New Mercedes-Benz C 200 brings a mild hybrid drivetrain and plenty of computing power to one of Singapore’s best-selling luxury sedans

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SINGAPORE

Even in this time of almost everybody buying SUVs, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class remains a hugely important car for the German brand. First introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the fabled 190 range, it’s now into the fifth generation and is still the smallest of what traditionalists consider as a ‘true Mercedes-Benz sedan’, even while smaller cars like the CLA-Class and A-Class give aspirational car buyers a cheaper launching point into Mercedes-Benz car ownership

Plenty of the previous-generation C-Class cars were sold between 2014 to 2021. Official numbers put it at more than 2.5 million units worldwide, and Mercedes-Benz is keen to have the new car, known internally as the W206 model, repeat that performance.

It was launched in Singapore in early 2022 and we have the original launch story here. Semi-conductor chip shortages brought about by Covid-19 induced shutdowns saw a slower than expected roll-out to customers, but we have the C 200 here now and it’s exactly what Mercedes-Benz promised it would be.

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Exterior and Interior Design

In short, it’s very much like a smaller version of the luxury S-Class sedan. Like all current-gen cars from the brand it’s very much a case of electronic razzle-dazzle everywhere you look. Taking centre stage on the dashboard is a massive, vertically oriented display screen measuring 11.9-inches diagonally across. It’s complemented by the wide, 12.3-inch digital instrument display. The whole interface runs on the brand’s MBUX 2.0 infotainment system and looks like it’s been lifted right out of the S-Class, because it really has.

Present Mercedes-Benz models trade a lot on the power of technology and it’s been turned up another notch here. Ambient lighting everywhere in the cabin that’s infinitely customisable lets you change the mood of the interior anytime you fancy. Another lighting gimmick that seems to have really taken hold in luxury cars is the projection of the brand logo on the floor in the dark. Small projector beams under the wing mirrors shine the Mercedes-Benz logo onto the floor, for no reason other than to look cool.

The voice assistant and recognition isn’t as quick as that found in the BMW iX, but for most standard functions like the audio volume climate control it works well. 

The C-Class was once the smallest of the Mercedes-Benz sedan but with such a wide model range now the brand has really let it grown out. At 4,751mm in length, it’s 65mm longer than the previous-gen car. Cabin space is pretty good in the back, though the front seats have the usual cosseting Mercedes-Benz vibe with the high centre console and window sill. The overall effect feels very much like sitting in a sporty, low slung car. 

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Ju-Len walks you through the new C-Class in Singapore

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As it’s been for years with Mercedes-Benz cars, the gear selector lever is on the right side stalk of the steering column, freeing up the center console space for two large storage bins and a wireless mobile phone charging dock.

It’s got another party trick, in that the car can automatically set the seating position based on your height. Key it into the menu, and the electronics move the seat into the optimal position for your height. We found that it does need a bit of personal fine tuning, but it gives you a good baseline setup. However if you’re the only driver of the car you only need to do this once in the whole lifetime of the car, and save it to the seat memory. 

The AMG Line C 200 is also visibly different from the base model C 180, sporting a more aggro-looking body kit and some very bright 19-inch wheels with larger, cross-drilled brake discs visible through the spoke. There’s a real sporty stance with the car’s overall proportions and balance, but the AMG Line is entirely a trim level option here so that car isn’t any more powerful or quicker than C 200 without the MG Line option.

Page 2: The Driving Experience and more

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