Range Rover Velar vs Mercedes-Benz C350 E

What's the difference?

The Range Rover Velar P400e looks damn sexy and is large enough to house your family comfortably while still being easy to manoeuvre around town.

But I’m not a fan of these luxury brands forcing you to pay extra for what should be standard features when you’re at this grade level and price point. This is a model I’d pay close attention to in terms of the optional trims required to maintain a high-end feel.

But the powertrain works quite well here and it has pleasant on-road manners.

Plug-in hybrids will probably not appeal to all buyers, but in the premium space they make sense.

Smooth electric driving paired with the potential for weekend trips outside the 100km-or-so range make the C350e a decent thing, let alone its price parity with the C300.

It still doesn’t top the charts for value or practicality, but even aside from the PHEV tech, the C350e remains a fun-to-drive sedan that holds its own in the executive space.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Land Rover hasn’t updated the exterior looks of the Velar and for good reason. It is almost flawless in how sleek and sexy it looks. It hovers between its larger Ranger Rover siblings and the more nimble-looking Discovery Sport.

There is still a distinctly ‘Range Rover’ vibe but it looks more agile and fun than its bigger siblings. But while its external looks are beautiful, the cabin loses me.

It’s even more pared back now than the pre-facelifted model and while the minimalistic style will appeal to some it doesn’t tick the luxury factor box for me.

There are too many plain and empty spaces in the dashboard and doors. The multimedia system has been updated to the cool 11.4-inch floating-effect screen but all the buttons and dials are gone. So, there’s even less going on and it makes you 100 per cent reliant on the screen.

And funnily enough, the grey knit fabric and synthetic material that’s used in the upholstery and trims is an optional extra and replaces Windsor leather. The knit-fabric adds some warmth but the black synthetic stuff is awful to touch or clean and reminds me too much of neoprene-style wetsuit material.

The large panoramic sunroof keeps the cabin feeling bright and cheery when it's open, though.

The C350e doesn’t depart massively from the familiar visual formula that is the current ‘206’ generation C-Class and that’s no bad thing.

Call it conservative if you like, but having seen what’s possible when Mercedes takes risks (hello EQ models), the traditional Mercedes design language is put into healthy perspective. 

Handsome proportions and lines without any fuss - there are no unnecessary creases or panels or materials.

The plug-in C350e comes, as mentioned, with the AMG Line pack, adding 18-inch five-spoke AMG wheels, an AMG front apron, grille insert, and of course EQ Hybrid badging.

The pack also includes AMG Line styling inside, where you’d have to be a Mercedes regular to spot the specifics. The AMG-style steering wheel and seats are the biggest giveaways.

Practicality on a whole is pretty good in the Velar and that comes down mostly to the space provided for each occupant and the high-end tech.

Up front, there is a lot of head- and legroom for my 168cm height and even when you have a co-pilot you’re not jockeying for elbow room.

The seats are very comfortable as they’re well-cushioned and feature excellent lumbar support. I miss a seat heat function on colder days but you can easily do a long trip in the Velar and not feel too fatigued.

The 214mm ground clearance has made it an easy SUV to get in and out of, for me and my seven-year old. Annoyingly, though, some of the doors don't close properly unless you slam them.

The individual storage is a bit less than you might expect as there's not a lot of centre console storage for little items but you still get a small glove box and middle console, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders and a phone cubby up front.

The back seat offers enough space for me to be comfortable but I did have a comment from my dad, who is 183cm, that it was a smidge squishy for him.

The seats are comfortable and amenities are good with two USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket, directional air vents, map pockets and a fold-down armrest with two cupholders. There are storage bins but they're very shallow.

Because of the sleek rear shaping, the boot space is smaller than most of its rivals at 625L when all seats are in use. It’s large enough for my gear and you should still be able to stack luggage easily for a road trip.

The technology on offer is pretty darn good. The multimedia system takes a while to get used to but once you do, it's an easy enough system to get around but not having any buttons/dials means you tend to look at it more than I like while on the go.

