Car Review of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Near Luxury Compact Sedan and Wagon

Base MSRP Range: $25,850- $53,900

Base Invoice Range: $24,040- $50,127

Options & Features
Price Quote
New Car Prices
Used Car Prices
Payment Calculator
Rebates & Incentives
Trade In Values
Find A Dealer
Financing
Insurance Rates
Sell Your Car

-->

MSRP As Tested: Not Available

Versions: Sport, Luxury

Vehicle Category: Near Luxury Compact Sedan and Wagon

Engine Location: Front Engine

Drive Wheels: Rear-Wheel Drive and optional All -Wheel -Drive .

Engine as Tested: ">Supercharged , 1.8-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 16-valves, I-4, 189-horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 192 lb-ft torque at 3,500 rpm.

Optional Engine as Tested: 2.6-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 18-valves, V-6, 168-horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 177 lb-ft torque at 4,700 rpm.

Optional Engine as Tested: 3.2-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 18-valves, V-6, 215-horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 221 lb-ft torque at 3,000 rpm.

Optional Engine as Tested: 5.4-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 18-valves, V-8, 362 -horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 376 lb-ft torque at 4,000 rpm.

Transmission As Tested: 5-speed automatic and optional 6-speed manual .

Fuel Economy (city/hwy): Supercharged dohc I4 - 22/30, 2.6 V6 - 20/25, 3.2 V6 - 20/26, 5.4 Liter V8 - 16/22.

Standard Safety Features: Dual-level driver and passenger airbags, Side Curtain Airbags ">Antilock Brake System, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-Theft Alarm System.

Competition: BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Lexus IS300, Acura TSX, Saab 9-3 .

Review

The current Mercedes-Benz C Class was introduced to the market four years ago. The 2005 model represents the first major freshening of the design the product has received since then. But it is not an all-new product.

The C Class is a very important product for Mercedes as it accounts for approximately 65% of their sales. Over 885,000 C Class cars have been sold in the U.S since its introduction, 1.26 million have been sold worldwide.

The C Class is to Mercedes-Benz what the 3 Series is to BMW; is their entry-level product. For most Mercedes buyers it is the first one most people will own. It is available in a wide variety of body styles including a coupe, sedan, and wagon.

The price range of the car is also wide. Prices start at $26,000 dollars for the C230 Kompressor Sport, supercharged, 4-cylinder coupe, to the nearly $54,000 for the V8 powered, road burning, C 55 AMG performance sedan.

The 2005 C sedans and wagon receive updating inside and out. Mercedes-Benz has made the C Class sportier to compete with the BMW 3’s performance-car image. The C has always been a more conservative product with a cushier ride. That is the impression Mercedes-Benz wants to change.

The front bumper has been redesigned to bring its appearance more in line with other current Mercedes-Benz models. The interior of the C Class receives new controls. Line-specific seats and automatic climate controls are now standard features.

There are two trim levels for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz C Class sedans: Sport and Luxury. The wagon is available only with the luxury trim. The C 55 AMG is more AMG, than C Class, and it is a stellar product, if you can afford it.

Exterior

The biggest changes to the 2005 C Class are the front fascia, bumper and grille. The front bumper features a lower, more aggressive-looking, air-intake for the cooling system. The grille is wider, and each model gets its own treatment.

Clear lenses cover the standard bi-xenon headlamps. And, to protect the owners’ investment, Mercedes-Benz has developed a more scratch-resistant paint based on nano-particle technology.

At first glance most people wouldn’t notice these changes. But to us they make the difference between the car looking like a European taxicab, and the near-luxury, imported touring sedan that it is.

Interior

The interior of the 2005 C Class maintains the same basic look and layout of the original version.

The cowl contains the same speedometer, tachometer and gauges. The top of the center stack now has the new switches for traction control, towing, airbags, etc. Directly below is the entertainment, and optional navigation, systems. At the bottom of the stack, above the ashtray, are newly designed rotary switches for the heating and air conditioning. In the more luxurious versions of the C Class the center stack is trimmed with wood veneer, while the sport sedan is available with either aluminum or Birds Eye Maple. The gear selector for the manual transmission, or alternatively the shifter for the optional 6-speed manual gearbox, are on the center console.

The front driver and passenger seats are very comfortable, supportive and well made. The sport sedan’s seats are covered in a combination of fabric, and a new material called ARTICO. The rear seat is a little cramped for tall riders, as is the case with most near-luxury, compact cars. The C Class has 33” of rear legroom, the BMW 3 Series has 32”, and an Audi A4 has 34.3”. None of them would be comfy for a rear-passenger on a long ride.

