2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class / C300 First Drive: Baby S-Class
Pros
- Interior design and quality from the S-Class
- Quiet ride
- Smart safety technology
Cons
- Soft steering
- Reduced headroom
- $44,600 starting price
The last time the Mercedes-Benz C-Class was all new, there was no Tesla Model 3, Genesis G70, or Alfa Romeo Giulia, three of its main competitors. (The latter two were named MotorTrend‘s Car of the Year.) Since 2014, when the fourth generation was launched, basically every luxury compact sedan has received a complete makeover except the C-Class (and the Lexus IS), leaving the Mercedes to face stiff competition amid a growing field of players. The result was lower sales, dropping from 86,000 annual units in 2015 to 30,000 last year. The popularity of crossovers is also to blame, but the fact Mercedes left one of its best-sellers unattended didn’t help.
Thankfully, that stops now.
Feeling Special Inside
Although the previous C-Class still managed to