A true star fairy
Last summer, I had the opportunity to test-drive the all-new C-Class for a brief period of time. A recent, more comprehensive road test confirmed my positive initial impressions. My wife and I both sat behind the wheel of a 2008 C350 for a little more than a week and we came to the same conclusion: this well-designed German luxury compact promises a highly rewarding experience to its future owners.
White princess
Our white C350 tester came with a panoramic sunroof and a totally appropriate, sport-style bodykit. "White makes it the perfect ladies car," my wife said. For sure, the C-Class looks very classy and sophisticated. The panoramic sunroof beautifully illuminates the interior. Plus, you can easily reduce the light to enjoy a more soothing atmosphere. In the back, the trunk offers a fairly low threshold (great for shorter people) and a generous amount of cargo room.
Ergonomic
The SmartKey system allows you to easily unlock the doors and access the cabin. The multiple seating and steering adjustments make for an excellent driving position, regardless of your body size, which isn't the case with many other rivals. On the other hand, having to constantly adjust the head restraint each time we modified the seat position proved quite tiresome. Both my wife and I also found the steering wheel a bit too large.
On the plus side, Mercedes engineers should be applauded for making huge improvements to the dashboard: HVAC and radio controls used to require too much attention from the driver. Well, this is no longer the case; the controls are now easy to locate and manipulate.
The new C-Class offers plenty of convenient storage compartments. I was also impressed by the rain-sensing wipers. In fact, my wife said to me: "When it starts to rain, the wipers shoot faster than Lucky Luke. They clean the windshield effectively and quickly. Wonderful!"
In terms of visibility, the sideview mirrors are great, although they seem to generate a fair amount of wind noise at highway speed. The A-pillars impede forward visibility at 11 and 2 o'clock. Fortunately, during nighttime driving, the headlights offer excellent range.
Last summer, I had the opportunity to test-drive the all-new C-Class for a brief period of time. A recent, more comprehensive road test confirmed my positive initial impressions. My wife and I both sat behind the wheel of a 2008 C350 for a little more than a week and we came to the same conclusion: this well-designed German luxury compact promises a highly rewarding experience to its future owners.
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| The new C-Class is quite stylish, especially in C350 trim. |
White princess
Our white C350 tester came with a panoramic sunroof and a totally appropriate, sport-style bodykit. "White makes it the perfect ladies car," my wife said. For sure, the C-Class looks very classy and sophisticated. The panoramic sunroof beautifully illuminates the interior. Plus, you can easily reduce the light to enjoy a more soothing atmosphere. In the back, the trunk offers a fairly low threshold (great for shorter people) and a generous amount of cargo room.
Ergonomic
The SmartKey system allows you to easily unlock the doors and access the cabin. The multiple seating and steering adjustments make for an excellent driving position, regardless of your body size, which isn't the case with many other rivals. On the other hand, having to constantly adjust the head restraint each time we modified the seat position proved quite tiresome. Both my wife and I also found the steering wheel a bit too large.
On the plus side, Mercedes engineers should be applauded for making huge improvements to the dashboard: HVAC and radio controls used to require too much attention from the driver. Well, this is no longer the case; the controls are now easy to locate and manipulate.
The new C-Class offers plenty of convenient storage compartments. I was also impressed by the rain-sensing wipers. In fact, my wife said to me: "When it starts to rain, the wipers shoot faster than Lucky Luke. They clean the windshield effectively and quickly. Wonderful!"
In terms of visibility, the sideview mirrors are great, although they seem to generate a fair amount of wind noise at highway speed. The A-pillars impede forward visibility at 11 and 2 o'clock. Fortunately, during nighttime driving, the headlights offer excellent range.
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| Visibility would be amazing if it were not for the wide A-pillars. |