2005 Mercedes Benz C-Class Review

Mercedes C-Class sales have increased four fold over the past decade, and it doesn't take a degree in marketing to understand why. The C-Class appeals to buyers because it offers a range of models at attractive prices.

The C-Class brings the three-pointed Mercedes star to the rest of us, with coupes starting below $27,000 and sedans below $30,000. The C-Class delivers Mercedes engineering and safety technology. The model line includes hatchbacks, four-door sedans, and wagons. Sport models are available for those who want a sportier driving experience. And full-time all-wheel drive is available for some models, improving safety and traction in slippery conditions.

The C230 coupe is the least expensive Mercedes sold in the United States, offering sporting character in a practical package geared toward first-time Mercedes buyers. But we think the C-Class is best represented by the C320 sedan, with its smooth, powerful V6 engine, responsive transmission and classic Mercedes balance of ride quality and handling. Climb in and the C320 looks and feels like a Mercedes-Benz, featuring firm, supportive seats and mostly high-quality materials.

All C-Class models feature redesigned interiors and freshened exterior styling for 2005. New paint technology imbeds microscopic ceramic flakes in the clear coat finish, increasing its resistance to chipping and degradation over time. Every model comes standard with a full-complement of airbags and an Electronic Stability Program, the latter designed to prevent skidding in corners.

Mercedes has also further distinguished the sport models from the standard luxury sedans for the 2005 model year. The sport models, which now account for more than half of C-Class sales, come with a new six-speed manual transmission that greatly improves shift action. At the top of the C-Class is the new C55 AMG, an extreme sports sedan that can knock your socks off when you floor the accelerator then pull them back up when you hit the brakes. (Or is it the other way around?)

In spite of improvements to the entire C-Class lineup, Mercedes has held the line on price increases. Nearly all the 2005 C-Class cars are priced identically to the last 2004 models. In short, the C-Class is more appealing for 2005. Buyers will still pay a slight premium for the three-pointed star when compared with a similarly equipped BMW 3 Series or Audi A4. But for those seeking Mercedes-Benz engineering, design strengths and mystique in a mainstream sedan, it doesn't get any easier than the C-Class.

All C-Class cars have been freshened with new exterior styling cues for 2005, including wider set quad-ovoid headlights and revised taillights. The changes are subtle and most people won't notice. But everyone will quickly identify any C-Class as a Mercedes-Benz. The sedans share styling themes with the larger E-Class and S-Class cars, but retain a tight look all their own. Aerodynamically, they're among the best cars in the Mercedes-Benz family. The C-Class sedans boast a drag coefficient of 0.27, lowering wind noise and improving fuel efficiency.

For 2005, the sedans are trimmed with lower sills and more pronounced fender lips previously reserved for the sport sedans. The sport models, in turn, get still more aggressive lower cladding previously used only on the company's exotic AMG models and a sportier air dam. Sport sedans are further distinguished by a unique grille with three horizontal bars and darker, blue-tinted glass. All C-Class sedans get the traditional Mercedes three-pointed star as a standup hood ornament, a symbol that it's owner wants the best.

The sport coupes feature a bar-grille with the Mercedes badge embedded in the grille work rather than mounted above it. The coupes also have their own double-elliptical headlights, a swooping roofline and a shortened rear end with a functional spoiler that adds downforce on the rear tires. The coupe is seven inches shorter than the sedan, and all its body panels are different. These hatchback coupes are handsome and unique in the Mercedes line around the world. The rear has its critics, though the extra pane of glass underneath the spoiler enhances rearward vision. Their long doors make getting in and out of the coupes easy.

The C-Class sedan provides the foundation for an elegant wagon, and some consider the wagon the neatest of all C-Class models. Its roof sweeps teardrop style into the rear gate, creating a sleek profile that minimizes the stodginess inherent in a station wagon's utilitarian design. The look makes the wagon's practical benefits even easier to embrace.

The C55 AMG sedan is another beast altogether. Its body work from the windshield pillars forward was borrowed from Mercedes' larger CLK coupe in order to widen the front track and make room for a big V8 engine. The C55's rearview is dominated by a two pairs of chromed, oversize exhaust tips, and it's equipped with extra-wide 18-inch alloy wheels.