William Stopford
Mercedes-Benz C-Class recalled for fire risk
Mercedes-Benz is recalling over 400 C-Class sedans as improperly tightened battery ground points could result in a vehicle fire.
2 Years Ago
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2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
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Safety Rating
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Warranty
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Fuel Efficiency
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About the Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Last updated Dec 18, 2024The C-Class is a mid-size luxury passenger vehicle that's among one of the best-known nameplates in the Mercedes-Benz line-up.
It competes with arch rivals the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, as well as other challengers including the Alfa Romeo, Genesis G70, Jaguar XE and Volvo S60.
An all-new C-Class hit Australia in 2022, solely as a sedan. The long-running wagon has been axed from the local line-up for 2022, and the high-riding C-Class All-Terrain available overseas won't be coming here.
So far, the C200, C300 mild-hybrids are now on sale, with the C350e plug-in hybrid due later in 2022. Go-fast AMG models to replace the previous C43 and C63 are expected imminently.
Pros
- Beautiful interior displays
- Excellent cabin noise-suppression
- Smooth and quiet electrified engines
Cons
- Price increases
- No wagon options this time
- Fiddly steering wheel controls
Mercedes-Benz C-Class News
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Price
Mercedes-AMG
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, 4x4 | $113,576 |
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 5-door Station Wagon, Petrol, 4x4 | $116,176 |
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Coupe, Petrol, 4x4 | $133,300 |
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, 4x4 | $134,900 |
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Convertible, Petrol, 4x4 | $155,100 |
Base
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 5-door Station Wagon, Petrol, RWD | $78,076 |
| 1.5L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, RWD | $78,900 |
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Coupe, Petrol, RWD | $79,200 |
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, RWD | $89,590 |
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Convertible, Petrol, RWD | $122,390 |
Mercedes-AMG S
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 4.0L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, RWD | $168,176 |
| 4.0L, 9-speed auto, 5-door Station Wagon, Petrol, RWD | $170,876 |
| 4.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Coupe, Petrol, RWD | $179,868 |
| 4.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Convertible, Petrol, RWD | $212,600 |
AMG Line PLUS Edition
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Coupe, Petrol, RWD | $106,822 |
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Convertible, Petrol, RWD | $107,090 |
Mercedes-AMG S Final Edition
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 4.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Coupe, Petrol, RWD | $218,400 |
| 4.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Convertible, Petrol, RWD | $239,000 |
Edition C
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.5L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, RWD | $78,900 |
*excl. on-roads
All Mercedes-Benz C-Class Pricing
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Specs
See our comprehensive details for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Dimensions
1457mm
1810mm
4702mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Dimensions2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Boot Space
Boot space is 455L with the rear seats upright.
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Gallery
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class
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2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Exterior
Despite being a generational overhaul, the new C-Class is an evolutionary design rather than revolutionary, once again looking like a mini S-Class in sedan guise.
All models come standard with angular LED headlights and tail lights, as well as alloy wheels – 18-inch on the C200, 19s on the C300.
The Australian line-up comes as standard with sportier AMG Line styling inside and out, though at launch there is a C200 Edition C package that swaps out the AMG Line styling for the more subdued Avantgarde package.
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Interior
Screens, screens and more screens. Super-crisp and high quality, with smartphone-like processing. With these displays and the ambient colour options, it’s even more of a showstopper (and showroom heart-stealer) than the old model.
Once you settle into the nicely sculpted seats (Artico is a convincing leather alternative) with great headrests, you notice the new touch-sensitive seat controls in the door, next to the familiar Burmester silver speaker covers, beautiful switchgear, and sculpted plastics.
Small touches such as the click-clack, backlit, rounded-rectangular air vents add a feeling of tactility and substance to a largely digitised environment, as do the almost Italian-looking padded dash inserts with lovely stitching.
Various trims are available, with metal-weave inserts and various wood trims being nice, and glare-enhancing piano black less so. The ubiquitous latter is used extensively along the tunnel, fascia and wheel, and you’ll battle to convince me of its worth.
The electrically-adjustable steering wheel has the company’s new design, with two spokes per side, and slim stalks behind on the column for indicating and changing gears. The spokes each have their own bank of touchpads to control functions: for example to increase the volume of the audio you slide your thumb up and down.
We found these controls fiddly at first, to be honest, making it finicky to change the volume or cruise control settings.
The portrait-oriented centre display is great for mapping, and the key ventilation controls always stay on the lower portion of the screen for easier access. There are copious menus to cycle through, accessible from large icons on the home page.
The instrument cluster is similarly slick, as controlled by the top-right wheel spoke. The appearance of the screens can be individualised with three display styles (Discreet, Sporty, Classic) and three modes (Navigation, Assistance, Service) – rather like the S-Class.
As well as having functions that are remotely controllable via the Mercedes Me app, a fingerprint scanner under the screen allows users to log into their own MBUX profile quickly.
Storage solutions include good door bins, a split centre console, an opening section with cupholders under the centre screen, and a glovebox.
The new C-Class has an additional 25mm of wheelbase, improving headroom and knee-room in the rear. The sunroof hurts headroom, though my 194cm frame could still fit behind my driving position.
