Premium styling and technology help set the little Mercedes apart from the BMW 3 Series.
For some reason, Mercedes-Benz seems intent on tying the fate of the S-Class with that of the smaller C-Class. Whenever a new flagship appears, you can bet your hat that a redesigned compact sedan isn’t far off, usually following the styling and technology trends that its bigger sibling sets. That’s the case with the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which arrives at US dealers this month in C300 form – AMG variants will follow later.
I recently took a spin in a loaded C300 Pinnacle 4Matic (the new flagship trim level), keen to see if it could live up to the Star Award-winning S-Class. As with most new Mercedes, the new C-Class boasts a wafting ride (yet good body control), technology that’s easy to use, and reasonable performance given its base-model positioning. Of course, it’s less than half the price of an S-Class, so there are some compromises in terms of cabin materials – acceptable at its $44,600 base price but a bit eyebrow-raising at my tester’s $62,520 sticker. But for the most part, the new C-Class lives up to the Mercedes-Benz mystique.
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| Quick Stats | 2022 Mercedes-Benz C300 Pinnacle 4Matic |
| Engine: | Turbocharged 2.0-Liter I4 |
| Output: | 255 Horsepower / 295 Pound-Feet |
| Drive Type: | All-Wheel Drive |
| Base Price: | $43,550 + $1,050 Destination |
| Price As Tested: | $62,520 |
Genetic Engineering
I’m fairly confident that if you read any review of the 2022 C-Class, somewhere in there will be a reference to “mini-S-Class styling.” We automotive hacks may be a bit uncreative, but no more so than Mercedes’ designers. The C-Class’ pointed LED headlights, daytime running lamp eyebrows, arched roofline, strong shoulder crease, and a rounded rear end look a lot like those of the company’s biggest four-door sedan. Add the AMG exterior package (as my car had) and you get a different grille design cribbed from the E-Class middle child.
Of course, C-Class customers will love that their relatively inexpensive sedan looks like a much pricier one, so the common design cues aren’t bad. And the compact gets a few of its own special touches, such as twin power bulges in the hood – a retro-inspired cue that recalls the 1954 300SL – and sharp, pointed taillights that look appropriately aggressive given the C-Class’ more nimble size. One final update: Like the E-Class (and unlike the S-Class), every 2023 C300 gets the automaker’s sport-styled grille with a dinnerplate-sized emblem – gone is the previous generation’s rarely optioned Luxury Line grille and hood ornament.
There’s lots of Benz DNA inside the C-Class as well, ditching the old twin-screen monolith setup in favor of a sloping console styling and standalone digital instrument cluster, with five funky “squircle” HVAC vents spread across the top of the dash. My tester’s sweeping wood and aluminum trim is a $200 option, a bargain for how rich it makes the dashboard look and feel. Unfortunately, it can only do so much to hide the cheap-feeling piano black center console, though other interior trim options come with different finishes there.
Yet more concern arises on the doors. Although the armrests are well-padded, the floating window switch binnacle feels chintzy, and the forward part of the door panel is done up in hard plastic that looks and feels cheap whenever your knee hits it. Using inexpensive materials is acceptable when they’re well hidden – you won’t really notice the sides of the center console or the lower dashboard – but the doors put some of the cost-cutting on full display.
