2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe review | road test

17 June 2016 by Joshua Dowling· CarsGuide

2016 Mercedes-Benz C300

Price From 83,400

What we like

Looks stunning inside and out.
Well equipped by any standards, not just luxury-car standards.
Serene to drive.

What we don't

The 2.0-litre turbo engine sounds a bit gruff.
I still prefer the peace of mind of a full size spare.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe with specs, fuel consumption and verdict

Coupes historically have short bursts of popularity.

Because they are so style-driven, they tend to be bought by the fashion conscious - and fall out of vogue as quickly as people fell in love with them.

But we're spoiled for choice right now with this recent arrival - the Mercedes C Class Coupe - helping stimulate the rest of the segment.

Design

The Mercedes C Class sedan looks like it was always meant to be a coupe. The interior design is essentially the same as the sedan. The biggest difference, stating the obvious, is the lack of rear doors. Coupe owners rarely talk about it, but they pay a high price for style. The longer doors are a pain to open - and squeeze in to or out of - in tight parking spaces, and having passengers clamber into the back seat is never elegant, no matter what badge is on the car.

As with the sedan, the C Class Coupe is a serene machine.

About town

Despite the stretched appearance due to its sleek lines, the C Class Coupe is no longer than the sedan on which it is based, so the turning circle is the same (11.2 metres) and it fits in the same size parking space. The boot is generously sized: 400 litres is not as big as, say, a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic sedan, but it's enough for a decent shopping spree.

On the road

As with the sedan, the C Class Coupe is a serene machine. Despite riding on 19-inch wheels and low profile tyres, it doesn't crash through bumps. Visibility is fair for a coupe; blind spot warning makes up for a slightly restricted over-shoulder view. A 360-degree camera helps prevent scrubbing the alloy wheels on the gutter when parking.

As much as rivals may tire of reading this, it really is hard to fault the C Class coupe.

Performance

The 300 badge used to represent V6 power on a Mercedes, so I was surprised to hear a four-cylinder under the bonnet. It's the same 2.0-litre turbo engine used in the C200 coupe (from $65,900) but the wick has been turned up. It sounds a little flat but it has more than enough oomph (0 to 100kmh in a claimed 6.0 seconds) thanks in part to the seven-speed auto. It should get a bit smarter off the line once the nine-speed auto is added late this year or early next (bringing it in line with the cabriolet).

Verdict

As much as rivals may tire of reading this, it really is hard to fault the C Class coupe. It's the best looking among its peers, the nicest to drive and the best equipped for the price.

What's it got

LED headlights and tail-lights, nine airbags, automatic emergency braking, 360 degree camera, 13-speaker Burmester audio, radar cruise control, lane keeping, blind zone warning, rear cross traffic alert, stop-and-go traffic jam assistance, built-in navigation, high resolution instruments and cabin control displays.

What it hasn't

There's no spare tyre (it relies on run-flats, which can't be repaired after a puncture, can be expensive to replace and hard to source).

Ownership

Resale value is the strongest among its peers. Running costs during the warranty period is competitive ($1980 over three years). But as with any European car, ideally you'd trade out of it after three years. Servicing starts to get expensive after four or five years.

Pick of the range:

Save $20,000, buy the $65,900 C200 Coupe which looks the same and drives just as well.

Also consider:

Ford Mustang ... $45,990

The well heeled may shudder at the thought of driving an American muscle car, but the reality is the Ford Mustang is a genuine rival - and some buyers are coming out of Benzes and BMWs. There's a 12-month wait on the V8 but the turbo four-cylinder has plenty of zip, identical looks, and not much demand, so you can jump the queue.

BMW 420i ... $71,100

It's not as well equipped as the Mercedes and is not as plush to drive. It corners a little more sharply but the price you pay for that is an at times jarring ride over bumps.

Audi A5 ... $68,200

An all-new Audi A5 has just been unveiled in Europe ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms in the first half of next year. That means you can expect sharp deals on the current model. But as with the BMW, the A5 is not as well equipped or as nice to drive as the Mercedes.

At a glance

Price - $83,400 plus on-road costs

Warranty - 3 years/unlimited km

Capped Servicing - $1980 over three years

Service interval - 12 months/25,000km

Safety - 5 stars, 9 airbags

Engine - 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol, 180kW/370Nm

Transmission - 7-spd auto; RWD

Thirst - 6.6L/100km

Dimensions - 4686mm (L), 1810mm (W), 1405mm (H), 2840mm (WB)

Weight - 1645kg

Spare Tyre - Run-flats