New car roadtest - Mercedes C-Class range

BEFORE we even explore the merits of the latest Mercedes C-Class saloon range, you'll probably know whether it's the vehicle for you.

The most recent set of revisions add up to little more than the mildest of mid-life facelifts because, to be frank, there was very little that needed doing to keep the C-Class at the top of the tree.

That said, customers in this particular market often have very clearly defined affiliations. No matter how good this car is, for instance, it won't sway a dyed-in-the-wool BMW fan, nor will it tempt somebody who's always bought Audi. The bald facts are that these marques now offer models so good that there's not a whole lot to choose between them. If one were to apply a strictly objective review, the C-Class would probably emerge victorious, but with Mercedes pricing to take into account, that's probably to be expected. When it was launched in 2000, the C-Class changed the way we thought about small Mercedes models. From being dull but worthies, baby Benzes were now viewed as credible driver's cars, with that inherent spark that previous models lacked.

Although it's a tough task to improve the C-Class, if given that brief, there would be a few changes I would have made. Firstly, I'd have ditched the underwhelming C240 model, a car that was both thirsty, sluggish and encumbered by unflattering emissions figures. Next up I'd have moved to tighten up interior trim quality. Finally I'd have made the sportier versions feel more sporty to drive instead of just wearing big wheels and spoilers. Mercedes have done all of this and a little bit more without too many increases in prices starting from £21,550 for the saloon, £22,500 for the estate and £19,520 for the Sports Coupe.

In fact, they've gone much further than that, especially in the saloon and estate line-ups. Here, the rather noisy, peaky supercharged C230K model has been replaced by a silky-smooth 204bhp V6 230 variant. If you want more power than that, a 231bhp C280 model has been added, while a 272bhp C350 version replaces the old C320 to slot in above that. Diesel buyers meanwhile, get an impressive C320CDI model offering 224bhp. Here's also wider use of the company's clever 7-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic gearbox.

As for the C-Class Estate, the tale if the tape shows it to be one of the more capacious cars in its class. If you need to tote serious loads, the E-Class Estate is naturally a better bet but the 470 litres of spce with the rear seats in place can't be sniffed at and the the 1,384 litre capacity when folded is tough to beat.

At the top of the range, the C55 AMG offers a hefty power output of 367bhp. It's also the perfect riposte to Audi who were making much play of the fact that the S4 was the only eight cylinder offering in this category. Even with an automatic transmission fitted as standard, the C55 AMG will still accelerate to 60mph in just 5 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

So, a subtle set of improvements designed to keep the Mercedes C-Class where it belongs. If you're already a believer, you'll be well satisfied.

FASTFACTS

CAR: Mercedes C-class range

PRICES: £21,550-£49,740 - on the road - (Sports Coupe from £19,520)

INSURANCE GROUPS: 12-20

CO2 EMISSIONS: 156-276g/km

PERFORMANCE: (C350) 0-60mph 6.4s / Max Speed 155mph

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (C320 CDI) (urban) 26.9mpg / (extra urban) 47.9mpg / (combined) 37.2mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side & window airbags / ABS/ ESP

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4526/1970/1426mm