2024 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

C200 highlights:

• 18-inch Tantalite Grey five-spoke alloy wheels
• 11.9-inch MBUX portrait-oriented touchscreenSatellite navigation
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless)
• Fingerprint scanner for driver profiles
• Mercedes me Connect app functionality
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Semi-autonomous parking assist
• Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Powered boot closing
• Electrically-adjustable sports seats with four-way lumbar support
• AMG Line interior trim
• AMG floor mats
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• Illuminated front door sills with ‘Mercedes-Benz’ lettering
• Keyless entry and start
• Dual-zone climate control
• AMG Line grille insert
• AMG Line body styling
• Electrically-adjustable side mirrors with electric folding and heating
• LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Dynamic Select system with four selectable driving modes

C300 adds:

• 19-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels
• Driving Assistance Package Plus
• Leather upholstery
• Privacy glass

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

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

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.

Notable optional extras include:

• Digital Light Package
• Rear-axle steering*
• Augmented reality navigation

*Currently unavailable due to semiconductor-related shortages

All 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class models are covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has noted the new C-Class isn't as readily available as it would like, and additionally the global semiconductor shortage means certain optional features are not available for the time being.

The local division has also recently moved away from a traditional dealer network to an agency sales model, meaning fixed pricing and the removal of franchise-owned stock.

While there's no set time frame of when stock and component constraints will ease, it's expected things should improve throughout the course of this year and beyond.

Boot space is 455L with the rear seats upright.

The C-Class has long been one of the go-to compact premium sedans, but competition is as stiff as ever.

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.

The C-Class has long been Australia's favourite premium medium passenger vehicle, but in 2021 it was overtaken by the BMW 3 Series, largely due to runout stock drying up ahead of the new model's launch.

It still finished second overall, returning 2832 sales and 22.5 per cent share of the segment – compared to the 3 Series's 3982 units and 31.6 per cent share.

Given the new model is significantly more expensive and the line-up slimmer than before, at least for the time being, the C-Class won't be breaking any sales records set by its predecessor for a little while until supply opens up as do more variants.

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.

The W206-generation C-Class will mark the first time the nameplate has been exclusively powered by four-cylinder engines, all sporting some form of electrification.