Mercedes C-Class Coupe review

Mercedes C-Class Coupe review Our Rating: 4 4.0/5.0

Image 1 of 24

2015 model By Auto Express Test TeamComments

• facebook
• twitter
• google+
• email

The Mercedes C-Class Coupe is the smallest coupe Mercedes makes but it’s reassuringly big on style

For: Sleek looks, quality cabin, good range of enginesAgainst: Not the most thrilling to drive, high options list, noisy diesels

While Mercedes may well have a strong heritage when it comes to two-door coupes but technically speaking, the current C-Class Coupe is only the second car of its type the brand has ever built. The first generation C-Class only came in saloon and estate guises, and while a coupe model was offered with the second-generation C-Class in 2001, the SportCoupe (later renamed CLC) was more of a stylish three-door hatchback than a proper coupe.

Mercedes finally offered a rival to the all conquering BMW 3 Series Coupe in 2011 but the current C-Class Coupe is the most stylish of the lot sharing key design themes with the much larger S-Class Coupe.

There’s a wide range of versions – from entry-level Sport right through to the Mercedes-AMG tuned C 43 and C 63 models – to suit all budgets and tastes with every version coming with a well made interior and space for four people. Its nearest rival is the similarly well-appointed BMW 4 Series Coupe and although that car has a dynamic edge, the Mercedes is a stylish and well-rounded product.

Our Choice: Mercedes C 250d AMG Line Coupe

In the mid-sized coupe market the C-Class is one of the most popular options along with the BMW 4 Series Coupe and the Audi A5. The Germans dominate this sector thanks to a combination of efficient running costs, inherited from the saloon cars on which they’re based, luxurious cabins and most importantly, badge appeal. If you don’t want German there are two Japanese alternatives in the shape of the Lexus RC and the Infiniti Q60, but these two are likely to be niche options in comparison with the C-Class.

Mercedes has reasserted its grip on the coupe bodystyle with the very elegant S-Class Coupe. But this near-£100,000 Bentley-rivaling car won’t appeal to everyone and that’s where the C-Class Coupe and the forthcoming E-Class Coupe come in. Just like the relationship between the C-Class Saloon and the S-Class Saloon, the C-Class Coupe very much resembles the S-Class Coupe. In fact, it looks like a scaled down version.

Image 2 of 24

Image 2 of 24

While the old C-Class Coupe looked like a two-door version of the four-door C-Class saloon, the new model takes on a new visual identity. It’s 95mm longer than the old car, as well as being 40mm wider, all in an effort to make the newcomer look sleeker and like a traditional coupe. The wheelbase is 80mm longer too – 60mm of that comes between the firewall and the front axle, giving the Coupe that long-bonnet look normally reserved for sports cars. In fact, it’s only the front wings that are shared with the C-Class Saloon.

It’s a very swoopy design. There’s an exaggerated shoulder line, and the roofline arches down to the curvy rear end – and it’s here where the car closely resembles the S-Class Coupe. However, in some colours, wheel choices and trim specifications the rear three-quarter view can look a little awkward.

For the standard C-Class Coupe there are just two trims – Sport and AMG Line – and standard kit includes 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, artificial leather-trimmed heated sports seats, a seven-inch infotainment screen and a Garmin sat-nav system.

Sport and AMG Line cars come with a choice of a 2.0-litre petrol developing either 181bhp in the C 200 or 242bhp in the C 300 or a 2.1-litre diesel with 168bhp in the C 220d and 201bhp in the C 250d. There’s the choice of a six-speed manual or two autos – a seven-speed for the AMG petrols and a nine-speed for the mid- to range-topping petrols and diesels. There’s also the option to have rear-wheel drive or 4Matic four-wheel drive.

There are two further C-Class Coupe models developed by Mercedes’s in-house tuning division – AMG. The Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe is a halfway house between the standard petrol powered models and the full-fat C 63 and C 63 S V8-powered versions.

Image 3 of 24

Image 3 of 24

The C 43 uses a new 362bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and is mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive and comes with extra AMG equipment on the outside and inside. The C 63 comes with a 469bhp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 while the C 63 S gets a 503bhp version of the same engine. Both get unique AMG body styling and interior equipment.

