Mercedes introduced the W201 in 1982 as the precursor of the C-Class, which went on to become its best-selling series lineup. After nearly 40 years on the market and six generations (including the original 190 series), the C-Class has racked up more than 10.5 million sales. The time has come for a new generation that will try to continue the success of its predecessors despite competing in an SUV-hungry market.
The German luxury brand is not wasting any time as the sedan is being joined from day one by the more practical wagon, which will continue to remain a forbidden fruit in the United States. As expected, the exterior design is not a major departure from the outgoing model, but Mercedes has implemented enough changes to make the C-Class feel fresh for 2021.
It follows the sharper headlight design theme seen in the bigger models and adopts a cleaner side profile with reduced lines. The US-spec model will be available with a choice between 18- and 19-inch wheels whereas its European counterpart is also getting a smaller 17-inch set. At the back, the W206 generation is the first C-Class to have two-piece taillights, bringing the model in line with the more expensive E-Class and S-Class.
From the outside, some would argue it’s more along the lines of a significant facelift rather than a next-generation model, but that all changes once you hop inside the cabin. No, we haven’t made an error while uploading these images as these do show the new C-Class rather than the latest S-Class. The screen-heavy setup has trickled down from the crown jewel of the Mercedes lineup.
In North America, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster will be standard, and so will the 11.9-inch touchscreen for the second-generation MBUX infotainment system. Over in Europe, lesser trim levels will make do with a smaller 10.25-inch driver’s display and a more compact 9.5-inch center screen. The interior will be more spacious than before as a result of stretching the wheelbase by one inch (25 mm), now at 112.8 in (2,865 mm).
Speaking of dimensions, the new C-Class is 2.5 in (65 mm) longer and 0.5 in (10 mm) wider compared to the model it replaces and has a sleeker stance thanks to a slightly lowered roofline. As a result of its increased footprint, there’s more headroom, elbow room, and shoulder room at the front and rear, with passengers sitting in the back also enjoying more legroom.
The European C-Class also gets C200 / C200 4Matic gasoline models with a smaller 1.5-liter developing 201 hp (150 kW) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm), plus the aforementioned boost from the ISG. The all-paw model reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.1 seconds in both sedan and wagon flavors while the RWD models do the job in 7.3 seconds (sedan) and 7.5 seconds (wagon).
In terms of top speed, the AWD-equipped C200 sedan and wagon reach 150 mph (241 km/h) compared to the 153 mph (246 km/h) velocity of the RWD sedan and 149 mph (240 km/h) of the RWD wagon.
A base C180 will be available in Europe exclusively with RWD and the 1.5-liter dialed down to 167 hp (125 kW) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm). This one too has the ISG, contributing to a decent sprint to 62 mph in 8.6 seconds before the car reaches 144 mph (231 km/h) regardless of the body style.
The German luxury brand is not wasting any time as the sedan is being joined from day one by the more practical wagon, which will continue to remain a forbidden fruit in the United States. As expected, the exterior design is not a major departure from the outgoing model, but Mercedes has implemented enough changes to make the C-Class feel fresh for 2021.
It follows the sharper headlight design theme seen in the bigger models and adopts a cleaner side profile with reduced lines. The US-spec model will be available with a choice between 18- and 19-inch wheels whereas its European counterpart is also getting a smaller 17-inch set. At the back, the W206 generation is the first C-Class to have two-piece taillights, bringing the model in line with the more expensive E-Class and S-Class.
From the outside, some would argue it’s more along the lines of a significant facelift rather than a next-generation model, but that all changes once you hop inside the cabin. No, we haven’t made an error while uploading these images as these do show the new C-Class rather than the latest S-Class. The screen-heavy setup has trickled down from the crown jewel of the Mercedes lineup.
In North America, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster will be standard, and so will the 11.9-inch touchscreen for the second-generation MBUX infotainment system. Over in Europe, lesser trim levels will make do with a smaller 10.25-inch driver’s display and a more compact 9.5-inch center screen. The interior will be more spacious than before as a result of stretching the wheelbase by one inch (25 mm), now at 112.8 in (2,865 mm).
Speaking of dimensions, the new C-Class is 2.5 in (65 mm) longer and 0.5 in (10 mm) wider compared to the model it replaces and has a sleeker stance thanks to a slightly lowered roofline. As a result of its increased footprint, there’s more headroom, elbow room, and shoulder room at the front and rear, with passengers sitting in the back also enjoying more legroom.
The European C-Class also gets C200 / C200 4Matic gasoline models with a smaller 1.5-liter developing 201 hp (150 kW) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm), plus the aforementioned boost from the ISG. The all-paw model reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.1 seconds in both sedan and wagon flavors while the RWD models do the job in 7.3 seconds (sedan) and 7.5 seconds (wagon).
In terms of top speed, the AWD-equipped C200 sedan and wagon reach 150 mph (241 km/h) compared to the 153 mph (246 km/h) velocity of the RWD sedan and 149 mph (240 km/h) of the RWD wagon.
A base C180 will be available in Europe exclusively with RWD and the 1.5-liter dialed down to 167 hp (125 kW) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm). This one too has the ISG, contributing to a decent sprint to 62 mph in 8.6 seconds before the car reaches 144 mph (231 km/h) regardless of the body style.
I do prefer physical buttons tho
a decent stylus will be a must!
