Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: No data available
Good to drive, plenty of luggage space, high levels of crash safety.
Patchy cabin quality, staid looks, pricey.
Best small premium estate on the market.
Buying the cheapest C-class in the petrol range is the most sensible option. Residual value experts predict the C180 Kompressor will return 46% of its value three years, and 30,000 miles on. Fine in isolation, but all the equivalent diesel's value is 48%.
Meanwhile, the equivalent BMW 3-Series returns 52% of its value at resale - an indication there's still some work to be done before small Mercedes models are as attractive as BMWs on the used market.
