Quality Control

Ben Oliver reviews the new Mercedes-Benz C-class, a car he sees as being so good that he’s decided to splash out on one himself

But even the most basic C-class benefits from that high-end cabin and the expensive, aluminium-intensive construction. Mercedes’ R&D investment in this car has been colossal and its margins will not be big at first: you’re getting a bargain. But Mercedes is future-proofing itself here. The C-class remains its biggest-selling model, with 8.5m sold in total and 2.2m of the previous generation on the road. As Mercedes grows, especially in China, this generation of C will sell even more. It will need to stay fresh for around seven years, and in that time face down competition from new versions of the BMW 3-series and Audi A4, and new, indirect rivals such as Porsche’s new Macan small SUV at the upper end of its range.

So by buying now a car designed still to be cutting edge in a few years time, you’ll be future-proofing yourself too. That’s what I plan to do. Based in Europe, I’ll order mine with the most powerful diesel engine, and as an estate. The saloons go on sale first, and one of those with a refined, powerful yet frugal four-cylinder petrol engine, air suspension and the seven-speed automatic gearbox would be absolutely ideal for Hong Kong. Let’s compare notes after a year: I think we’ll both be happy.

Scorecard

MERCEDES-BENZ C200

How much? HK$469,000
Engine: 1991cc, 4 cylinders
Performance: 0-100kph in 7.3secs, 235kph
Efficiency: 5.5l/100km
How heavy? 1,465kgs

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