Engines, performance and drive

3.5 Standard C-Class Coupe gets a range of average petrol and diesel engines while range-topping AMG versions get improved handling and more exciting engines

To befit its more sporting character, the Coupe gets revised software for the electric power steering giving more weight than the system offered in the standard Saloon. The Coupe’s steering is also quicker and gives more feedback. All models come with Agility Select allowing you to choose different driving modes – Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

You sit low down in the C-Class and with plenty of adjustment in the steering and driver’s seat, the Coupe feels good to drive. It also rides well on typically broken British B-roads but Mercedes does offer an Airmatic Agility package for £895. It’s pricy but gives air suspension and adaptive dampers, meaning the C-Class can smooth out potholes better in Comfort mode. Alternatively, in Sport mode, the C-Class sharpens up a little with stiffer suspension giving more dynamic handling and less body roll in the corners.

However, be warned – AMG Line cars with 18-inch wheels can counteract the air suspension on really bad roads due to their large diameters and tendency to thump into road imperfections. If you’re after the perfect ride, choosing the Airmatic Agility package with the smaller 17-inch wheels offered as standard on the Sport model is the best option.

Standard non-AMG cars come with rear-wheel drive to give the best balance of handling, however Mercedes does offer 4Matic all-wheel drive for just an extra £1,500. It’s a clever system that can split the engine’s power 50:50 to the front and rear axles in really difficult conditions or send 100 per cent of the power to the rear wheels. The system constantly monitors road conditions, meaning 4Matic is a good choice for those who encounter tricky terrain or just like the reassurance of year-round grip.

Image 5 of 24

Image 5 of 24

Mercedes have long carved out a reputation for producing good automatics and the nine-speed version (in standard cars) is good, slipping through years easily while the seven-speed version in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 and C 63 S is similarly impressive. However, the six-speed manual is a little notchy and not as accomplished as the gearbox used in the BMW 4 Series Coupe – even though the manual box in the BMW has a slightly rubbery feel. In fact, the BMW is the more fun and involving coupe compared to the C-Class and could be considered to be more of the ‘driver’s car’. That’s not to say the C-Class Coupe is lacking – it’s noticeably more fun to drive than the Lexus RC, for instance.

Engines

The C-Class Coupe has quite a simple line-up of engines. For petrol customers there’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit with two power outputs – 181bhp in the C 200 or 242bhp in the C 300. While for diesel there’s a 2.1-litre engine also with two power outputs – 168bhp in the C 220d and 201bhp in the C 250d.

The 2.0-litre petrol is a little flat for a sports coupe. We’ve tried the C 300 and on paper, it looks good: 0-62mph takes a very respectable six seconds, with top speed limited to 155mph. However, it doesn’t make a particularly pleasant noise, emitting a drone rather than a tuneful roar. Push the throttle harder and the noise turns harsh – made all the worse by sports exhaust. Progress is not as smooth as you’d expect, either, with power delivery suffering from a little turbo lag at lower revs.

Happily the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 is much better. It’s a brand new engine and just like most V6s, it’s smooth whilst delivering great performance coupled with a great soundtrack. It packs considerably more punch than the equivalent BMW 440i Coupe, but unfortunately the engine is only limited to the Mercedes-AMG C 43 – a half way house between the C 300 and the full-fat Mercedes-AMG C 63.

Diesel versions of the C-Class will appeal to those considering running one as a company car. The diesel is a 2.1-litre unit but with two power outputs – 168bhp in the C 220d and 201bhp in the C 250d. While the 2.0-litre petrol is just a little unexciting, the old 2.1-litre diesel is noisy. The new Mercedes E-Class gets an all-new 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel which is far better than this ageing unit which isn’t particularly smooth or quiet. We’ve only driven the higher-powered C 250d and felt it’s a little strained at high revs and coarse on tickover, but it does offer decent punch – 201bhp and 500Nm of torque translates into a 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds.

Image 8 of 24

Image 8 of 24

Right at the top of the pile are the C 63 and C 63 S. Powered by Mercedes-AMG’s new 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 it’s a fabulous engine – punchy, torquey with a great spread of abilities. It also makes a fabulous noise and is well paired with Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic gearbox. It comes in two power outputs – 469bhp in the C 63 and 503bhp in the C 63 S.

