Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £19,672 to £52,675
Roomy, composed, comfortable, with a choice of good engines.
Short on flair.
A bigger, better car that's at its finest when it's most like the E-Class.
Prices are similar to the previous model's, but it feels like you're getting better value: it's a sturdier, bigger car. Although longer and wider, the C-Class is also lighter and aerodynamically better, and the engines are more efficient, giving fuel consumption reductions of up to 6%.
The typical outgoing model retained more than 40% of its value after three years - a respectable figure and, as quality concerns fade into the distant past, that's likely to improve. If the depreciation figures don't look amazing it's because the Merc is up against some stunningly good performers in the used market: even the BMW 3-Series is put in the shade by the 50%-plus figures recorded by the Lexus IS and Audi A4.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes C-Class
wrote on 14 11 2006