We had the absolute pleasure of testing the Mercedes C220d on a trip down to the Central Drakensberg recently. And the Merc 220d was a revelation indeed. In this day and age, where more SUV models are being launched, and have become wildly popular, the 220d stands out as a sedan model that hold it’s own, with the business man type buyer.

For a start, even though it is a coupe, it has five doors, or though on this away trip, it was just the two of us. It has great looks as well.

Looks.

The C-Class is the most successful model series from Mercedes-Benz, and the new edition boasts a wealth of enhancements. It has a redesigned front end, with new look headlamps and tail lamps. The new grille looks more like and AMG S-Class. And it has new rearand front bumpers, depending on what you spec. For the first time in this model series, MULTIBEAM LED headlamps with ULTRA RANGE high beam are additionally available.

Interior design.

The interior benefits from new materials,  we had the open-pore brown walnut or open-pore anthracite oak.  The new Multicontour Seat package now literally offers a massage: the side bolsters and lumbar support can be individually adjusted by means of an electrically driven pneumatic pump, with a massage effect in the lumbar area available through air chambers which are inflated and deflated in a pulsing motion.

The car’s new display concept includes an optional, fully-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster, and the upgraded infotainment system includes standard smartphone integration that can be accessed through touch-sensitive controls in the steering wheel, which respond to swiping motions like the screen of a smartphone. The operation of DISTRONIC and cruise control with controls directly on the steering wheel is another new feature.

We found the car spacious, extremely comfortable, very smooth and quiet drive, and the boot space was roomy as well.

Engines.

We drove the C 220 d 4MATIC providing a healthy 143 kW and 400 Nm. It gave us plenty of power through the mountain passes, and allowed for nimble overtaking, and great handling as well. We got great fuel consumption of 4.8L/100km which is close to their claimed level. We drove back in torrential rain, and the car performed with aplomb, I said to my partner, that this is what separates a great car from a good one.

 Another new feature is the automatic notification if the vehicle suffers an impact caused by another vehicle when parked, is towed away or there is a break-in attempt. The highly sensitive sensors of the standard “Anti-theft alarm system (ATA)” can detect such situations and immediately send a “push notification” message to the Mercedes me App. The optional feature includes the new sensors and the corresponding software.

Vehicle Pricing:

Sedan                                  Coupe                                  Cabriolet

C180      R586,500              C180      R666,000              C200      R793,500             

C200      R613,500              C200      R766,000              C300      R884,000

C220d    R651,000

C300      R716,000

This car is amazing, as it has great looks, good engine and gearbox, and it sips fuel as well. With great all-weather handling on the roads, it’s hard to beat.