had various Hybrids/PHEVs over the years, and to my mind they simply don't make sense. Probably for short commutes eg. under 20 miles the most economical PHEV I have had was an Outlander. But again as soon as that battery goes mpg's dropped to high 20's early 30's and was no fun at all. Now so far this Mercedes feels luxurious inside with it's Panoramic Roof and Burmester Sound System. Everything just feels solid unlike the mainly Japanese competition I have tried. It's quick, and probably now that the newer generation has a 9-speed gearbox is probably even better to drive. I don't recommend anyone buys a PHEV in any shape or form if your commute is over 20 miles. If you want a car that does your short daily commute and shopping trips in comfort but have enough flexibility and grunt in the engine to have some fun and not mind the fuel costs then I'd recommend this Merc.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Before buying this car you need to do a little bit of homework and planning, because it won't deliver its full benefit if how you plan to use it doesn't match to its strengths. For example, my daily commute is around 32 miles and a combination of A roads and slow moving motorway traffic, and this seems to be the sweet spot for getting the most out of this car. I keep the battery topped up all the time and usually leave with an indicated electric range of between 12-16 miles (Never seen the mythical 19 miles unicorn yet...) By driving carefully I often see 99.9 mpg when I park up in the morning at work :-) I then charge the vehicle via my Polar Plus RFID card and get the same experience on the way home. If you plan to drive this vehicle on long distances on motorways at the UK speed limit expect to see number below 55mpg, at the end of the day its a 2 litre petrol engine. If you have a heavy right foot this will really tank (with the best will in the world a plugin hybrid won't compensate for a non eco-friendly driving style). To date I've covered 1,839 miles and my average mpg is displayed as 94.2 :-) So, if you mainly do trips under 30 miles, can ideally charge at both ends and don't feel the need to drive at Mach 1 this might be your dream car, but do your planning and research up-front.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

The car may look great and expensive, but the overall build quality is poor. Interior problems have been creaking noise from the multimedia screen, a buzzing noise from behind the dash. The black gloss centre console can scratch very easy and it not made to last. The car has also had more than one reliability issue starting with the replacement of a new oxygen sensor. New airflow sensor, new battery, and all before 15.000 miles followed by turbo failure that was replaced with a new intercooler at 20.000 miles. In my opinion the 1.6 diesel Renault engine is rough underpowered and unreliable.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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This is a badly designed awful car. I would certainly not recommend it. At 41L, the fuel tank is smaller than a pregnant woman's bladder, don't plan on making any long journeys. I tried and failed to do a return journey to London on a full tank of Fuel. The car is uncomfortable to drive. Trying to relax your arms is impossible and the interior surfaces are very hard. The seat adjustment buttons are where the door handle should be. You don't need to regularly adjust your seat, so why put the buttons there? I'm not American so don't want the gear lever on the steering wheel. It hasn't got auto wipers. In all, it's like Mercedes has forgotten what made them good. It is a shocking car and I would recommend getting something else.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Having put this car through hell and back, and nearly 70k on the clock - I thought it about time to leave my honest owner review on my Mercedes. Overall this car has been a bit of a disappointment, and looking at other owners’ reviews, I’m not alone in having this opinion. I know I’ve got the basic model, but some of the complaints I have are across the whole range (I’ve had the privilege of driving the top spec C’s on the many times my one has been in the garage - a total of 15 days in 2017 alone). I’ll start with the positives, because it’s not all bad. It is a great looking car, with a strong front, grill this car has real road presence and it can very comfortably encourage other road users out of the overtaking lane by taking up their rear view mirrors. It is also really frugal. With an aggressive driving style and never allowing Start/Stop to operate (I’ll explain later) it manages comfortably 48/50 mpg from the little 1.6 diesel block. That’s with a full boot, and the boot can take a lot of stuff. The petrol 1.6 was much less frugal. At sub 30mpg with the same driving style the range drops from my usual 650 miles down to circa 300. It’s a bit peppier though and offered far better acceleration than my little diesel. There are a few major design flaws with this model, which affect all C class models. Having driven three times around the world, for nearly two years, I have still not managed to find a comfortable driving position - every day I am forced into messing with the unnecessarily hard seat to make my journey bearable. Less 'premium' marques seem to offer far more impressive seats - this is a real black mark on the Merc. Part of the problem is the stupid pedal position: with a clutch pedal so high you practically scratch your ear with your inner left knee, and an accelerator mounted on the floor. You can have one leg set up for comfort at any one time. The auto is better in this respect- but the “leather” seats are still essentially park benches wrapped in vinyl. Passengers seem happy with the space, and the comfort, though. The real problem I have had is with reliability. So much has gone wrong with this car and most of it is software related and can never be fixed. I’ve had to drop the car off on five occasions due to the engine going into limp home mode (where it can be overtaken by a well charged milk float). The culprit was the Start/Stop setting - doing a fantastic job of saving the planet by turning off half the engine. The garage suspect it’s a faulty sensor, but they don’t know which one. Apparently there’s too many to check. The aforementioned clutch is pretty weak, showing clutch slip after just 7 months and now getting to the stage where a smooth start off the lights is impossible. That serves as a good enough excuse for me to jump away at the first sniff of a green light, so suits me fine. Some of the software is good. The auto braking feature has genuinely saved my life twice, but it has also gone off on it’s own - thankfully the driver following me had the reflexes of a cobra and managed to avoid a car do 70-0 in 0.3 seconds. Totally an isolated event, but it did scare the pants off me. Our fleet has five of these C200d’s and three of them have all had the same catastrophic failure. The turbochargers have blown, causing white smoke and an awful smell of burning oil. And the need of roadside recovery. The fourth C class we have has had to have a full fuel line rebuild due to a major problem with the car not registering when it’s empty. I’m guessing this time it wasn’t just another sensor. My final note is on the Customer Services. They are genuinely brilliant. They did accidentally leave me stranded on the M6 for five hours, but they were so good to me afterwards that, after I thawed out, I couldn’t hold much of a grudge. Always sympathetic and very polite, they are a dream to deal with - which is good as, if your experience is anything like mine, you’ll be dealing with them a lot.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

