First Drive: 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 400 4MATIC
I always struggle internally when I see range-topping versions of vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler or Mercedes-Benz C-Class cruising around town.
On one hand I know that it's the support of these owners that keeps these vehicles on the road, with enthusiast sales certainly not enough to justify their existence.
But on the other I wonder if these people really need Rubicons and AMG C 63s for their daily commutes.
Well Mercedes may have an answer to at least half of my questions in the 2015 C 400 4MATIC.
No, it’s not the top of the C-Class heap in terms of price or performance—that title goes to the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S on both fronts—but it comes to luxury it’s second to none.
As Brad Diamond mentioned at the launch of the fourth-gen C-Class, this car has become more like a baby S-Class than ever before thanks to the introduction of the entry-level CLA-Class sedan last year.
That means plenty of S-Class features, particularly in this C 400, at far less than an S-Class price.
From the ash wood trim and aluminum finishes to the 13-speaker Burmester surround sound system and the supremely comfortable seats, everything inside this car quietly-yet-authoritatively says luxury.
Also borrowed from Mercedes’ higher-end models is the C 400’s optional AIRMATIC suspension system, which offers four choices, each with their own damping settings.
The Comfort setting was king with my wife in the passenger seat, but as soon as she was gone the stiffer Sport+ setting was engaged to go along with Sport steering feel and Sport+ engine dynamics, all controllable through the infotainment system either individually or as a package deal.
The Sport transmission setting proved to be my choice most of the time, whether on the highway or in the city, with the paddle shifters rarely used.
Just because the C 400 isn’t a full-bodied AMG model doesn’t mean it’s short on performance.
While the base C 300 gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood, the C 400 is powered by a livelier twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 329 horsepower and 354 lb.-ft. of torque.
Both engines come mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission that proves smooth in Eco, Comfort or even Sport modes, but a touch clunky in the more aggressive Sport+.
Fuel economy in the larger engine doesn’t get too far aloof considering its extra cylinders, returning a city/highway average in the 10 L/100 KM range.
The required premium does get a little pricey, though, meaning the four-cylinder may be the better option for penny-pinching drivers.
Back inside, the COMAND infotainment system proves to be one of the best on the market today, though I am a firm believer that its iPad-looking screen that sits atop the centre stack could stand to benefit from a touch interface.
The COMAND controller, a rotary knob and trackpad-like handle, is positioned well on the centre console next to the cupholders, but I found myself looking away from the road in order to ensure I was properly executing even the simplest of tasks like changing from FM to satellite radio.
With the screen positioned so high it’s a shame it is not touch sensitive.
Another interior item, or lackthereof, that left me confused was the absence of air conditioned seats.
As the democratization of the once-exclusive feature continues at a rapid pace, the C-Class is missing the boat on something that is becoming a near expectation in a premium vehicle.
For its few shortcomings the new C 400 does a lot right.
It’s comfortable, quiet and quick, and, at $51,400 for the base V6 model, reasonably priced for the package.
If you’re looking to impress your friends with a new C-Class but don’t need the performance chops of the C 63—and its $20-30,000 price premium—then the C 400 may be worth taking a closer look at.
Base price: $51,400
As tested: $60,775 (freight included)