Rear amenities include vents, and access to USBs in the centre console. However, the boot capacity remains 455L, and with no wagon on the way, practicality has taken a backwards step.
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2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Infotainment
The 11.9-inch MBUX touchscreen is the latest in in-car tech and arguably best in class. You can read a review of MBUX here.
In brief, you also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless) a nifty fingerprint scanner for driver profiles, Mercedes me Connect app functionality and a super high resolution 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Safety Rating
The new-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- 10 airbags including a centre-front airbag
- AEB with pedestrian/cyclist detection
- Surround-view cameras
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Semi-autonomous parking assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Driver attention monitoring
- Lane-keep assist (steering assist)
- Blind-spot monitoring with exit warning function
- Active bonnet
- Speed limit assist
The Driving Assistance Package Plus, standard on the C300, adds the following standard safety features:
- AEB junction assist
- Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
- Blind-spot assist
- Lane change assist
- Lane following assist
- Evasive steering assist
- Side-impact anticipation and protection system
- Traffic sign assist
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Fuel Economy
Claimed combined cycle fuel economy figures for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class range are as follows:
- C200: 6.9L/100km
- C300: 7.3L/100km
Both of these models require 98 RON premium unleaded petrol and have a 66L fuel tank.
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Coupe, Petrol, 4x4 | Premium Unleaded | 9.5 L/100km |
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, 4x4 | Premium Unleaded | 9.4 L/100km |
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 2-door Convertible, Petrol, 4x4 | Premium Unleaded | 10.0 L/100km |
| 2.0L, 9-speed auto, 4-door Sedan, Petrol, 4x4 | Premium Unleaded | 9.1 L/100km |
| 3.0L, 9-speed auto, 5-door Station Wagon, Petrol, 4x4 | Premium Unleaded | 9.6 L/100km |
Cost of ownership
What are the running and servicing costs of a Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Mercedes-Benz offers three-, four- and five-year servicing plans for the C-Class. Service intervals are 12 months or 25,000km – whichever comes first.
Pricing for the service plans are as follows:
- Three services: $2650
- Four services: $3600
- Five services: $5200
How does the 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class drive?
Our expert take on Mercedes-Benz C-Class drivability.
The new C-Class moves over to the latest ‘MRA’ platform, and shares a lot of similarities with the top of the Mercedes tree S-Class. Over the old car it has a new four-link front axle and five-link rear mounted to a subframe.
Passive dampers come standard, with active dampers to be made available in a package – although said package is currently not available in Australia due to chip shortages.
The same soon to arrive package adds rear-wheel steering, a neat feature which turns the back wheels the opposite way to the fronts at low speeds, and the same at speeds above 60km/h, thereby shaving 43cm from the turning circle and enhancing higher-speed stability.
The thing that really stands out on the new C-Class is the amazing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) suppression, with the interior feeling relaxing even over some classic coarse-chip Aussie back roads. Many European luxury cars utterly fail this test, but not the new C-Class.
The electric power steering default is low-resistance but syncs to the driving mode selector alongside ESP, throttle and transmission shift points, plus the dampers where applicable. You control all these via a slick home screen menu, with button shortcuts.
Even on 19-inch wheels the ride quality felt relatively good (on roads of MB’s choosing), and we drove both damper choices since a few early-build cars with the Engineering Package have landed. Neither struck me as excessively firm.
The best part about both mild-hybrid engines is again the refinement, with the stop/start systems almost imperceptible, and the engine shutting off at high speeds (and times of low-resistance) quite frequently. Any major torque hole down low felt filled-in too.
The C200 felt sprightly enough, but stepping into the C300 certainly brought about a little greater rolling response. That said, you’re expected to pay a decent premium for it…
From a driver safety standpoint, the new C does a great job of helping you keep your eyes where they should be, with a ton of different setting and menus to cycle through on your instruments (including maps and driver-assist status guides), and the voice control system lets you handle many functions from changing the cabin temperature through to opening the sunroof.
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Colours
What colours are available for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The C-Class is available in the following exterior paint colours:
- Spectral Blue metallic
- High-Tech Silver metallic
- Opalite White metallic
- Hyacinth Red metallic
- Obsidian Black metallic
- Graphite grey metallic
- Mojave Silver metallic
- Cavansite Blue metallic
- Selenite Grey metallic
- Polar White
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Warranty
All 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class models are covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs other Sedans to consider
The C-Class has long been one of the go-to compact premium sedans, but competition is as stiff as ever.
In this latest iteration, the fifth-generation C-Class puts a real focus on luxury, comfort and refinement, meaning if you want the most high-end-feeling vehicle in the segment, the Benz should probably be at the top of your list.
Rivals like the BMW 3 Series and Jaguar XE have a more sporting skew, while the Audi A4 is more understated in its presentation both in terms of styling and appointments.
Should you buy the 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
The prices are up, but the C-Class feels more like a baby S than ever.
In terms of interior displays, finishes, ride comfort, refinement, and subtle-yet-elegant design, it remains a class leader.
If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your W205 for a W206, there isn’t a heap to disappoint you – lack of wagon and new price positioning aside.
We’re also eagerly awaiting the eventual long-range plug-in hybrid, and Mercedes-AMG C43 and C63 derivatives to drop, to fill out the range.