The worst new car I have bought . Let's start from the beginning: I was looking for a second hand one but the dealer offered me 29% off the price of a new one so a good deal I thought so I placed my order. At the collect from the dealer it was apparent that the dealer was more interested in selling insurance products than the car at the unveiling it was clear I knew more than they did. Now the car itself. Well; it looks nice, granted, and the artificial leather seats are comfortable. The nice looking interior squeaks and rattles to such an extent, though, that I have to stop the car and get out of it and leave for a while. The dealers have looked at but not come up with a solution. The satnav is still showing roundabouts on the A1 which were removed over 10 years ago, it also regularly crashes and gets lost. I have bought an atlas it's quicker and easier to use . The Bluetooth for the phone is simply not good enough and far too complex to use and as for the touchpad, well that just makes a bad system worse. The fuel consumption figures quoted are Obviously for another vehicle My previous car was a BMW and I'm afraid the Mercedes is simply not in the same class

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Mercedes have made a pretty car but it falls way short on quality control and performance. The audio/satellite system is so slow that I have ended up using my phone instead. I have the audio 20 system. I had the opportunity to go Premium Plus which would have included Comand and Burmester but I thought the standard audio and media would actually be useable, was I wrong or was I wrong! The sat nav makes bizarre decisions and can't find places that are very obvious, the audio system has one small subwoofer in the passenger footwell so all your bass guitars and bass drums are going to come from your left side which is just bizzare. The entire system is so slow and laggy that I have stopped using the telephone functions. There is a 5 to 6 second lag when selecting the phone book and scrolling through the list. Similarly when you press the back button which creates a culture of looking back and forward between the screen and the road trying to figure out what the heck is going on! In short, it's dangerous and causes unnecessary risk. Other problems include wind noise coming in from the door seals around the windows, the black gloss trim scratches as soon as you touch it, the auto wipers do not respond well, the rear screen demist does not demist anything on the top four lines, the Bluetooth connection is very easily confused by the presence of more than one phone and the entire car creaks and I mean from everywhere, The dashboard, the roof lining, the sunroof, the door cards, everywhere!! One other oversight, if you sit on the boot edge to change shoes going for a walk the boot close is likely to trigger resulting in a nice thump to either your back or head!! The door handle lights on mine are all failing, two have already been replaced and a third has now failed. I have wasted so much time taking this car into dealerships to get things repaired it really is totally unacceptable, especially from this "quality" mark. I had the chance to buy a BMW 5 series, it was more expensive but I was seduced by Mercedes' design and "reputation". How mine has has slipped by their quality control department is bewildering. My recommendation is to avoid this car and look at the alternatives. If this is the standard Mercedes are now introducing then they will soon be in trouble. There are other problems too, the start/stop is unresponsive, the engine is a bit noisy, the back seats a tiny bit cramped. It's a beautiful car to look at but my goodness, it isn't half a frustrating and poorly conceived car when it comes to functionality.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I got this car from brand new from Merc. My previous car was a Volvo v40 (D4) then 2 audi's. This was my first Merc, it will be my last. The problems and design. I work in the software market and I have never such a poor user interface, it just makes no sense. It also crashes ALL the time and leaves me no music or Sat NAV. The Garmin Sat nav is a useful as having my old granny sitting next to me with a map. Also the traffic avoid system just does not work, I had to purchase a TomTom with traffic. The engine, WOW did they get that from a tractor? First time I noticed I was in a traffic jam. I thought first it was a van next to me, the van moved on but the noise stayed with me. Automatic transmission jerky and slow. So I tried sport and sport+, worse. Even more jerky and poor gear choices. Boot tiny and useless. Ad blue what the hell, I put diesel and oil in now I have to ensure there is ad blue. If it is empty your car WILL NOT START. Actually let me re-phrase that, I filled mine up and it still did not start and said Ad Blue was empty. Handling, suspension is the worse car I have ever driven. It bounces around corners. Overall this car is awful!! Do not buy!!