Mercedes C350 Facelift CDI (2011) CAR review

March 18, 2011 | Mercedes

At an informal look the revised 2011 Mercedes C-class appearance a lot of constant, however this mid-life facelift really consists of 2000 new elements that variously fettle the outside, interior and powertrain – over the other facelift in Merc’s history.

What are the most changes to the facelifted C-class?

The exterior appearance to a small degree sharper due to new bumpers, headlights and an all-aluminium bonnet (unusually for a facelift the bonnet could be a new tooling, as a result of the headlights are a distinct form and wouldn’t work with the recent design), whereas the grille is additional outstanding too.

Mercedes was clearly cut by criticism of the 2007 car’s interior, that was well-built, however did its best to recommend otherwise with grainy plastics and a slabby design. That’s why the pop-out multi-media screen has been ditched in favour of a slickly integrated replacement, whereas the plastics look and feel higher too. There’s conjointly an aesthetic metal end on the climate management dials, and centre console switches lifted from the SLS supercar. It’s a mode far more in-keeping with the slick exterior. The Comand multi-media system conjointly remains the best, most intuitive system of all rivals. Shame we have a tendency to couldn’t take a look at the system’s new-fangled net connectivity at the Tenerife launch location. Doh!

Meanwhile, the seven-speed auto transmission is improved, there’s a regular stop/start system and therefore the three.0-litre V6 TD is each additional powerful and additional frugal too – it still loses out to the BMW 335d for outright bhp, however it’s got additional torque, and the Merc’s C02 and mpg figures are each higher.

S p o n s o r e d L i n k s

How will it drive?

We tried 2 specs: comfort-focussed class trim and therefore the sportier, well, Sport spec that the majority Brits elect. The class is each bit the mini-S-class limousine, with a awfully supple, waterbed-like ride and sterile, if precise enough, steering. On the and aspect, it’s very snug and in contrast to anything in its section. The negative is that the Elegance’s spectacular comfort naturally brings a trade-off in dynamism – it’s a tough issue to drive quickly down the road and feel totally on high of. however if you prefer to waft regarding, there’s nothing higher.
And the Sport?

The Sport could be a far more intuitive drive – body roll is controlled way more convincingly through transitions, whereas it bites into turns with larger conviction; it feels less sloppy, additional immediate in each approach. The trade off, of course, could be a deterioration in ride quality, that is firm, if still tolerable.

Whatever the spec, the 350 CDI is thumpingly fast, and really the choose of the vary – the four-pot diesels are to a small degree harsh, whereas the petrol six doesn’t sound anywhere close to nearly as good because it did within the SLK we have a tendency to drove subsequent day, topping out with a disappointingly diesely crescendo. think about those BMW-beating economy figures – quite a feat recently – and therefore the 350 CDI makes a awfully convincing case for itself.

Verdict

It looks terribly almost like the recent automobile, however Mercedes has had the C-class with a fine toothcomb, buffing out the dangerous bits, enhancing the already nice bits, to make a mid-size saloon that’s up there with the absolute best.

Impressive, too, that it bests the 335d on C02 and mpg. nonetheless we have a tendency to still like driving the BMW. For outright comfort, the C350 class is unbeatable, however the BMW manages to strike that real-world middle ground with additional conviction than either class or Sport-spec Mercs quite realize.