Mercedes-Benz C-Class

If the new C-Class’s exterior seems a bit too plain to you, don’t leave the showroom just yet, for, it’s cabin is its real highlight. Unabashedly ‘inspired’ by the new S-Class, the W206 Mercedes C-Class has a similarly styled central console with the 11.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system taking centre stage. The overall design is stunning and so beautifully executed that the C-Class’s cabin has a sense of occasion that no other sedan at this price point has.

The layered dash design looks luxurious thanks to the use of wood and the air-con vents, which are inspired by fighter-jet afterburners, are not only beautifully designed, but the way they function with satisfying clicks every time you move them tells you just how well engineered they are.

The C-Class also gets the same Sienna Brown upholstery as the S-Class, which adds to the overall ambience of the car. Although the design and ambience of the new C-Class’s cabin is unparalleled, in terms of quality Mercedes has cut corners a bit. In the lower half portion of the cabin, Mercedes has used hard plastics and, when compared with the BMW 3 Series, it lacks consistency.

The 11.9-inch high-resolution infotainment uses the latest MBUX tech that we have seen on the latest S-Class. It has a bright vibrant display with big icons and the processing speed is top-notch too. In this system, you can also save driver profiles which memorises preferred seat position, sound settings, air-con settings and sunshade position too. You also get a voice command system which gets activated when you say ‘Hey Mercedes’ through which you can control a lot of car functions.

You also get a digital driver display which is crisp, shows you loads of information and you can also customise it to your liking. Just like in the S-Class, many of the controls are now touch-based for a ‘modern’ interactive experience. There are loads of capacitive touch controls like the steering wheel-mounted buttons, ORVM adjust buttons and the swipe function to open the sunroof.

In terms of comfort, the front seats are large and supportive which makes them comfortable even for long journeys. You can also set the driver seat really low for a sporty driving position or high up if you want a better view out while driving in heavy traffic. The one thing that we missed however is front seat ventilation which should have been offered at this price point.

The real upgrade has happened at the rear though. Unlike its predecessors, the new C-Class has a spacious back seat with a good knee room and headroom. The seat too is supportive with good back support and decent under-thigh support. On the downside, because the seat is placed quite low, getting in and out of the rear seat is not the easiest.

In terms of practicality, the C-Class performs well. Upfront you get loads of storage and the same goes for the rear as well. The only thing that the rear passengers might crib about are the lack of phone charging ports.

Features

When it comes to features, the C-Class, in the Avantgarde trim, comes with powered front seats with memory function, powered steering adjust, digital instrument cluster, 11.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, onboard 3D maps and connected car features. Additionally in the C300d AMG-Line, you get laser LED headlamps, larger 18-inch alloys, a flat-bottom steering wheel and a Burmester sound system. Safety features include basic ADAS functions (active braking assist), six airbags, ESP and a lot more.