Mercedes-Benz first entered the estate car
market back in 1973? With its S123 model, a wagon simply known as the ‘T’ in
its homeland. But while the S123 was a boxy old bus, the T actually stood for
Transport and Tourism, hinting already at the lifestyle-led future the firm’s
estates would lead. So welcome the new C-Class estate, which is more style than
capacious, with sleek looks and clever load solutions rather than gigantic
ones.
The
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate is a visual standout from every angle, inside and
out
There will be a brace of four-cylinder
diesel engines available in the new C-Class estate, including a C 200 BlueTEC
(that’s actually a 1.6- litre unit) and the pair of familiar 220 and 250
BlueTec 2.1-litre engines. The C 220 will be the favourite, especially with
those fleet customers who are expected to account for around half of all
C-Class Estate sales in the UK, but our time was behind the wheel of the C 250
BlueTec instead. It’s a good compromise if you can afford the extra cash,
adding a welcome dose of performance that helps mask the four-cylinder’s gruff
character that is all too evident at high revs. Certainly performance is
plentiful, and overtaking an ease rather than a chore. Our example featured the
optional Airmatic agility package ($1,485) which helps smooth out road
imperfections better than the standard steel springs setup.
The
Mercedes' interior is elegantly styled
Up front it’s pure C-Class saloon, which is
a good thing; this car has one of the best interiors in the class, all dramatic
curves and rich glossy materials. The air vents operate with reassuring
solidity, the dashboard wraps around the driver, and the bold centre console
with tablet-like display screen and touchpad controller looks achingly modern.
There’s more room for passengers in the rear too, although legroom is
acceptable rather than generous. The rear bench now splits in a 40/20/40 configuration,
a layout that can be achieved at the flick of a switch in the boot. Despite its
nod to style, that load area is marginally bigger than before too, by ten
litres, and can now accommodate up to 490 litres of luggage with the seats in
place and 1,510 litres when folded down.
Mercedes'
diesel engine produces 201bhp and 369lb ft; it's claimed to average 62.8mpg
If saving as much money as possible is your
prime concern, then the C 220 Blue Tec version is your best choice for now,
with 108g/km CO2 emissions and 65.7mpg average economy. However the C 300 Blue Tec
Hybrid, that arrives later, manages to slot under the all-important 100g/km
threshold for free vehicle excise duty bills and can achieve a maximum of
74.3mpg on the combined cycle. But really the 117g/km and post 60mpg (expect
around 50mpg in the real world) of the C 250 Blue Tec is impressive enough, and
it’s worth noting the 250 gets a 66-litre fuel tank versus the 41-litre item
found in the less powerful examples. Mercedes- Benz is almost unrivalled for
residual values when it comes to trade-in time, and dealer experience tends to
be top notch too.
Luggage
capacity can be increased by dropping the rear seats
The BMW 3 Series Touring might still
surpass the Mercedes-Benz for driving appeal, but in most other areas the
C-Class has the measure of it. It’s certainly the best compact estate ever to
come from the three-pointed star, with greater efficiency, a better and roomier
cabin, sharper styling and in the case of the C 250 Blue Tec a cracking (but
rather noisy) diesel engine too.
