Mercedes-Benz C250 Reviews

Mercedes-Benz has just launched an all-new C-Class model, so there's a good chance many owners of older models will be trading up. Meaning there could be a glut of used C-Class in Australia, giving you the chance to select between the many on offer, as well as the opportunity to select from the best of them. 

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class wagon is the SUV you have when you don't want an SUV.A year's supply of wine for 75 people fits in the back of the new Mercedes-Benz C Class wagon -- if you fold down the back seats and, erm, line the inside with waterproof material and pour the contents out of the bottles. Car makers measure cargo volume in litres, rather than what we actually carry: boxes, luggage, prams, or shopping bags that are prone to fall over after the first speed bump. They use this internationally recognised measurement so they can include every nook and cranny in the cargo hold to boost the figures that appear in the brochure. This unusual statistic -- enough wine for 75 people who each drink an average of 20 litres of plonk per year -- was read aloud on the navigation system as we drove soberly through wine country on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany. Car makers clearly don't miss an opportunity to make a point, presumably in case you were asleep during the presentation. At least they can (hopefully) count on you being awake behind the wheel. For me, though, the biggest point about this car -- the wagon version of the recently released Mercedes-Benz C Class sedan -- is the fact that this is the SUV you have when you don't want an SUV. While car buyers around the world are still gorging themselves on SUVs, some have already started a backlash. The C Class offers SUV-like versatility with its large load space, and yet is more fuel-efficient than a faux-wheel-drive. Its sleek design means it slips through the air more easily and therefore uses less fuel, especially at freeway speeds. In Germany, wagons are seen as cool as -- if not cooler than -- SUVs. Up to 80 per cent of Mercedes-Benz C Class sales are of the wagon. That is not a misprint. Eighty per cent. In Australia, wagons are still perceived as daggy, a hang over from a generation that grew up with Kingswood and Falcon wagons. Which partly explains why less than 10 per cent of all C Class models sold locally are wagons. But with its sexy new design, Mercedes hopes this car will change all that. Boldly, it predicts it will double C Class wagon sales Down Under. Are they onto something, or have they been to too many tastings? VALUE The Mercedes-Benz C Class sedan is already one of the best-equipped and sharpest-priced cars among its luxury peers, and the wagon is no exception. The wagon premium is just $2500 over the sedan, which gives you a starting price of $63,400 plus on-road costs. Significantly, that's about $10,000 less than some of the most popular luxury SUVs, including Mercedes' own. Standard fare includes eight airbags, LED headlights (for a brighter, broader beam), a rear view camera and a tailgate that opens or closes with the touch of a button. Opening the tailgate with a deft swing of your foot under the rear bumper (as some Fords and Volkswagens also do, the idea is that you can briefly stand one-legged and motion to open the tailgate with one foot rather than fumble for the remote key if your hands are full) is exclusive to the dearer C Class wagon models. There will be four from which to choose when the C Class wagon goes on sale in Australia later this year priced from $63,400 to $72,900: a C200 and C250 petrol (the same 2.0-litre turbo engine but with distinctly different power outputs) and a C200 and C250 diesel (with 1.6- and 2.2-litre turbo diesel engines respectively). All are matched to seven-speed automatic transmissions (although these will be updated to nine-speed automatics at the half-way mark of the car's model cycle, in about four years). The service intervals for all models are 12 months or 25,000km (whichever comes first) but the cost is anyone's guess. As with all luxury brands, Mercedes-Benz (and others) are yet to offer the peace of mind of capped price servicing, as offered by all the Top 10 brands and some others. TECHNOLOGY You can change the way this car feels to drive, depending on your mood. There are four different modes -- all changed at the press of one button -- that transform the steering feel, the responsiveness of the transmission, and whether you want the air-conditioning to chill you at all costs, or save a little fuel on milder