MERCEDES C320 CDI
Theres an ineffable sensation of smugness engendered by driving a top of the line executive diesel car. Maybe its the fact that youve got the whole package looks, image, performance, economy and residual values all bundled into one manageably sized nugget of soft touch, leather-trimmed desirability that does it. Alternatively, it could be just the feeling that youre having more fun and yet spending less money than many other drivers in far less prestigious tackle.
Mercedes had fared very well in this section of the market with the C200 and C270CDI diesels but were latterly being rather left behind in the power stakes by aggressive models from BMW and Audi. Being a company that has always differentiated itself in terms of extreme power outputs, this was a situation that Stuttgart couldnt let lie. Mercedes already had an excellent 3.2-litre diesel available, but chose instead to develop an all-new 3.
| Build | |
| Comfort | |
| Depreciation | |
| Economy | |
| Equipment | |
| Handling | |
| Insurance | |
| Performance | |
| Styling | |
| Value |
9 seconds once the preserve of top end sports cars. Couple that with a combined fuel consumption figure of nearly 40mpg and you have a package thats tough to beat. The only fly in the ointment is the asking prices - starting at around £31,500, depending on which trim level you opt for - but hey, theres no such thing as a free lunch. This engine replaces the old five cylinder 2.
7-litre unit and its a far more impressive act. Lighter and smaller, the C320CDI feels noticeably less nose heavy than the C270CDI when pitching into tighter corners. The aluminium block and cylinder head help in this regard and a variable geometry turbocharger that works in concert with piezo electric technology ensure that torque is available across a broad plateau. Even the laziest driver will have difficulty being caught off boost.
"Finding significant aspects in which you can fault the C320 CDI is a thankless assignment"
A six-speed gearbox is fitted as standard and before you start groaning, its worth remembering that this latest generation box is really rather good. Nowadays Mercedes can do manuals. Perhaps feeling a little bashful at their achievement with the manual transmission, the company have utterly overshadowed it with their 7Gtronic automatic transmission which makes the C320CDI simply effortless to drive quickly. Take a look at the specification sheets and its apparent why.
Torque rises from 306 to 376lb ft with the automatic box, the closely stacked ratios making it noticeably quicker through the gears than the manual car. In fact the C320CDI will accelerate from 50 to 75mph in 6.2 seconds which is as quick as the mighty V8 C55 AMG range topper. On a motorway slip road, youll feel this astonishing pull and its rather addictive.
In the mid-term facelift visited on the C-Class, the exterior has been altered but youll need to be a genuine spotter to make out the revisions. The front bumper has been redesigned and theres a radiator grille with three louvres. This apparently gives a more powerful feel. Clear-lensed headlamps are fitted as standard and a special scratch-resistant clearcoat finish has also been developed to further protect the paintwork.
At first glance, it's hard to decide exactly what size this car is, so cleverly packaged are lines clearly derived from the larger S-Class. You discover pretty quickly mind you, after taking a seat in the back. There's supposed to be more space but it doesn't feel like it. For rear seat passengers, any Mondeo, Vectra or Peugeot 407 would be preferable. Judged by any other criteria however, the Mercedes wins hands down. Anyway, if you want more space, theres always the estate version, a bodystyle that Mercedes expects to be particularly appealing to C320 CDI buyers.
Outright space in the rear isnt a C-Class Estate strength, but with 470 litres with the seats up and 1,384 litres with the rears folded, theres more than enough for most family duties. To be fair, the Mercedes has some nice touches in this form. Theres a sturdy folding shopping box that lives under the load floor and a luggage cover (which moves with the seat back) incorporating a roll-up safety net to stop loose items flying forward under sharp braking. The headrests flip neatly up out of the way when you fold down the rear bench, which either flops onto the cushion or folds completely flat when the cushion has been lifted out of the way.
Lift the electrically operated rear tailgate and the floor stretches before you up to 2650mm with the front seat folded, which should be useful if youve a ladder or a surfboard to carry. The interior on all C-Class models is quite simply peerless. It benefits from better switchgear, modified seats and a little more visual flamboyance with chrome detailing and white, chronometer-style illuminated dials. Classic models feature fine wood trim as standard while Avantgarde models offer standard aluminium detailing with an option of Birds-Eye maple.
This sporting version also offers an interesting seat trim, being a mix of fabric and what Mercedes dubs ARTICO. All models feature a revised climate control system thats a lot easier to get to grips with and a vertically stacked information display that runs between the speedometer and the rev counter. Although many buyers will sit on their money in the hope that a BMW 335d arrives, theyll likely be wasting their time. The Mercedes C320CDI is a superbly finished car with very little in the way of drawbacks.
It has been developed to a point whereby it is just a hugely satisfying ownership proposition. Itll be very tough to better.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Mercedes C320 CDI
PRICES: £31,480-£32,430 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 201g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.9 [auto] / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 26.9mpg / (extra urban) 47.9mpg / (combined) 37.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS/ ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4541/1728/1466mm
