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Mercedes-Benz C-Class: class-leading luxury

A refined and comfortable estate from Mercedes, says expert car reviewer Andrew Frankel

Mercedes-Benz C220 BlueTEC Sport Estate Auto

This model from £34,060

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the first car to bring the quality and ambience of a genuine luxury car into the compact saloon and estate sector. Settle inside and you’ll find an interior you’d be happy to see adorning an S-class limousine. Set off and you’ll discover suspension comfort that out-points anything else in the class, yet it comes in a car that you can park in town and fit in a standard-sized garage.

The C-Class will be of special interest to tall drivers as, in line with long-standing Mercedes policy, it comes with exceptional seat travel and an impressively telescopic steering column to suit. All versions are fitted with a seven-inch, tablet-style infotainment system while the estate version comes with a powered tailgate as standard.

Performance

  • Engine: 2179cc, 168bhp
  • Transmission: 7-speed automatic
  • Top speed: 142mph
  • 0-60mph acceleration: 7.6sec

Costs

  • Claimed economy: 62.8mpg
  • VED: Group C
  • Insurance Group: 31 (1=low, 50=high)

RAC Drive Verdict

Practicality
5 / 5
Affordability
2 / 5
Safety
5 / 5
Fun
3 / 5