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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Although it drives like a dream I have had numerous problems, such as - keyless go will automatically lock the doors while you are outside the car and you cannot turn it off. A warning saying the remote needs new batteries even though they have just been changed (this warning stops you seeing other items on the dash), external handle lights all needing to be replaced, these need the door taking apart so will be expensive when warranty runs out. Several problems with the dealership too. Like not picking the car up and smashing the window when replacing handle light. Very disappointed.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have owned several Mercedes in the past (C, E & S class saloons and E class estates) and I have also been privy to some of the best advice & information re: Mercedes over the years. As a company owner I had the privilege to drive this car for a week and I can definitely say I was disappointed. The diesel is lovely when cruising put push it hard and it sounds rough; the auto is superb but then it should be in a Mercedes (it's what they do best) but I do not like this stick shift and what's with the over sensitive "joypad" - hit it accidentally and your music tracks jump all over the place. There was too much road noise from the rear wheel arches; passengers complained and the drivers positioning - I am 6' 4" tall and I have never had a problem driving older C class Mercs but this one - it's almost like the driver was thought of last; why do I have to put up with my shoulders resting on the B pillar? Another complaint about the car was the colour - obsidian black - they never look clean and the merc in this version of black is no exception - it looks dirty when its just been cleaned. Would I buy one? No - not this current model change - the previous version was better - roomier, better engines. I think Mercedes are trying too hard - there are so many things wrong with this car and at this stage in the game they should be at the top.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellent car,very comfortable, high quality interior (much nicer than a 3 Series), engine can be noisy to start with (like all diesels) but once up and running very quiet. No problems to date and dealer offered excellent service and price. As for economy the car returns an average so far of 49 mpg but can easily achieve 55 mpg plus on motorway.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Absolutely lovely car. The diesel is a bit noisy at low speed but once its on the move, it's very smooth and pokey. The LED light system is amazing, I've never known brighter lights on a car. The gear shift being on the dash takes some getting used to and I would prefer a proper gear shift stick where it should be. The navi/media display doesn't swivel and looks a bit cheap - this does let the interior down. On the positives, the buttons and materials are fantastic, for example the electric window buttons are milled aluminium and of very high quality. I have the red leather seats and are fabulous. The drive is gorgeous and is so comfortable, it whooshes you along. I have had a W203, a W204 and now this W205 and this new version stands head, shoulders and torso above the older variants. In short, impressed but pity about the american gear shift and the plasticy, cheap media display.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

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Had this C220 CDI Blue Efficiency for 18 months and had problems one after another Engine management light on (got fixed) Ridiculous coolant loss with no visible leak (still ongoing); Mercedes or Independent garage can't find a fault This is the worst car I’ve ever owned. Now going back to a BMW

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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Great car, lovely and quiet, and if you just do town driving the economy is fantastic. My best yet is 250mpg in town only, this can drop right down to 30 mpg with hard driving and motorways. If you pre-heat the car in winter your electric range will drop to 5 to 9 miles because – even though the car is plugged into a home charger – the heat still comes from the battery lowering your range. Even in summer the best electric range the car will do is 12 miles.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

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Beautiful car, built to the high standards you would expect from Mercedes. The hybrid option gives you the choice of driving in eco mode, harvesting electricity each time you lift off the power, to a sub 6 seconds to 60 beast at the touch of a button, all whilst being cosseted in a beautiful cabin leaving you arriving at your destination with a smile on your face having used hardly any petrol yet enjoyed a cheeky sprint start on the way.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

