View all Mercedes-Benz C-Class Reviews
► The first electric C-Class revealed
► C400 launch model claims 470-mile range
► Includes *that* controversial new grille
Remember when Mercedes was all about the luxury and wasn’t fussed about being a volume seller? The A-Class was going to be killed, while estate cars were superfluous when you could hit better margins with a fleet of SUVs. An electric only utopia was envisioned.
Well, no more – luxury is dead, volume is king and the EV-only strategy has been flushed.
Nowhere is this more relevant than in the electric C-Class that’s just been revealed. Playing it safe, the new C-Class uses a dual-powertrain strategy meaning buyers get a choice: a brand-new, all-electric C-Class on a bespoke EV platform or a parallel run of the familiar ICE model. It’s about flexibility – a core tenet of the new volume-focused direction. By offering customers a choice, Mercedes hopes it can meet its environmental obligations and hit sales targets.
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It’s the same philosophy Mercedes has used with the GLC – the old combustion version carries on being sold in dealers, while the new electric one tops everything off. The GLC sharing extends further, as both the GLC and C-Class use the same platform and hardware. As such, the C runs the same 94.5kWh battery, only in this case it will do more miles between charges thanks to the saloon’s better aero.
The C400 4Matic you see in the pictures will do 470 miles and an upcoming, longer-range rear-wheel drive version should get close to 500. Good, but not quite BMW i3 good. It runs an 800v system so it’s possible to add nearly 200 miles in just 10 minutes. If you can find a suitable charger. If you’re in the UK and attached to one of the more common 400v chargers over here, the C-Class has a DC-DC inverter included to throttle it down. Unlike on the CLA, this inverter is included as standard.
It packs a serious punch: 483bhp, 590lb ft and 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds for the C400 4Matic. Mercedes has opted to fit a twin-speed gearbox on the rear axle, to give the car both better accelerative performance but also more efficiency at higher speeds. It’s the same idea that Porsche uses in the Taycan.
Much like the GLC, air suspension and rear axle steering will be standard across most trim levels. Comfort levels will be upped by the use of both Google Maps data and Car-to-X data sharing so the car will know what sort of road surface is coming up and adjust the dampers accordingly. Sounds daft in theory, is less so in practice – we tried it out on a GLC recently and it worked remarkably well. It means to C-Class should handle long distances effortlessly.
All this is overseen by four integrated ‘brains’ – basically a set of controllers that streamline every major system, slashing latency à la BMW’s Neue Klasse and the next-gen VWs.
The interior is dominated by the 39.1-inch Hyperscreen and Mercedes’ latest operating system, a vast touchscreen that’s weirdly not quite as over-bearing as it is on the one in the EQS. Plus, the engineers have obviously learnt from previous iterations because it’s now easier to use – yes, there are no physical buttons, but with the new ‘Zero Layer’ you can customise the bottom section for all your regular functions. Don’t want the seat heater shortcut in summer? It’s an easy drag and drop to replace it with something else.
Allied to all the integrated charging and maps data that Mercedes is now using – obviously with a healthy dose of AI operating in the background – it makes for a car that should be easy to live with.
Inside, it feels extremely well made but some of the finishes are a bit gaudy, especially around the speakers and vents. If you really want to up the Las Vegas glitz, you can spec a panoramic roof with 162 stars embedded within it that light up at night.
Practical elements? There’s a 101-litre frunk, the new platform has freed up more room in the cabin and the car can tow up to 1.8 tonnes. Anyone who wants to truly embrace the eco can also spec their car with a full vegan interior – even the glues are cow-friendly. It offers something for everyone.
Much like the car itself. It’s not divisive and with the petrol version continuing, should ensure Mercedes’ volume play works.