Unlike the Disco Sport I was just in, which features the same system, there have been no issues with connectivity with my iPhone with the Bluetooth or wireless Apple CarPlay. There’s also Android Auto and the built-in satellite navigation is top-notch.

I've already mentioned the rear charging options but up front you're spoiled for choice with a USB-A port, three USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad.

The space inside the C-Class remains straight-forward as ever. The layout and features don’t stray from convention, meaning there’s a sizable central screen, digital driver display, central cupholders, and places to put things like a phone, with wireless charging included.

The electrically adjustable seat and steering column make getting into a comfortable position easy, and the memory settings keep it that way.

While physical buttons are scarce, the key controls are easy to access via the central multimedia touchscreen and there’s a lack of complicated sub-menus. It's a refreshingly straightforward system compared to some from rivals, especially that of former category benchmark BMW.

There are fewer than a dozen main tile buttons on the menu, and they’re clear and easy to work out. The main screen also defaults to the navigation, and the climate controls are always visible on the touchscreen.

The central storage area is laid out so a phone sitting in the charging pad is slightly hidden, meaning it’s not a distraction, plus the cover means the cupholders and storage can be hidden away. Tidy!

The AMG-style steering wheel’s haptic controls can be used as regular buttons, but more than once on the test drive I nudged the volume and turned my music back on, just a minor annoyance.

In the second row, there’s generous space for a mid-size sedan, and the seats are comfortable for an adult to ride along for a lengthy trip.

There’s a centre armrest, hidden cupholders, and a generally light and open feeling thanks to the panoramic sunroof.

The battery for the hybrid system sits under the second row seats, which means there’s no uneven flooring in the 315L boot.

The Mercedes-Benz C350e kicks off from $98,200, that’s before options and on-road costs.

And there are some key options, the main one being the ability to DC fast-charge which costs $1500 and brings the total to $99,700.

Pricing sits par with the C300 non-PHEV because of its similar specification, and Mercedes Australia said it wanted to give buyers the choice of internal combustion engine (ICE) or PHEV without having to consider the costs.

There’s a decent stack of standard kit in the C350e, including power adjustable heated leather seats, a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen and same-size digital driver display, head-up display, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The C350e also scores some more fun stuff as standard, including a Burmester surround sound system, panoramic sunroof, the Driving Assist Plus pack, augmented reality MBUX, and the AMG Line pack which adds some sportier-looking design features.

It also comes with Mercedes’ Comfort Suspension which includes self-levelling suspension, and Digital Lights with adaptive high beam.

The Range Rover Velar P400e's plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver 297kW of power and 640Nm of torque.

The Velar features an eight-speed auto transmission and is an AWD. With that optioned Terrain Response feature, it can do some mild off-road adventuring or tackle a trip to the ski-fields with relative ease.

The C350e’s plug-in hybrid drivetrain consists of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that drives the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The combustion engine’s peak outputs are 150kW and 320Nm, while the 95kW/440Nm electric motor works with it to land on a total system output of 230kW and 550Nm.

While it’s not lightning quick, the C350e has a decent claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 6.1 seconds, and from the driver’s seat it certainly feels brisk enough to get out of its own way.

The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is 2.2L/100km and my real-world usage came out at 6.0L/100km after doing mostly open-road trips with some urban stuff thrown in.

I have charged it to full twice with a few (small) charging moments scattered in between as that’s been realistic for life this week. 

Claimed pure electric driving range is 69km but expect closer to 50km in the real-world. 

Based on my real-world consumption and the 69L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of 1150km.

The only draw back with a PHEV is the charging element as you get the best economy if you charge it to full every time you drive, and that's not always realistic!

The P400e has a Type 2 CCS charging port, so you can hook it up to a fast charger. On a 50kW system you can go from 0-80 per cent in 30 minutes and on a 7.0kW system, you can go from 0-100 per cent in two-hours and 12-minutes.

On a standard domestic socket, expect to leave on overnight for a 0-100 per cent fill.

Land Rover recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded petrol for the Velar.

Mercedes officially claims the C350e has a driving range of 104km under NEDC testing, with a 25.4kWh battery supplying the juice.

Official fuel use is just 1.5L/100km, but Mercedes says that becomes 7.6L without any battery charge to help it out.