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The 330h Sport Premium Plus is undoubtedly the worst car I have ever owned or driven. The only good thing about it is the BIK tax rate. However, Mercedes have obviously put some thought into the design. For instance, the Wind Noise in the driver's ear (sounds like the window is slightly open) is nicely balanced with the rattle from within the opposing door. The ridiculously small boot prevents you from overloading the vehicle with unnecessary items such as suitcases, and the lack of legroom restricts the size of adults the car is forced to carry. Voice operation is a joke with commands such as, "Navigate to Work" eliciting the response, "Which Telephone function do you require assistance with"! On one memorable occasion the Sat Nav had me going back and forth between two roundabouts in Leeds because it could not determine a route. There are real issues with the automatic transmission that often cannot decide which gear it should be in, particularly when accelerating to leave a roundabout. On a number of occasions the vehicle has 'hesitated' (feels like you have hit a speed bump) as it tries to determine which gear it should be in and if it should be using electric power or not. Overall an atrocious vehicle, especially for the money. Fortunately for me it is a Company Car and I only have to put up with it for another 3 months.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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So it is a year today that I took delivery of my C250. Being my tenth Mercedes, I was expecting good things, at least as good as the E220 that it replaced, which was traded in after three years and 83,000 trouble free miles. How wrong I was! The car has been backwards and forwards to the dealer for a number of irritating faults. There was a rattle coming from the dashboard and passenger front door that the dealer seemed incapable of rectifying, in fact it took them eleven months to sort it out. During this time they removed and re-hung the passenger door several times, replaced all four window seals, replaced the air vent and liberally sprayed silicon spray all over the dashboard and glovebox which they didn't clean off. Other problems have been the auto stop-start failing, the auto boot not opening, or only partly opening and refusing to close. This week after being in heavy London traffic for a couple of hours the auto box refused to change higher than third gear - this seems to have resolved itself, but I need to get it checked. Overall the car is nice to drive. It performs well but is too noisy. Having driven the new E-Class with the new 2.0 aluminium Diesel engine they should put this in the C. The economy is excellent, up to 60 mpg on a long run. The sat nav is useless and the whole infotainment system is far too complicated, and why did Mercedes stick an iPad on the dash as an afterthought as opposed to integrating into the dash I do not know. The dealer service has been nothing short of dreadful. When my car was in for repair they loaned me a new C which had just 400 miles on the clock. On my way home from work the engine management light came on and the car went into 'limp home' mode, refusing to do more than 40 mph. I rang the dealer who's response was "ring Mercedes breakdown". So overall I am not happy with this car at all. It seems that the build quality and dealer service is deteriorating. A victim of Mercedes being more interested in quantity and profit over quality. Will I be buying an eleventh Mercedes? I doubt it. We replaced our Mercedes SLK (our fourth) last September, not with a SLC, but a Porsche 718 Boxster.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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Stunning looking car, but that's where the good points end. Sat nav and media system have given me so many problems I've lost count how many times its been back to Mercedes, considering I paid a lot of money for a upgraded system I expected a lot better. Issue number two, driving through my home town in normal traffic the clutch over heated flashing up "do not attempt to drive clutch overheating " Shutting the car down in the middle of traffic! Car went into Mercedes who took the clutch and gear box apart, the result was no fault apparently and no fault registered on the on-board computer. To my amazement I was given the car back and to take a picture of the warning if it happens again. Well it did happen again recently much worse than before with an overwhelming burning smell from the clutch. It went back to Mercedes who decided a quick jolt up the road is enough to test the clutch and once again no fault again apparently. Unfortunately didn't take a picture of the warning flashing up! Avoid these cars and more importantly avoid Mercedes ultra poor customer service. I actually feel bad for calling it customer service ....shocking!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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This is one of the worst cars I've owned and my 8 year old would rather we use our Fiat 500 than get in the new Mercedes. There have been numerous faults involving the car being returned to Mercedes. It's a great looking car but it has a tacky screen in the centre of the dash. The sat nav is rubbish. There are no buttons to change the radio and the media system is complicated and not user friendly. My saved radio stations keep getting forgotten but I don't even use the radio anymore because it can't get a signal that doesn't cut out every 30 seconds. It constantly switches from DAB to analogue if it can get a signal at all. I can't believe a car like this doesn't have a working radio. It's had numerous electrical faults such as 'battery not charged' and the latest one is the windscreen washer won't pump any fluid out. The wipers work but no fluid. I am pushing the lever right as I've used it plenty before and the fluid is full, it just doesn't work. I'm going to give Mercedes another chance to put it right because the car has so much potential but if not I'm going to change it. I'd rather have a Ford than this rubbish.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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This is supposed to be a quality product at a premium price and it simply isn't . This is my 5th new Merc and easily the worst, with serious electrical and build quality issues. A sudden failure of the electrical power steering with a racing engine and an inability to switch the engine off was both frightening and dangerous. It took 4 trips to the dealer to sort out ; they initially had no idea what was going on. With excessive wind noise and various cabin creaks and rattles, the build quality is simply not good enough. The car should not have left the factory in this condition. After allegedly being fixed it is still coming up with new problems- the exterior door lights have failed, and the proximity warning now goes off randomly. I'm afraid Mercedes have just lost a previously loyal customer!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