MPG, CO2 and running costs

4 Diesel models appeal to the head while petrol powered versions of the C-Class Coupe appeal to the heart

If the idea of having a diesel engine powering your sleek two-door Mercedes coupe revolts you then you’ll be drawn to the petrol alternatives. If you’re after the cheapest to run petrol then the C 200 will impress – its 181bhp 2.0-litre petrol will return 53.3mpg. Go for the Sport model with 17-inch wheels and your road tax bill will be £110 a year due to emissions of 123g/km of CO2.

Meanwhile the more powerful 2.0-litre petrol – in the C 300 with 241bhp – returns 44.8mpg and emits 146g/km with 17-inch wheels. With 18- and 19-inch wheels, its emissions jump giving a higher tax penalty.

Naturally, the AMG models are more costly to run. The C 43 will return a reasonable 36.2mpg and emits 178g/km of CO2. Mercedes claims 32.8mpg for the C63 models but you’re unlikely to achieve much more than 25mpg. CO2 emissions are 200g/km.

If you’re going to be running a C-Class Coupe as a company car or would just rather get more miles for your money, then the two diesel versions will appeal. The C 220d powered by a 167bhp 2.1-litre diesel is the most frugal and tax friendly with a claimed combined MPG of 68.9, but the C 250d (which comes with 201bhp 2.1-litre diesel) isn’t noticeably worse at 67.3mpg.

CO2 emissions vary according to wheel size for most C-Class Coupe models but this is particularly so with the diesel versions. Sport models with 17-inch wheels result in CO2 emissions of 106g/km for the C 220d and 109g/km for the C 250d. Larger 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels push up the price up but it’ll be small extra outlay for the extra style, most buyers will conclude.

Image 11 of 24

Image 11 of 24

Insurance groups

The words ‘Mercedes’ and ‘Coupe’ normally set insurance firms on edge, more so than the saloon versions. Insurance groups kick off from the low 30s for the diesel and 2.0-litre petrols. The C 43 comes in at 45 while the C 63 versions are rated between 47 and 50.

Depreciation

The C-Class has good residuals for the mid-size coupe market – private buyers should expect around 44 per cent when it comes to part-exchange, making the Mercedes one of the best in the class for retained value. As with the C-Class Saloon, it’s recommended to go for some of the options packs to boost residual values such as the Premium and Premium Plus packs. Also the diesel models enjoy stronger residuals than the petrol-powered versions.

Interior, design and technology

4 Looks are important in a Coupe and the C-Class’s sleek lines help it stand out while interior quality is also strong

Mercedes has worked hard on scaling down the near £100,000 S-Class Coupe into a smaller form for the C-Class and it has worked – the C-Class Coupe is a very stylish car and one of the smartest – if not the smartest – in the sector.

In Europe the C-Class Coupe comes in a very basic entry trim level with plastic wheel trims. But, due to UK buyers’ elevated expectations of how a Mercedes should look and feel, here the standard Coupe comes in two well specified trim levels – Sport and AMG Line.

Sport comes with 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, artificial leather-trimmed heated sports seats, a seven-inch infotainment screen, a Garmin sat-nav system and seat belts that electrically slide forwards for easy reach. The AMG Line adds more aggressive exterior styling including a more glitzy grille, 18-inch alloys, lowered suspension, speed sensitive steering, AMG branded mats and stainless steel pedals. There’s also black roof lining and silver paddle shifters on automatic versions.

Image 13 of 24

Image 13 of 24

The three range-topping models are developed by Mercedes-AMG – Mercedes’ in-house tuning division. The C 43 gets slightly racier exterior styling than the AMG Line cars with extra equipment such as an AMG performance exhaust, a lip spoiler on the boot-lid and red seat belts. Meanwhile the C 63 and C 63 S are the hardcore performance models and get distinctive flared body styling and body-hugging bucket seats. At launch there’s also an Edition 1 version of the C 63 S inspired by the Mercedes C 63 S Coupe racing in the German Touring Car Championship. As such it comes with racing stripes.

