Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £19,672 to £51,570
Baby Benz looks, much-improved driving experience, sumptuous cabins, smooth ride, refined engines
Still rather conservative, still not as sharp to drive as some rivals
C55 AMG apart, the C-Class isn't the most involving drive for high-performance enthusiasts, but it's a class act
The jury's still out here; the last-generation C-Class scored poorly in reliability and customer satisfaction surveys, and suffered a number of glitches and general quality defects. However, M-B has made a significant investment in bringing this one up to scratch, so it should prove much better. For example, one of the old car's biggest problems was its easily-marked paintwork, a source of discontent for a number of owners; this C-Class is the first Merc to feature new nano-particle scratch-resistant paint, with a high-tech protective coating. The finish of the interior looks better, too, with higher-quality leather upholstery (some owners of the old model reported quickly-worn seats) and Mercedes' teething troubles with the COMAND control system and other complex electronica should now have been ironed out. A further criticism of the old range was rapid - and expensive - tyre wear; the new chassis, which feels much better balanced and more able to cope with the cars' power, should not be so prone.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes C-Class
wrote on 14 11 2006