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The C220 Bluetech Sport Premium Auto has the potential to be a great car. It's very comfortable, has a high level of kit and looks great. The interior is high quality and very well thought out (with the exception of a few minor points). Fuel economy is very good and quite a surprise given the cars performance. The engine while noisy pulls with gusto and along with the 7 speed auto box provides a good combination of driving modes (eco,comfort, sport and sport+). The cabin space is a very nice place to be (either in the front or back). Plenty of room for six footers, but a bit of a squeeze for 5 adults - Acceptable for short journeys, but not for a long one. My car has the double glass sunroof, fully electric heated seats, sat nav, front and rear sensors, reversing camera, Bluetooth, DAB radio , ambient lighting pack and tire sensors. This all sounds good, and it should be for the money that it costs. Minor niggles ? Well yes, the centre console has a silly mouse like device with sensors on the top, which in the uk market would be OK for left-handed people, but probably not if you a right-handed. Its easy to accidentally mix up the indicator stalk and cruise control stalk as they are next to each other on the same side of the steering wheel. The on-board internet services are a wast of time - literally as they are far to slow to be of any real use. Whist the engine is economical and the performance really good, the price to pay is that is is rough and noisy at times. From an ownership point of view the last 8 months have been a nightmare. In the first 8 months I have had suspension , Air-con motors, Vent electric motors, external door handle lights, replaced. Two manufacturer recalls and and various other faults related to the engine and electronic systems. The worst of the issues was the suspension squeak that started after two weeks and lasted for months whilst the dealer tried to find the issue and resolve it. Eventually after making audio recordings of the sound it was correctly diagnosed and new parts were provided by the factory in Germany. In summary: Great car let down by some significant reliability problems and very poor support from the Mercedes dealership. Not an easy car to own especially given the price tag. However, it has the potential to be as good as if not better than the equivalent Audi or BMW.

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Very pleased, it's rather better than I expected, surprisingly fast, not as economical as claimed, but otherwise spacious and relaxing and with enough power to overtake the endless ditherers that clutter our busy roads. I particularly appreciate lower noise levels, the effectiveness of the auto box in the hilly area where I live, that there's enough rear seat comfort for hundred mile journeys and that it's so beautifully made. It was a lot of money for me, but I'm glad I took the plunge.

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I am a company car user and got this car mainly because the BIK was low. I had it now for almost 4 years and i must say i loved driving it! For: Built quality is superb, the cabin is a very pleasant place to be in and looks great. I love the drivetrain, the combined electric and the petrol engine provide a lot of power, especially if you choose S+ mode! The adaptive suspension is fantastic and ride quality is excellent. MPG is not bad for a 2 litre turbo engine, I averaged 44 mpg. Sound system is very good as well. Service - Mercedes service is second to none. I had nothing but good experiences during warranty Against: The electric range I achieved was 10 miles at best, so i wouldn't buy this car for it's electric range. It is great at reducing your tax as a company car tho! The infotainment system is really bad. It seems like the menus were designed by teenagers for a school project. BT connectivity is complex, the basic satnav you get is useless, media controls for music, etc - awful. Boot space is wanting as well. crazy place to store the batteries, which makes the car difficult to use as a family car. Verdict: I loved this car as a company car. Really enjoyed driving it and definitely don't regret ordering it as it was a fantastic deal in terms of tax level for a premium car, but i would not buy it as an individual.

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Before buying this car you need to do a little bit of homework and planning, because it won't deliver its full benefit if how you plan to use it doesn't match to its strengths. For example, my daily commute is around 32 miles and a combination of A roads and slow moving motorway traffic, and this seems to be the sweet spot for getting the most out of this car. I keep the battery topped up all the time and usually leave with an indicated electric range of between 12-16 miles (Never seen the mythical 19 miles unicorn yet...) By driving carefully I often see 99.9 mpg when I park up in the morning at work :-) I then charge the vehicle via my Polar Plus RFID card and get the same experience on the way home. If you plan to drive this vehicle on long distances on motorways at the UK speed limit expect to see number below 55mpg, at the end of the day its a 2 litre petrol engine. If you have a heavy right foot this will really tank (with the best will in the world a plug-in hybrid won't compensate for a non eco-friendly driving style). To date I've covered 1,839 miles and my average mpg is displayed as 94.2 :-) So, if you mainly do trips under 30 miles, can ideally charge at both ends and don't feel the need to drive at Mach 1 this might be your dream car, but do your planning and research up-front.

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First the positives on my C220d company car - it looks good from the front and the fuel economy is decent. Now on to the negatives. I find it difficult to get in an out of ( I am 5ft 10 and not portly in any way ), the leather seats are uncomfortable and there are more buttons to move/position the seats than an Airbus 330. After six months of driving the car I still haven't found a comfortable position. The button to open the sunglasses compartment is positioned right next to the Mercedes SOS button and on a couple of occasions while driving to get my sun glasses out I have stabbed away at the SOS button and called them by mistake. The gear lever is horrendous and feels like something like an American 1950's pick up truck. Also, it takes around 4 days to move through your contacts in the infotainment system's phone book, you have to scroll through/type in the name then scroll down which can be pretty tricky when you are trying to do the most fundamentally important thing when in a moving car and that's control it without crashing. What's the point of the stupid joystick thing above the media wheel? The sat nav is abysmal and uses very out of date maps, the media player takes ages to move from one song to another, for some reason I can't connect via Bluetooth it has to be via USB. it's easier to navigate through the London underground while blindfolded and spun round 100 times than it is to find playlists and songs you want safely without ploughing into the car in front. I would prefer a touchscreen like the Volkswagen Golf has. I cannot easily find the way in to turn the traffic announcements off (which turns itself back on) when listening to the radio (which struggles to maintain a good signal) And now it has intermittently started turning itself off or comes up with half the screen white and the rest fuzzled like a 1980's broken TV. The automatic braking/warning buzzer is over sensitive, too.