The C Class wagon has a fold-flat, rear seat providing, class leading, 63.6 cubic feet of cargo space. That’s 3 cubic feet more than the Audi A4 Avant, and 23.6 more than the BMW 3 Series.

Performance

There are four engine options for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz C Class. They include a 1.8-liter, supercharged, four-cylinder engine, two different V6s, and a 362-horsepower V8.

The entry-level 1.8-liter, supercharged, inline, four-cylinder engine is the same one used in the original SLK Roadster. It has 189-horsepower at 5,800 rpm, with 192 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. The horsepower of the 1.8 is comparable to the BMW 325 sedan, and quite a bit more powerful than Audi’s entry-level A4 with the 1.8T, turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine.

The first of the two V6 C Class engine options is a 2.6-liter, single overhead cam, generating a paltry 168-horsepower at 5,700 rpm, and 177 lb-ft of torque at 4,700. The 3.2-liter, single overhead cam engine has a more competitive 215-horsepower at 5,700 rpm, and 221 lb-ft of torque at 3,000.

The C Class’s top-of-the-line powertrain is available only in the AMG version. It is a 5.4-liter, single overhead cam, V8 developing 362-horsepower at 5,750 rpm, with 376 lb-ft of torque at 4,000. This is engine is also used in other AMG high-performance Mercedes-Benz models.

We recommend the 3.2-liter, V6 for most people. It is quiet, smooth, and has good acceleration, making it fun to drive, and safe. The 1.8 Kompressor, and the 2.6-liter, V6 engine just don’t provide enough acceleration to comfortably merge into highway traffic. The V8 in the AMG is a blast, and its price tag makes it comparable to both the upscale Audi S4, and the BMW M3.

C Class sedans and wagons come standard with a 5-speed, automatic transmission. The sport sedan offers an optional - much improved - short throw, 6-speed manual transmission. And the manual makes the C Class more fun than with an automatic transmission. But there is a problem with the manual. The foot well is crowded because it contains a pedal for the gas, brake, clutch, and a fourth for the emergency brake.

Ride and Handling

Mercedes-Benz vastly improved the ride and handling when the 2001 C Class was introduced. Mercedes makes further strides with the 2005 model in order to give the car a performance feel like the BMW 3 Series, and the Audi A4. On twisty roads the C Class’ performance falls between the two competitors. It is sportier than the A4, and softer than the BMW. Overall the Mercedes C Class delivers luxury and comfortable ride that better than its predecessors.

Safety

Safety is a big selling point for Mercedes-Benz. They build some of the safest cars on the road. The C Class is no different.

There are technologies that aide the driver in avoiding accidents. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are standard, as is stability control. There are de-powered airbags for the driver, and front passenger. Side impact airbags, and a head curtain are standard on all trim levels.

The 2005 Mercedes-Benz C Class has not yet been crash tested. The previous C Class scored four, out of five possible stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) frontal impact crash test. The C Class earned the top score of five stars on NHTSA’s side-impact crash test. In the past it also had a “good” rating in the 40-mph, frontal-offset crash test, and was named a "Best Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

In Conclusion

Mercedes-Benz has brought the C Class a long way from the entry-level Benz it use to be. It has the look, and prestige, of its bigger sisters without the cost.

Unfortunately, even though the performance has improved, the C Class is still not as much fun to drive as the BMW 3 Series, though it compares well with the Audi A4.

The C Class has the additional distinction of being the most expensive of the competing vehicles. The C320 runs about $37,000. That’s $1,650 more than a BMW 330I, and a whopping $3,760 more than the 3.0-liter, Audi A4, which has a much more luxurious interior.

Don’t get us wrong. The C Class is a great car. However it still gets stiff competition from BMW and Audi.

Pros: Nice ride, very comfortable almost luxurious and it has Mercedes-Benz prestiege. The C 55 AMG is really fun to drive.

Cons: Doesn't handle as wellas a 3 Series and doesn't have the refinement of the Audi A4 on the inside. More expensive than it's competitors.

Ratings (1-10)

• Style: 8
• Performance: 7
• Price: 7
• Handling: 7
• Ride: 8
• Comfort: 8
• Quality: 9
• Overall: 7.7

More Data

Where Built: Germany

Major Options: Navigation system, Leather upholstery, Entertainment Package, Sunroof, TeleAid assistance system, Power driver seat, 6-disc CD changer.

Seating: 5

Number of Rows: 2

Length in Inches: 178.2

Warranties: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper, 15 years/50,000 miles corrosion protection, 3 years/36,000 Unlimited roadside Assistance.

Weight in Pounds: 3,250 - 3,415

Cargo Capacity in Pounds: Not Available.

Gross Maximum Vehicle Weight in Pounds: Not Available.

Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Available.

Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 16.4

Destination Charge: $720