The interior of the C-Class Coupe is just as stylish as the outside. Naturally it has been lifted straight out of the saloon and features the same high-quality construction and attractive design details. Virtually everything you touch is made from good quality plastic or metal and you have to look hard for any cheap feeling materials. As standard the Coupe gets gloss black inlays for the centre console but while it looks great, it can scratch very easily.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Like most other Mercedes models, the C-Class Coupe gets a tablet-like screen attached to the dash. Opinions are mixed on whether it looks cheap or smart but at least it’s different from rivals’ set-ups. Its operating system isn’t as intuitive or pleasant to use as BMW’s excellent iDrive or Audi’s MMI. There are some confusing menu tabs that can make it tricky to use on the move despite there being the option of a scroll wheel and touch pad.

As standard the C-Class gets a Garmin sat-nav. While it may not sound very becoming for a Mercedes to use a Garmin system, it works well enough. C-Class Coupes also get Bluetooth and DAB as standard.

As part of the Premium and Premium Plus Packs there’s the option of a Burmester surround stereo system. With 13 speakers and a nine-channel amp, it’s worth the upgrade if you enjoy listening to music while on the move.

Practicality, comfort and boot space

3.5 The coupe bodystyle doesn’t stop the C-Class offering acceptable practicality. Rear seat space is tight though

Interior space is reasonable on the C-Class Coupe. Like most cars of this type, space is a little tight in the rear for adults but for shorter journeys it’s adequate. There’s a well-shaped boot and plenty of cubbies and interior storage too.

Image 15 of 24

Image 15 of 24

Size

At 4,750mm in length and 1,877mm in width, the C-Class Coupe is slightly larger than its biggest rival, the BMW 4 Series Coupe. It’s the same story when you compare it to the Audi A5 Coupe and the Lexus RC – but we are only talking a few millimeters.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

Upfront space is excellent, however, as you’d expect, room in the back is rather more restricted. That’s thanks to the sloping roof line meaning anyone over six-foot will really struggle for headroom however kneeroom is just about acceptable and you can slide your feet under the front seats to give a little extra comfort. There are only two seats as well, with a pair of cupholders in the centre – the middle seat has been removed so the two outer seats can be moved inboard allowing passengers a better view our of the front. Overall, space is on par with rivals.

Boot

Apart from the C 63 and C 63 S models, all C-Class Coupes have a 400-litre boot. This is 50-litres smaller than both the BMW 4 Series and the Audi A5. The C63 has even less room for luggage – just 355 litres.

Image 21 of 24

Image 21 of 24

Reliability and Safety

3.5 Quality components means the C-Class Coupe should have few troubles, while interior is well made

Whether its petrol or diesel powered, the mechanicals are all tried and tested in the C-Class Coupe so there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises. Meanwhile the interior feels built to last thanks to its high quality plastics.

That’s what you’d think anyway. Although the C-Class Coupe hasn’t made an appearance in Driver Power survey yet the Saloon has – it finished a credible 43rd out of 150 cars with owners praising performance and comfort. However, owners weren’t impressed with the reliability and some of those high quality plastics aren’t as resilient as they initially seem. Generally though the C-Class Saloon is a reliable car and scores better than the BMW 3 Series Saloon so you can expect a similar story with the Coupe.

Just like the Saloon, the Coupe is a very safe car – seven airbags, a driver tiredness monitor and tyre-pressure warning all come as standard. It’s been given a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.

Buyers can add hi-tech options like the £2,300 Driver Assistance Pack, which brings blind-spot warning, lane departure assist and adaptive cruise control. Other options include an £825 head-up display and £545 Active LED lights with cornering function and high-beam assist.

Image 9 of 24

Image 9 of 24

Warranty

Mercedes gives a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty with the C-Class range and is identical to the package supplied with BMW models, but goes one better than the Audi warranty, which limits cover to three years and 60,000 miles.

Servicing

Since the late 1990s, Mercedes has worked on a condition-based servicing system and the C-Class Coupe is no different. As such, how often your car will be in the dealership will be down to driving style.

Like the Saloon, for either a one-off fee or a series of monthly payments from as little as £1 (up to £40 for the AMG C 63), Mercedes-Benz Service Care guarantees owners the price of parts and labour for up to four years to protect against inflation. Service Care covers the cost of all recommended service items, including fluids, filters and spark plugs.

Last updated: 7 Nov, 2016Original Article