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As another reader noted, this car rattles and creaks everywhere. I had air vents replaced, door seals, instrument cluster removed and " sealed " with tape ... The infotainment screen rattles, and the sat nav... what a joke. If you miss your exit or need to recalculate, instead of something quick, it could take up to 40 seconds! I ended up using waze and google maps. The service at the dealer is no better. It's been at the dealer over 30 times for a combination of problems and recalls. The build quality is shocking. Nearly all of the C-Class are built in South Africa, not sure if this is anything to do with it but they don't tell you this when you buy the car. They mention made in Germany as a good thing. On one of my visits, I was told another customer hit my car while it was parked at Mercedes. The dealer promised to repair the damage, instead of taking the car to an officially approved body shop, they took it to a local uncertified garage for a poor quality repair. I noticed this and mercedes apologised and repaired it properly. Problems are still ongoing. The response from Mercedes customer service is "it's just a comfort problem, the car is safe", so rejection is out of the question. You think if you buy Mercedes is to aim for comfort ? think twice. You won't get it with a Mercedes. Used to be a great car. Now it has far too many problems.

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I was very happy with my 62 plate C220D Sport AMG Line, and was seduced by a discount and an additional finance contribution from MBFS, so I configured a very nice looking 67'AMG Line C220D. I drove away in October 17. The initial niggles started the day after I got it home, and the car was back at the dealers. The faults were not fixed, and so another dealer visit, which is a 2 hour round trip incl, time to drop and collect courtesy car. I discovered that my NEW car production date was a full 9 months before I drove it away, and the service manager confirmed PDI had not been completed by his team. The niggles may be as a result of the car standing. I'm disappointed by the COMAND Nav; in my view it's a safety hazard. For instance, the navigation says "prepare to turn left when approaching a major roundabout, before you discover you need exit 4 or 5. It's an absolute disaster in the snow, even driving in comfort with ESP deactivated. Rock hard sport suspension delivers sensation through the accelerator pedal (made worse by my choice of 19” wheels with run flat tyres), makes the ride very uncomfortable if in the car for more than an hour, or worse, stuck in traffic. On country roads you feel every pothole. I have had an issue with a pause in acceleration from a junction after stopping, but hope this is due to brakes sticking ( result of car standing so long?) It’s a lot of money not to be perfect, and although it looks great, I think next time I will ignore Premium marques and go for comfort, reliability and quality, at half the price

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This is a fantastic all rounder. I am impressed with the smoothness, the refinement and the general build quality. The fuel economy is excellent and although some reviews comment on the noisy engine, I find this engine much quieter and smoother than the 2014 BMW 520 diesel it replaced. In fact the build quality and general feel of the car is much better than the BMW. The points which stop it getting 5 stars are: [1] The clunky satnav (which for a car in this price range is very poor). Garmin and Mercedes should really be able to come up with a more reactive and better system. [2] The info system screen which is stuck onto the front of the dashboard as though someone forgot to design it into the car [3] The touchpad on the centre console is in the wrong place as it is very easy to knock. [4] The front spoiler is too low and very easy to damage. Overall very happy with the car.

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In a word this car is smooth - smooth ride, smooth autobox, smooth driving. I emerge from long journeys so much less tired than with my previous cars (BMW3 seriesED, Jag X Type). I find the economy to be excellent, in the high 50s mpg for commuting and urban driving quickly rising to mid 60s mpg on long runs. I have the double glass sunroof, light grey seating and wood trim which makes a very light, welcoming interior. I particularly like the keyless entry which has worked faultlessly for me and the way the door mirrors fold in on locking meaning its easy to check that I did remember to lock it. The LED lights are also superb. I find the indicator and cruise control a bit awkward to use - if you see me indicating on a motorway and not changing lanes, sorry, I am just trying to adjust my cruise speed. The touchpad is just a gimmick that rarely works but always gets in the way, though the wheel underneath works correctly. The satnav is appalling for a car of this standard; it is very stubborn and loves sending me round in circles. A word of warning. When my car has been in for servicing I have been given different C220s with AMG trim. These have been very poor in comparison to my C220 - the AMG and larger wheels manage to destroy the smooth running, bumping over every road irregularity, and they all had noisy engines (a common complaint in press reviews -when I look closer the press seem to get C220 AMGs to review which rather explains this). In the course of nearly 2 years/42,000 miles running I have had a problem with the electric boot rising unevenly (fixed by a software update) and the door handle lights working erratically, so nothing major.

