Pros:
- Elegant luxury in a compact sedan design.
- Many standard infotainment and safety features.
- Comfortable and smooth ride.
Cons:
- Thirstier for fuel than some rivals.
- Cargo space in the trunk is a little cramped.
- Slightly pricey for the segment.
Would we buy one? Yep!
Vehicle Type: Four-door, five-seat compact luxury sedan.
Price Range: Pricing starts at MSRP $41,400 for the rear-wheel-drive model. All-wheel-drive has a starting MSRP of $43,400. Prices include destination charge.
Powertrain: A four-cylinder 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, making 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque pairs with rear-wheel-drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission.
All-wheel-drive is available for $2,000 more with the C 300 4Matic sedan trim level.
Competitors: BMW 3-Series, Audi A4.
Overall Score: 8.8/10
Safety Features: 9/10
Mercedes is conscious of safety, and the C-series 2020 model year is no exception. It does exceedingly well in the safety department and has received good ratings in crash-tests.
The Mercedes C-Series' standard safety features included everyday basics like active brake assist, blind-spot assist, a rearview camera, automatic emergency braking, attention assist, LED headlights, and advanced tire pressure monitoring.
Upgraded Premium Package safety features in a Driver Assistance Package are available for the 2020 model year, including steering assist, adaptive cruise control, active brake assist, lane-keep assistance, lane change assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert.
A 'Top Safety Pick Plus' and rating of 'Good' has been given to the 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class models by the IIHS in crash-tests. Top Safety Pick Plus is the highest award given by the Insurance Institute. The NHTSA gave the C-Series four out of five stars.
Value: 8/10
There are two trim levels for the C-Series: C300, C300 4Matic sedan.
The rear-wheel-drive trim new car pricing starts at MSRP $41,400 while the all-wheel-drive begins at a reasonable MSRP of $43,400 pricing.
If we were in the market for a new car, the base C 300 rear-wheel drive train is a better pick than the all-wheel-drive because it is lighter and demands on the four-cylinder engine. Little is gained with the 4Matic sedan's AWD version with the same 255 horsepower powertrain, but it is worth considering the modest pricing of only $2,000 more. Whatever trim level, rear-wheel drive or the AWD, it is a high-quality luxury car no matter what.
Tech Features: 9/10
Both trim versions come with an array of good infotainment system features with an intuitive touchpad and the latest apps. Keyless entry comes standard as well.
An impressive addition to multimedia features is the 10.25-inch easy to see infotainment touchpad screen is well-placed in the dash. Standard features like Wi-Fi hotspot, a head-up display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto are included.
Two USB ports are in the cabin for convenient device charging.
The audio system is handled with a FrontBass five-speaker stereo system that is stock on C-Class models. An available Burmester surround-sound system with the Premium Package delivers excellent sound for those who want even better audio quality.
Practicality: 8/10
There is seating for five in the 2020 Mercedes C-Series sedan. The front seats are comfortable and have different upholstery and color options available. The rear seats do feel somewhat short on legroom and headroom, especially for the middle occupant. More room can be made when the rear seats are folded down.
Power-adjustable front seats with memory settings on the driver's side are standard in this luxury car. The dual-zone automatic climate control makes temperature effortlessly comfortable in the cabin. Visibility is aided with led headlights.
The hands-free power trunk is a nice addition for accessing trunk space, especially when multitasking. 12.6 cubic foot trunk space is small for the segment, though.
Internal storage for smartphones and personal items is abundant in the C 300 sedan. A deep center console can hold various things while the side door pockets are adequate in all C-Class models.
Styling & Design: 9/10
The 2020 model year C-Series embraces stylish design joined with Mercedes-Benz's luxury car standards. Its interior is high-quality synthetic leather upholstery and is available in Nappa leather. A leather steering wheel is available.
Details like consistent panel gaps, intuitive layout of cabin controls and buttons, and rattle-free fixtures are excellent in promoting a serene driving experience.
Driving Experience: 8/10
The entry-level C 300 has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-speed powertrain configuration producing 255 horsepower with 273 lb-ft of torque and a nine-speed automatic transmission.
While it trails some luxury car rivals slightly in performance, the C-Series does a good enough job keeping its luxury reputation while delivering enough turbo punch to satisfy daily driver demands.
No laggy pulls with the nine-speed-automatic transmission and rear-wheel drivetrain smoothly transitioning through the gears during acceleration. Thanks to the extra 14 horsepower kick from the turbocharger, performance improves, providing enough get up and go for busy daily commutes. The C-Class models offer a seamlessly smooth driving experience, with a little kick, while maintaining the classic Mercedes-Benz luxury feel.
Fuel Efficiency: 8/10
The Mercedes C 300 Series 2020 model year is average in the segment for fuel economy. Some rivals like the BMW 3-Series fare a little better on mpg and return more driving performance from their four-cylinder engine configurations.
The C-Series gets decent mpg city and highway ratings. EPA estimated rating of 24/35/29 mpg city/hwy/combined. The Mercedes-Benz C 300 4Matic sedan is rated at 23/33/27 mpg city/hwy/combined by the EPA.