days. It's brilliant in its simplicity, and it means you can choose between being a “hyper miler” (car industry slang for professional drivers who win fuel economy challenges), getting pampered in the most comfortable setting as possible, or choosing a sports mode that makes the car more responsive. Customarily, when there is such a vast choice, there is usually only one, maybe two good settings -- and more than a couple of dud ones. But they all work in this car. You can even mix and match the various parameters (ie: light steering, sharp throttle response, eco air-conditioning). For the record, after experimenting with them all, I left it in “normal”. Other neat stuff: automatic emergency braking is standard on all Mercedes-Benz C Class sedans and wagons. In traffic below 50km/h it will slam on the brakes and avoid the car in front if you're not concentrating. DESIGN Wow. That's the reaction from most people when they see it for the first time. Wagons aren't supposed to look this good. The new C Class has set a pretty tough challenge for anyone who wants to design a wagon from this point on. The excuse that they need to look like a box to carry lots of boxes no longer applies. Although the roof appears to taper at the back and the cargo bay looks smaller (from the outside at least) the Mercedes-Benz C Class does, in fact, have a bigger cargo area than its peers. Vital statistics in litres, with the back seat up and with the back seat down: Audi A4 wagon (490/1430L), BMW 3 Series wagon (495/1500L), and the Mercedes-Benz C Class wagon (490/1510L). SAFELY Eight airbags, automatic emergency braking, and one of the most advanced stability control systems on the market (that prevents skidding in corners if you're a touch too quick on a slippery road) give the C Class a solid five-star ANCAP safety score. Other technology from the top-line, $200,000 S-Class limousine has also trickled down: lane keeping alert, blind zone alert, fatigue alert, and an extra pre-tensioner for the seat belt pre-tensioners (it anticipates a crash and takes up the slack in the seatbelt before impact, before the pre-tensioners are properly deployed and tightened again as the airbags fire) are just some of the highlights. It's a jumping castle on four wheels. DRIVING It's really hard to write car reviews about modern wagons. Back in the day, not long after humans learned to walk on two legs, wagons were bloody awful to drive. Their heavy rear ends felt like a dog dragging its hind legs along the grass to scratch an itch. There was a stark contrast between how sedans and wagons drove. But today's wagons feel as good if not better to drive than the sedans on which they are based. Indeed, the only way you can tell this is a wagon is when you glance in the rear view mirror, to check the traffic and, presumably, to make sure there's no wine sloshing around. Why is it so? Well, engineers have gotten smarter and have more technology available to them. And they understand how to make structures stronger yet lighter, both of which, in turn, help how a car behaves on the road. If you count the number of metal pillars holding the roof up, most sedans have six and wagons have eight (two extra ones at the back, either side of the tail-gate). It means that wagon bodies are, in fact, stronger than sedans, now that the whole design is integrated, rather than an afterthought. And it means the people who finesse the suspension have a good core to work from. Anyone who has done Pilates or Yoga should relate to this because it is exactly the same principle: get the core right and the limbs (or in this case the suspension) can do their work more efficiently and more effectively. Meanwhile, under the bonnet, the petrol engines are the pick for various reasons. The petrol engines help the steering feel a little lighter and more precise because the engines themselves physically weigh less than the diesel engines. The diesel engines tend to blunt the steering feel and responsiveness. The petrol engines in this car are also smoother and quieter in the way they operate. The diesels are entirely acceptable by luxury car standards but unless you're covering massive kilometres at freeway speeds, the petrol engines are now so efficient, they're definitely the better choice. Both engine types can sound a little coarse when accelerating in a hurry, but so do all engines. It's hardly a deal breaker.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is not only the top-selling luxury car in Australia ahead of the equivalently sized Audi and BMW; it's also more popular than much cheaper rivals.