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I waited a long time to replace my Rover 75 (waiting for a car with the same elegant lines), and I found it in the new Mercedes C Class. Beautiful car, inside and out. It's like driving a feather after the Rover. Have only had it a couple of months, but it's smooth on the motorway, but with firmer suspension than I'm used to, so you feel the potholes on minor roads, but otherwise it is a joy to drive. I like all the new options, like stop/start and the electronic handbrake (it's been a while since I've had a handbrake that actually works on a hill). Worth the wait, worth the money.

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I got a new c220 Bluetec AMG-line in early March 2015 on a PCH deal as a 40th birthday treat. About three weeks later it developed a fault with the electronic parking brake. After multiple trips to a local Mercedes garage, the problem was still not fixed. Eventually I decided to leave the car at the garage until the problem had been rectified as the warning light was constantly flashing thereby making the it unsafe to drive due to the ongoing distraction. It turns out that the car now needs a new wiring loom. It is now more than four months since I reported the problem and it hasn't yet been fixed as the garage is still awaiting the new part. For the past three months I have been driving around in a lesser model GLA hire car, provided by the garage. I am amazed that Mercedes have allowed a brand new car to go so long without either fixing it or replacing it, which is a shame because it is a lovely car, unlike Mercedes' customer service and aftercare that is quite frankly a disgrace. If the problem is not fixed soon I will have no other choice than to reject the car, as is my legal right in such a situation.

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I had the usual long debate with myself when choosing a replacement for my four year old BMW 320d EfficientDynamics. After test driving the new shape BMW 320d EfficientDynamics, Audi A3 saloon and Volvo S60 R Design I, for some reason, decided to go for the newly announced Mercedes C220 AMG Line - without a test drive! I was seduced by the badge and the looks (except maybe for that carbuncle of an iPad stuck to the otherwise great looking dash), plus all the Kit you get as standard. What the hell, I thought, I might never get the chance again. It might be going to cost a bit more, but hey, it's a Mercedes! It will be great! Now that I've had the car for seven months or so with around 10000 miles on the clock would I make the same choice again? Probably not. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice enough car that is generally enjoyable to drive - but it's not worth the extra outlay. The diesel engine is noisy, the fuel consumption a bit disappointing, the suspension is rock hard, the infotainment systems slow and complex, the satnav makes bizarre decisions and doesn't know all post codes that my five year old Garmin knows. And as someone else has commented, the over complex infotainment track pad thingy is way over sensitive and too easy to brush accidentally. I also don't like the standard gloss black hard plastic interior trim around the centre console. It shows dust all the time and scratches as soon as you look at it, plus the stuck on iPad creaks and rattles on occasions. What else? Oh, the start/stop failed at 600 miles and the fuel filler cap cover is badly fitted. Maybe I'm being a bit over critical as the there are many good points. Although the diesel's noisy and quite harsh at times it is quieter than the BMW that I had previously. It also feels responsive, especially in sport or sport plus mode. Once up to speed it quietens down also making motorway journeys fairly relaxed. Fuel consumption on a long journey is also good with the high 50s achievable. It's just that overall the average is high 40s, my BMW averaged mid 50s over the four years. Handling is also good with fast and fluid steering. I have setup the individual setting with comfort steering and sport throttle response which I think is the best balance. The car looks great, and in my view, especially in white - though possibly a bit bling. What would I have chosen instead? Tough question, but from what I test drove probably the Volvo S60. Maybe today though the Jaguar XE.

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I have only had this car for a month or so but it's made a big impression on me in that time. It's good looking, smooth to drive especially in the seven-speed auto (although not the best auto out there) its pretty powerful and amazing on fuel. I had a BMW 330i previous to this and although smooth on motorway was horrible around town due to a lot of speed humps, this car just soaks them up. I don't like the shiny dash on my model, would have prefered a Matt finish. But it does turn heads and you do feel like you are driving a luxury car. I actually managed ( on trip computer) 86.7 mpg on a 50mile journey! Admittedly I stuck myself behind a lorry all the way so not a totally accurate test by any means, but still amazing. The interior is very well put together and the steering wheel feels lovely to use, it's very soft and smooth. Talking of steering another negative is the slightly too light steering, hate to admit it but BMW is definitely better in this regard. But you do get used to it. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone, I love it.

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Delivery 30th July. Booked into dealership after only 229 miles due to engine management fault. £36k and it's already got issues, Lemon or signs of the future? I would rate higher but for the fault!

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Amazing so much better than previous 204 model truly different, better from the headlamps back, engine, electrics, steering, radio, seating everything is so much better. (5th owned since 201/85!)

