Mercedes Benz C300 and the 300 meaning in 2019
14/01/2020
I imagine the sport modification of this model would be more exciting.
Not so long ago C200, C220, C250, C300,… – all these numbers mostly meant engine size or power. However, nowadays it is not the case anymore and from 300 you shouldn’t expect nor 3.0L engine, nor 6 cylinders, nor 300hp. So what does C300 mean? The engine size is 2.0, turbocharged, producing 255hp. So 300 does not seem to really mean anything, more like a model rather than number-to-number aligned performance, engine size or any other matching factor.
How does it drive
This model has got AMG styling, unfortunately, no sporty feel of what you could have expected if you ever drove even previous generation AMG Sport variants of C class. It rides nicely, good noise insulation provides a comfortable ride for longer journeys. The steering ratio is quite fast, therefore only a minimal steering move is needed to make a manoeuvre. 4 cylinder feels strange at first, does not sound special either, as an example you could take four-cylinder Boxster from Porsche and have a completely different symphony. This Merc is lacking AMG Sport features, therefore I believe it is targeted more towards the audience that loves a comfortable ride without seeking excitement. 9-speed gearbox feels slow too and close gear ratio does not help, making engine rev and sound not the best at the usual shifting points, unless driven completely slow, or pushed much harder than you’d normally want. At higher revs it sounds as if the engine was suffering a bit too – you won’t get that from Japanese petrol-engined cars. They seem to love high revs.
Infotainment system
Quite many functions and you can have a split-screen layout for a map and music if you want. Maps look pretty nice to so do the graphics. However, when driving, it becomes quite distracting if you need to switch between map and music (if you aren’t in a split-screen). It takes time to get used to, and seems to have too many buttons and controls. Touch controls feel really odd and require too much attention while driving to make use of them. Most likely after driving it for a longer time, you would get used to it.
Overall
While the one generation older C250 AMG Sport stays in my memory as a more exciting car than recent C300 non-sport, the new Mercedes looks nicer from the outside. I deem this car to be a comfy ride but if you’re a true driver for me it a little bit lacks of character. Despite the “300” next to the C, this car, in my opinion, is a comfy A to B ride which has got a little bit of extra power from what you need to get from A to B. I imagine the sport modification of this model would be more exciting.