Under standard 11kW AC charging, it’s about two hours from flat to full, but with the optional 55kW DC fast-charging, it takes about 20 minutes from flat to 80 per cent.

The P400e has a deep well of power to dip into and fantastic pick up when you need to overtake or get up to speed.

Like other plug-in hybrids I’ve sampled from Land Rover there's a little lag sometimes when you accelerate from a full stop but it’s not as pronounced in this model as others. 

The back brakes seem to hold a couple seconds longer than they should and if you accelerate as you would in any other car, there is a ker-clunk sound and you shift forward in your seat until they release.

This was most noticeable in stop-start city traffic and to be fair might just be a quirk on our test car and not on the model as a whole.

The switch between the electric and petrol components is mostly smooth and the cabin is refined because it’s so quiet. Pretty much no external noise makes its way inside.

I did a trip with my father-in-law this week and he said riding in the back seat was smooth, comfortable and very quiet. In fact, he fell asleep not long after we left! A high compliment, indeed.

The wide windows and higher ride have ensure excellent visibility but you only get a reversing camera. Yes, it’s great quality and clear but a 360-degree view system should come standard on a large SUV like this, especially considering its price tag. That being said, the P400e is still pretty easy to park.

The C350e has a few drive modes that are mostly self-explanatory, those being Battery Hold, Electric, Hybrid, Sport and Individual.

You’ll likely find yourself using Electric and Hybrid most of the time, so we’ll focus on those. Sport is fine but somewhat defeats the purpose of the plug-in system for day-to-day driving.

In electric mode, the C350e doesn’t feel like it’s lacking any power without the engine helping it along. Acceleration is smooth, brisk enough, and a 130km/h top speed means you won’t need the engine on your commute.

Realistically, its 104km range is probably somewhere closer to 80km, but covers you for a decent daily distance.

Let the car use the engine to help out via Hybrid mode and, if you’ve got music playing, you might not notice the engine starting and cutting. The system is smooth and it means a much longer life out of the battery before needing to charge. That, and there’s the benefit of more brisk acceleration thanks to the hefty 230kW/550Nm total outputs.

Everything else about the C350e is classic C-Class - the ride is controlled and the suspension does a decent job of soaking up bumps and rough roads, the comfort and self-levelling suspension makes cornering smooth and inspires confidence.

The most noticeable shortcoming for the car is its transmission hesitation if you put your foot down quickly, though the ability to use the paddles to choose your own gears in Sport mode avoids this.

In Electric or Hybrid, the paddles decide how much braking regen to apply, a useful feature that lets you recuperate some power for the battery if your drive includes a lot of downhill slopes or if you’re avoiding relying on the brake pedal.

The C530e’s extra weight doesn’t dull its driving characteristics as you might expect from a car laden with PHEV tech, so it’s a welcome surprise that you could pick up a plush plug-in for the same price as a combustion C300.

The C-Class has a five-star ANCAP rating, but it was tested in 2022 before the plug-in variant arrived.

Still, 10 airbags and an advanced list of safety features provides peace of mind.

The C-Class benefits from the brand’s Pre-Safe collision protection system to minimise occupant injuries from an impact, even to your hearing.

It also has emergency collision avoidance via steering input, driver monitoring, speed limit assist with adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors with surround-view cameras.

The Range Rover Velar comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/ 160,000km warranty, which is a usual term for the class now.

There is a five-year capped-price servicing program which costs a flat $2100, or $420 per service, and is more affordable than a pay-as-you-go option.

Servicing intervals are very reasonable at every 12 months or 20,400km, whichever occurs first.

You also get five years roadside assistance through Assist Australia as a part of your servicing plan.

Mercedes has a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty which is decent for a premium brand.

Servicing is pricey, though. 

A three-year pack covering a service every 12 months (or 25,000km, whichever comes first) costs $3355, that being just three services.

Four years costs $4630, or five includes a more expensive service and brings the total to $6890. That’s an average of $1378 per service.

Finding somewhere to spend that money shouldn’t be hard as there are 100 dealers listed in Australia.