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My C350e hybrid is classed as a "green" car, so no road tax is payable (as registered before the current tax rule changes) and won't burn any fuel if you are doing less than 10 miles a day. However in the Merc's case they have coupled a 200+ BHP engine with a heavy set of batteries, so it will do 0-60 in under 6 secs and top speed is limited to 155 mph. So once the battery is gone or you fancy the Sports mode (Which in my mind is actually a lot of fun) it is far from a green car. Drive it sporty and you get mpg in the low 30's and drive sensibly and you might achieve mid -40 mpg's (comparable to most VW Golfs). This car is classy, looks amazing, is very comfortable - it gets me to work and back just on battery. Using the MercesMe app I can pre-heat it, lock-it and more. Get all the info I might want e.g. Petrol/Battery Range, Tyre pressure its service history etc. No need to buy RAC cover as I get unlimited roadside assistance via the Mercedes Network (I believe they use RAC, you have to get the car service at Mercedes) push the button in the car and they will come to you. Is the car perfect? No, I don't think there is such a thing in this sort of segment - the paddle gear shifts are unresponsive - quite a delay (The newer Merc's come with a 9-speed gearbox which I am told is much better). It's still a fun car, quick, and the cabin is a nice place to be - especially with the panoramic roof. In summary, don't buy a performance car to then expect 50-60 mpg and also don't buy a Hybrid/PHEV if your journey is more than 15 miles a day.

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Great car. Fast, reliable, good finish. No problems.

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I bought this car 8 months ago and it has been in the garage five times already for various things, from outright failure to the braking system to it becoming stuck in first gear. I have just had to have it collected again as it’s stuck in first gear again! It has been an absolute nightmare!

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I bought this car few months ago and I can't say a bad word about it. It's very comfortable, steering is precise and suspension isn't too hard or too soft. I took it with beige artico leather and dark ash wood trim which makes it feeling more specious (especially with panoramic roof) and elegant. I drove it on a holiday (1000 miles one way trip) and it was just perfect. For a long drive on a motorway intelligent cruise control is ideal (I took Driving Assistance Package). Also thanks to the head up display I don't even have to look on a clock and concentrate on the road all the time. Engine is powerful enough and car itself is very well isolated from the outside noise. I didn't have any problem with the car whatsoever and on 1000 miles trip average consumption was 42 mpg which is pretty good for a petrol engine in a car with 3 passengers (2 pretty heavy) and a luggage.

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After nearly two years of running this car I thought I would provide an update to my previous post. Lets start with the good points; this is still a great looking car - I love the AMG wheels, it's purposeful stance and the fact that it looks great in white. The interior is, stuck on iPad thingy accepted, a lovely place to be with some really nice touches. It feels premium. Fuel consumption is also pretty good now. I was averaging mid 50s but in the last couple of months it's dropped a bit. Which leads me on to the disappointments, which are numerous. The first is the constant sqeeking and chattering from all the door seals. On a regular basis, and especially after washing the car, I have to wipe down all door seals with GT85 bike spray (after much testing this works Best) to stop the otherwise insesant creaking. Add to this the rock hard suspension that picks up every imperfection on the UKs roads and the gruff, noisy tractor of a diesel and journeys just become well, horrible. To be fair, once cruising on a nice smooth motorway it's not so bad. That gruff, noisy diesel also decided to blow an injector that meant a whole month in the local dealers whilst they stripped down, cleaned and virtually rebuilt the engine. Two days after I picked it up the engine diagnostics light illuminated whilst travelling to the airport to go on holiday,much to the consternation and stress of my wife. Turned out the temperature sensor in the exhaust had failed. Now a few weeks later my C220 AMG Line is back in the garage with the engine being taken out to fix an oil leak. I know I'm whinging, but this car is just not what you would expect it to be.

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Smooth drive. No real issues other than 6 LED door handle lights changed but now seem stable. New tyres needed at 16k which was a bit poor but 2nd set appear to be doing better. MPG miles off the published figures but what I expected. May do better in 2nd year now run in.

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Took delivery of my new C class last November after a long wait (due to the fact that the UK saloon model is being made in South Africa) and whilst the comfort and looks of the car are good, the build quality and electrics are poor. Aside from a recall notice, the car has been to various dealers for new door lights, a clunking drivers window, a vibrating dashboard, a fault with the keyless entry and start plus numerous faults with the 2G Mercedes Benz connect and Sat Nav with live traffic information. The Sat Nav live traffic still comes on and off when it feels like it and I am hoping on its 15,000 miles service that they will finally have a software fix that resolves the problem. The dealerships on the whole are the worst I have ever experienced and they have struggled from the start to fix problems with the new C Class. Overall for £40k not what you would expect from Mercedes Benz.

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Unlike Hocky, this is a review of the NEW C Class, as opposed to a 15 year old example (!) and I found the Carbuyer review to be very accurate. The 250 diesel is punchy but noisy, the cabin is very nice, the iPad type sat-nav glued to the dash will polarise opinion. The only thing I would dispute is the room in the back. I am just over 6 feet tall and wouldn't be able to sit behind someone of similar height. Still nicer to be in than my previous 60 reg BMW 520D M Sport.

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