Mercedes-Benz is making a bold attempt to package similar levels of luxury and features in the C-Class as you'll find in the E-Class and S-Class.

Mercedes-Benz sells a greater proportion of full-house AMG performance models in Australia than in any other market

The small-medium Mercedes-Benz C-Class, while costing significantly more than many cars in its class, is becoming increasingly affordable by the standards of the prestige car market.Though it has been built down to a price when compared with upper crust Mercedes models, the price trimming has been done intelligently and you still get a car that’s well built and uses good quality materials.The C-Class is sold as a three-door coupe, a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon body. Coupes from 2008 to 2011 were called the CLC-Class in an attempt to give them a sportier image. That didn’t seem to work and with the new model of 2011 the C-Class coupe name was revised.This is a rear-wheel-drive car so those travelling in the back seats of sedans and wagons will find themselves a little squeezed unless the front seats are moved forward a notch or two. This situation has improved over the years as the C-Class cars have become slightly larger, but it’s still smart to take the family along during your pre-purchase road test to make sure it suits them.Boot space is good and the big bootlid in the sedans makes it easy to load. The wagon is of the stylish school, with a sloping tailgate that robs the load area of some cubic capacity.Naturally the back seats and boots of the coupes are on the cramped side, but that’s par for the course.Few cars come with such a staggering range of engines as the Mercedes C-Class. Four, six and eight-cylinder engines are offered. The latest petrol engines have direct petrol injection and are significantly better than the older units in terms of performance consumption and emissions. Look for the letters CGI in the car’s title, indicting the new-generation engines. The name Kompressor in the car’s title means it has a supercharged engine to provide extra torque. Later units use a turbocharger rather than a supercharger.The hot AMG models use the V8s and have tremendous performance, but this comes at a cost in high fuel consumption.Mercedes-Benz C-Class with turbo-diesel engines have been sold for many years, long before they became common in other European marques. They have either four or six cylinders. The newer diesels (look for CDI on the badge) are a big advance on the older diesel in smoothness and refinement and once the car is cruising at a steady speed we defy you to pick them from petrol powerplants.The great majority of C-Class Mercedes-Benzes will have an automatic transmission, though you will find some four-cylinders cars have a five-speed manual gearbox, they may cause real hassles at resale time.Luxury levels are Classic, Elegance, Avantgarde and Sport. The latter has firmer suspension for better road feel and will make a nice car for the enthusiastic driver.Spare parts, servicing and repairs are all expensive for a car of this size, but certainly not for a machine with the high prestige rating the Benz affords you. Insurance costs are generally reasonable for a car in this class.It pays to buy a used Mercedes-Benz which has been serviced throughout its life by an authorised dealer. Their mechanics are not only trained to high standards, but are in constant touch with the factory. A car with a full service history will almost invariably command a higher price but be sure the service books are genuine.Mercedes-Benz Australia offers a good used-car scheme on cars up to five years of age. The length of the warranty varies according to the workshop’s assessment of the car.WHAT TO LOOK FORBe sure the steering is positive with no unnecessary free play in the straight-ahead position. There were some problems with the early version of the Brake Assist System (BAS). These should have been rectified by a dealer after a recall. Contact the dealer or Mercedes’ head office to see if this work has been done.Do a visual check of the car inside and out for signs of damage or worse-than-average wear. Pay particular attention to the bumper-bar corners for signs of paint scrapes. Also have a good look at the condition of the seats.Always call an expert for the final say no matter how good the Mercedes appears to be after your own inspection. Either use a mechanic formally trained on Mercedes or a senior inspector from your motoring association. Noisy engines, or units that are slow to start may be about to rack up an expensive repair.CAR BUYING TIPIf you’re considering getting an old prestige car rather than a new, but somewhat mundane, car make sure your budget is up to the task of supporting the higher running costs of the upmarket machine. 

