The revamped Mercedes C-Class has impressive power and style for the younger driver, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor
Tired of the abundance of BMW 3-Series in the neighbourhood? Fancy a change? Then we may just have the answer to your ills.
In 1982, John Bruton decided to tax children's shoes, Argentina fancied a little foray in the Falklands Islands and the Clash were deciding whether to stay or go. In the motoring world, Mercedes decided to lower its age profile.
Enter the original "baby Benz". It was the car to cater for those who couldn't quite stretch to an E-Class, or didn't need the space. The 190 was relatively small - compared with other cars in the Mercedes stable - and opened the brand to a whole new following. The Mercedes star looked set to shine.
Somewhere over the next 25 years, Mercedes forgot the reason behind the 190, later to become the C-Class. As time passed, the entry-level saloon Mercedes aged with those initial owners, putting on weight and becoming less agile on the cross-country runs. Young upstarts stole its thunder, with BMW's 3-Series becoming the car of choice for the young upwardly mobile types.
New challenges have come in the form of Audi's A4 - a revamp of the old Audi 80 and 90 - and more recently the Lexus IS range. All were appealing to the younger market, while the Mercedes seemed stuck in a Pringle-wearing golf club bunker. When it did attempt to add some sports styling to the range, it ended up with the hatchback Sportscoupé. Clearly they didn't understand their market. Young executives didn't want a hatchback that could be compared to a VW Golf.
At last someone has seen the light, and it doesn't shine out the rear window of a hatchback.
Mercedes had a dilemma, however: opt for a straight sports styling and alienate the established audience, or carry on as before and watch their sales die off - literally. Thankfully they opted for a revamp, only this time offering two styles within the same range. For the traditionalists there is the Classic and Elegance formats, complete with the all-important bonnet mounted badge. For the younger market, they have new Avantgarde and Sports versions, with the grille mounted badge. To cynics, it's not exactly a revolutionary approach, but there are minor changes to the fixtures and fittings as well.
What's more, in a market segment where pub bragging rights are more important than the underpinnings, such changes are worth their weight in gold.
The new C-Class ticks all the boxes for premium family motoring. You get the badge, you get the interior space, a big boot and - certainly in Avantgarde or sports pack - the exterior looks.
Apart from the staid image, the previous C-Class was something of an also-ran to the BMW when it came to driving. Even Audi could claim more sporting kudos for its A4, particularly in a like-for-like comparison with engines and price.
This new car rectifies that situation, and gives Mercedes a real fighting chance of rubbing shoulders with the 3-Series.
Our test car was the 2.2-litre four-cylinder 168bhp diesel.
Behind the new exterior and some standard mechanics is a car that is powerful enough to please most Irish diesel fans.
It's admirably quiet when cruising but with a wide enough torque range to impress. Diesel's strongest feature has always been its frugal mile munching ability and this car is well able for the long distance haul. While the automatic gearbox did lurch slightly in lower gears, it's impressive enough to warrant serious consideration by those considering a BMW 320d.
However, the smaller-engined C200 CDI that's due to arrive later this year is likely to be short on puff for all this metal, with only 135bhp on offer. The C220 CDI is the one to go for if your pocket allows. The good news is that the larger C320 CDI is not really worth the extra money when compared with this C220.
For all the changes to aesthetics, the wide and varied engine choice in the new C-Class range has not really been changed from the outgoing model, save for a few technical tweaks. The suspension format remains largely the same as well. That would suggest it would remain some way behind its fellow German.
However, Mercedes seems to have performed a few tricks with the car's handling and ride.
With the optional sports package, you get a speed-sensitive steering system that actually lets you push the C-Class into bends: something you would not have dared to do in the previous versions.
BMW has long seemed to have some form of monopoly on handling ability in the small premium saloon segment.
That's starting to change. At the upper end, the Audi RS4 has stolen much of the thunder from the outgoing M3. Now the Mercedes C-Class has rapidly closed the gap. It's not quite there yet when pitted against the current 3-Series, but given the normally rather soft and uninformative feel to most Mercedes steering systems, this one is delightfully precise. What it also has going for it is ride quality: while it's not quite as soft and supple as older owners would be used to from a Mercedes, for those used to the runflat ride of BMW, it will seem positively supple.
The downside is that the C-Class carries a few extra kilos over its equivalent 3-Series and in some instances it starts to show.
Take-off in the diesel is virtually as quick as the 320d, though our test car suffered from a rather lazy automatic transmission, that wasn't as eager to take us up through the rev range as we would have liked.
Inside the cabin and there's the traditional feel of a Mercedes, from the foot-operated brake and rather awkward cruise control stalk, but there are also some modern touches, like the inclusion of Mercedes' COMAND system with a 4.5-inch screen in the central console. The graphics are not on a par with rival systems from Lexus or BMW, but it's there and it's much better than the cheap plastic buttons that littered C-Class dashboards of old.
Get the AMG sports pack and you get a sports steering wheel and sports seats. The former is good - though it includes a set of paddle shift gear controls that are just gimmicks.
Interior space in the C-Class is at the top end of its segment. Rear space is on a par with the BMW in terms of headroom and only slightly smaller than the 3-Series. The boot is also impressively big, offering 475 litres compared to 460 litres in the BMW and just 378 litres in the Lexus IS. No worries for the golfing fraternity there then.
Overall, it's still not as smart in terms of handling control as the 3-Series but it's now got the exterior looks, the spacious interior and that all-important badge up front, even more prominent than before. Where it was previously more about status than sportiness, the C-Class can now consider itself a serious competitor for thirtysomething buyers. Perhaps the real threat it poses is to the likes of Audi and Lexus, which have been fighting for some of BMW's pie for some time. The Lexus has the looks but lacks the engine options and is quite tight in the back, while the Audi lacks some of the brand cachet at this level to challenge for top spot. The A4 is due to be replaced by the end of this year.
For now the C-Class would seem the closest competitor to the 3-Series. It's a proper Merc, but one that doesn't automatically make a beeline for the golf club if you're not paying attention. You don't even need to own a Pringle jumper to drive one of these. It's the first C-Class I would consider buying since the 190 took to the road.
Factfile
ENGINE:2148cc four-cylinder common-rail diesel engine offering 168bhp @ 3,800rpm and 400Nm of torque @ 2,000rpm
SPECIFICATION:C-Class features as standard: front, side and curtain airbags; ESP; ABS; brake assist; MP3 compatible radio/CD; auto climate control; tyre pressure warning system and minispare wheel; 16" alloys.
Elegance adds: rear armrest; chrome-inlaid radiator grille.
Avantgarde adds: badge in grille; multifunctioning leather steering wheel with 4.5" display in instrument cluster; footwell lighting; 17" alloys; chrome ringed front foglights.
AMG sports package adds; sports front seats; steering-wheel gearshift paddles; sports pedals; black roof liner; 17" AMG alloys; speed sensitive steering.
L/100KM (MPG)
Urban: 7.9 (35.8)
Extra-urban: 4.7 (60.1)
Combined: 6.7 (42.2)
CO2 EMISSIONS:175 g/km
ANNUAL ROAD TAX:€722
PRICE:€58,174
(€43,240 to €71,313)