We review the Mercedes C-Class (2007) from price to economy and all its features
THE Mercedes C-Class may not be the cheapest car the Stuttgart carmaker has offered, but it has long been seen as the first step on the executive ladder.
It pretty much has it all — a passenger car that is great to drive and is built on traditional Mercedes values.
But, with the outgoing model, dubious build quality had begun to taint the image.
So Mercedes were determined to make the new C-Class the best by mimicking the lines of the S-Class saloon.
It now looks like a little S-Class, but the drive is the really impressive part.
Its a drivers car, which it needs to be because it is up against the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.
The SE and the Elegance are sophisticated, while the Sport is more aggressive, complete with an in-your-face three-pointed star dominating the frontal styling and an AMG-style body kit.
No matter how determined you are, the good news is that the Sport wont disappoint.
In fact, press on in the twists and turns and you begin to imagine you are at the wheel of the ultimate Mercedes.
With vastly greater presence than the slightly anonymous looking current C-Class, the new one lives up to its looks by delivering a stunning drive.
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Putting around 15million miles under prototypes tyres, Mercedes chassis engineers have honed the handling, as shown when the Sport was driven hard over twisting mountain roads where precise, communicative steering blended with pin-sharp cornering.
Press the Sport button and you have an executive express par excellence and, while you might not quite blow off the BMW 3 Series, you can at least get level with it.
Refinement is the hallmarks of this new car, and it takes Mercedes back to their rightful position at the top of the tree.
The C-Class offers not just a first step on the executive ladder but a firm footing in a very exclusive club.
It may not be the cheapest Mercedes, but with prices starting from just £22,950 the C-Class can wear its three-pointed star with justifiable pride.