2019 Mercedes C220d Test Drive Review

2019 Mercedes C220d Review

Car Tested: 2019 Mercedes C220d; Road Test No. 1050; Test Location: Mumbai

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 47.96 – 52.97 lakhs

The Mercedes C220d is the perfect balance between performance & entry-level luxury

The entry-level luxury car segment might not be entry-level anymore (due to the launch of 4 MFA front-wheel-drive cars) but for purists, the C-Class is still the baby Merc. The current fourth-generation model was launched in 2014 and was given its mid-life facelift in 2018 and although the changes might not look comprehensive, there is a lot to talk about. With competition in the segment getting intense thanks to new generations of the BMW 3-Series and Volvo S60 being unveiled and due for an India launch later this year, are the updates to the C-Class enough to keep this Mercedes the segment pick?

Exteriors – Mercedes-Benz has made the usual changes on the outside with new headlights (that are all LEDs) to revised bumpers, wheels and new tail-lights. The lights look spectacular at night, both the front and rear ones but unless you have a keen eye, it’s difficult to differentiate the old car from the new. It still looks elegant despite being in the market for almost 5 years now with lots of visual cues from the bigger Mercs.

Interiors – Step inside and the changes are a bit more comprehensive as you can immediately notice the bigger 10.25-inch infotainment screen that replaces the old car’s rather small 7.0-inch unit, it also gets 80% new components. The steering too resembles the one we see on the E-Class with the Blackberry style touchpads on both sides that make it easy to browse through the instrument cluster and infotainment screens. The new system is very fluid, has a crisp display and offers plenty of features including reverse parking camera with adaptive guidelines, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Unfortunately, though, there is no digital cluster on offer which the Audi A4 offers.

The cabin feels premium but some more space would have been welcome

Gone is the fingerprint loving gloss black finish on the centre console, replaced by classy wood which is less prone to scratches. Fit-finish levels are excellent although some parts of the dashboard (mostly the lower half) have hard plastics while the massive panoramic roof gives the cabin an airy feeling. That said, the cabin is still quite compact and there isn’t much space at the rear with the transmission hump making this car a strict 4-seater. Further eating into practicality is the spare wheel which has been placed on top of the boot floor, not under it.

Performance – The Mercedes C-Class is available with three engines – 2 diesels and 1 petrol. In this review, we will focus on the C220d which uses a new 2.0-litre oil burner that belts out an impressive 194 HP (24 HP more than its predecessor) while torque output is the same as the old 2.2-litre unit at 400 Nm but is produced in a wider rev range. This new diesel motor is BS6 compliant on BS4 fuel, it’s very refined, a big step up in NVH over the pre-facelift model and has a good amount of punch lower down, pulling in a linear fashion. The mid-range is strong and power tapers off in the top-end with the redline coming in at around 4500 RPM.

The new engine offers better performance and is efficient at the same time

The motor does get vocal past the mid-range but in a sporty way while the 9G-TRONIC dual-clutch gearbox offers seamless shifts and is very quick to respond to throttle inputs, you can also manually change cogs using the steering mounted paddles but the car won’t hold onto a gear and will upshift. There are 5 driving modes which alter the engine, gearbox and steering feel, these are Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. Traction control can be turned off but you have to go through the menu for the same, not a one-button operation. Once TCS is off, the car does spin its rear wheels with an aggressive launch.

Driving Dynamics – Underpinned by the MRA platform (Modular Rear Architecture), the Mercedes C-Class is a light car and offers the same feel as well. It is set up on the stiffer side and due to the lower weight over the third generation model, Mercedes has stiffened both the chassis as well as the suspension and the same can be felt over bad roads. The ride does get better as the speed increases and the car does remain glued to the road at high speeds. Even road and tyre noise is kept out of the bay. The C-Class is an eagle handler, it offers good feel around the corners with the steering having a lot of feedback too, weighing up as the speed increases. Body roll is well contained and the brakes on this vehicle offer surefooted stopping power.

Verdict – The C-Class has been more of a driver’s car than a chauffeur-driven one. That’s the reason why Mercedes has launched the C300d which is available in the AMG Line trim. However, for those who want a balance of performance and economy without stretching their budget closer to the E-Class, the C220d makes a lot of sense as the base Prime variant is priced quite attractively while the mid-level Progressive trim is also kitted well. The C-Class might come under threat from newer generation models in the segment but the baby rear-drive Benz is still a brilliant sedan.

What’s Cool

* Looks classy and handsome
* Well-loaded interior with good quality levels
* Refined motor with punchy mid-range
* Mercedes’ reliable and strong service network

What’s Not So Cool

* Best suited for 4 passengers
* Top mounted spare wheel robs away practicality from the boot

Alternatives: – Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Jaguar XE

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