2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Attention Assist:
This standard feature can detect when a driver is drowsy and alerts him or her via visual and audible warnings. How does it do that? The car uses sensors that "observe driver behavior," based primarily on steering wheel movements.

Fit and Finish:
The cabin of even the least expensive Mercedes-Benz feels comfortable and cozy. Then there is the appreciable tactile feel of every component, from the leather-wrapped steering wheel to the metal buttons and gauges. It literally feels like a quality car.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is elegant yet relatively understated inside. A 4.5-inch color display now sits before the driver, encircled within the speedometer, relaying trip, audio and navigation information. Buttons and dials for climate settings are a cinch to locate and use. Even when outfitted with the base M-B Tex vinyl upholstery, the C-Class seats are comfortable and supportive. Rear-seat space is a bit tight in the 5-passenger sedan, and even more cramped in the coupe, which seats four and has a lower roofline that can bump against heads. Like other luxury cars, audio, telephone and navigation are controlled via a console-mounted dial whose functions are viewed on a color-LCD screen in the center dash. The panorama roof that's optional on sedans and standard on coupes does an admirable job of shading, but still lets in quite a bit of light when the sun is directly overhead.

While most of the updates for the 2012 C-Class are under the hood, Mercedes has made tweaks to the outer design of its smallest car. The biggest news is the introduction of a curvaceous coupe, a first for the C-Class. Though it has two fewer doors than its sedan siblings, the C-Class coupe is nearly identical in length, width and wheelbase, but lower in height, giving it a more sporty appearance. C-Class Sedans retain their angular look and feature a lighter aluminum hood, revised front and rear bumpers, and redesigned headlights and taillights.

After a several-year absence, Mercedes is again employing a 4-cylinder engine for its base C-Class in the U.S. market, a fuel-efficient 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that makes 201 horsepower. That's just 27 hp shy of the larger, 3.0-liter V6 that powers the C300, and enables the C250 to attain the same 0-60 mph time as the C300: 7.1 seconds. More powerful still is the C350, with a new 3.5-liter V6 that makes 302 horsepower. The voracious C63 AMG boasts a 6.3-liter V8 that makes 451 horsepower – and has fuel-economy numbers that add a one-time $1,700 gas-guzzler tax. All models now use a 7-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode (no manual transmission is available).

C250 sedan and coupe:
1.8-liter turbocharged inline-4
201 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
229 lb-ft of torque @ 2,200-4,300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/31 mpg

C300 4Matic sedan:
3.0-liter V6
228 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
221 lb-ft of torque @ 2,700-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg

C350 sedan and coupe:
3.5-liter V6
302 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
273 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500-5,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/29 mpg

C63 AMG sedan and coupe:
6.3-liter V8
451 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
443 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/19 mpg

The base price for a 2012 C250 Sedan is $35,675, including destination. At the other end, a C63 AMG Sedan begins at $61,505. In between, a C300 4Matic sedan starts around $39,000, and a C350 sedan starts at over $41,000. Coupe versions of the C250, C350 and C63 increase their cost about $2,000. Options can easily add $10,000 or more to the base price.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has a similar starting price to the BMW 328i Sedan ($35,795), and matches the rest of the 3-Series closely up the model line. It has a higher starting price than the Lexus IS 250 ($34,470), Infiniti G Sedan ($33,495), Audi A4 ($33,375), Volvo S60 ($32,175), Acura TSX ($30,905), and Buick Regal ($27,940). It is lower than the starting price of a Cadillac CTS ($36,810). A relative bargain, the C63 starts lower than a Lexus IS F ($62,175), BMW M3 ($62,295), and Cadillac CTS-V ($65,410).

To see what buyers in your area are paying for a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, be sure to check the Fair Purchase Price. Down the road, the C-Class boasts exceptional resale value.

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