...and BMW 328i Sport Line.Two old enemies fight a perennial civil war on the Australian frontIt's almost tediously inevitable yet the comparison between the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class has also never been more pertinent nor so closely fought. Hitherto the BMW has embodied the compact sports sedan, the rear-drive, perfectly balanced corner carver - the driver's default choice. The Benz signified aspiration, entry to the prestige touring club, a step to the E-Class.In terms of performance and perception, the entry levels of both were pretty parsimonious. A bit try-hard. Overpriced and underdone. You needed to drop closer to $100,000 than $60,000 to get a decently kitted 3 or C, or one with an engine to keep a Corolla honest.In terms of go for your dough and fruit for your finance package, these longstanding adversaries have never been better value. That you can say “value'' in this context without dislocating an eyebrow says much in itself. The 320i and C200 CGI are not only nothing to sneer at, they're almost too good for you to spend more money.Yet people will and do, climbing to the mid-range 328i and C250. These have the full-cream versions of the turbocharged fours that fling along their respective entry level cars. The Bimmer and the Benz have coalesced in more ways than similar engines and newly non-extortionate options list.What was once the undisputed choice for those who fancied themselves behind the wheel now enjoys not so nearly clear cut an advantage. In this regard BMW has kicked some own goals, four of which are found at each corner.Value remains a pertinent formula at this end of the prestige equation. As tested the C250 Avantgarde's list price climbs some nine grand north. None of the contributing options are are necessary, perhaps only metallic paint (a fairly outrageous $1600) is desirable.The 328i starts and finishes significantly lower, but the $1692 Adaptive M-Suspension is crucial and $1538 Sport Line package includes smart 18-inch alloys. Previously M kits have, in concert with run-flats, ruined many a 3 Series. This one is of the essence. Without it, the 3 Series is shockingly poor at dealing with bumps and corners simultaneously.The smart suspension imbues the Comfort and Sport settings of the Driving Experience Control with real meaning, making the latter the one to select at every opportunity. Am I alone in thinking it’s not good enough that a BMW should need artificial enhancement to deliver on the drive that badge promises? The C-Class needs and is equipped with no such frippery. There's the default Eco setting or the Sport mode. The seven-speed auto is slower than BMW's eight, but kicks down emphatically and informatively. The Tristar car is simply less adulterated, something that extends to its cornering attitude. Its slightly greater mass is felt, but not negatively, even next to the Bimmer's more alert turn-in and adroit stance.Run-flat tyres have become more pliant than the first-generation shockers but their presence is still felt, though more in the ears than the spine. In contrast, the Benz is as aurally ambient as it is absorbent of the road's irregularities.The C-Class's cabin insulation is A-plus as are its material quality, fit and finish. It's sombre in there but this cabin is as sure a sign of the marque you've bought into as the Tristar emblem in the grille of this Avantgarde edition sedan.Having a wonderful time driving a 328i Sport Line in Spain last year at the model's international launch, I still expressed mild misgivings about the pre-production car's cabin quality. Nine months later in this identically specified South Africa-built example, I've made up my mind - it's pretty damn ordinary. As I write this a $31K Ford Focus (German-made as it happens) is parked by the 328i in my garage. The former's cabin is demonstrably superior.The Sport Line is the most popular 3 Series trim package but none are worthy of the sum asked. The accents and plastics are strikingly tacky and cheap. The 3 Series' sole advantage is its driver's position, which wraps you in a cockpit as opposed to the more upright and alert C-Class pew.But in the latter car you're not gripping an unpleasantly scratchy wheel. All the Merc's materials are more tactile and - crucially in a country where staring at the speedo is held to be more important than watching the road - the Bimmer lacks the Benz's digital readout. Nor, incredibly irritatingly, did the 328i accept the Apple lead for the iPhone.Neither has rear seats in which to spend interstate trips, though you've a slim hope of seating a human in the middle of the Merc. The BMW's Himalayan transmission tunnel renders it a four-seater. Better use of space extends to the C-Class's boot, which accommodates a temporary use spare. As ever, the 3 Series has none, although there's room for one. In Europe this matters not. Cop a serious rubber malfunction in this part of the planet, though, and it'll matter a whole lot.The 3 Series is the one that encourages you to seek out bendy stretches of bitumen where - at least when equipped to the optimum - it more readily conveys that sheer driving pleasure cliche. Some moan about the eight-speed auto, but they're wrong.This is a brilliantly adept transmission that's impossible to catch out, so much so that you might as well chuck out the paddle shifters. It slurs though the middle gears without the obvious shifting sensation of a box endowed with fewer gears but - as the speed dial tells you - with deceptive rapidity. The 3 is by far the quicker car.Mercedes steering remains lighter in all circumstances. Equally it is a little more linear that BMW's although the electronic set up with Servotronic imparts distinct and worthwhile feedback. Again though, why not simply have one setting that works? It’s passed the point where tech is unnecessary. Now it’s merely irritating.When equipped with its full optional panoply, the 3 Series remains the recreational device of choice. But its advantage is marginal. The Merc is vastly more than adequate on most roads most of the time and of discernibly higher quality within. The C-Class is, simply, a better prestige car.

Life gets a little nicer when you have a prestige car in the driveway. Some people just crave a prestige badge, but it's true that the better European brands deliver a better car.That means more comfort and quietness, more equipment, and - if you have the cash to splash, or a company that's paying the freight - genuine luxury in a mid-sized package.The obvious choices for prestige buyers are the three big-name brands: Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Lexus is also a contender, which is why it's included in this four-car shootout, but you can also find prestige strengths everywhere from the Citroen C5 to the Skoda Superb and even - at a pinch - something like the Volkswagen Golf.Even the better Japanese brands, Mazda and Subaru, have models that make a prestige pitch and Holden and Toyota want you to believe their Caprice and Aurion are also rivals for the German heavyweights.VALUEThe price of a German prestige car is like a length of string - it depends on what you want but, more importantly, how much you have to spend. There are a vast range of Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class models in showrooms and an almost infinite choices of colours and optional equipment.BMW has the widest choice with 57 different 3 Series cars, 40 of them carrying a boot in the back end. Prices range from the 318d at $56,400 to more than $150,000 for an M3 hotrod. Mercedes has 28 different C-Class models, without thinking about the super-fast C63 AMG Black Series, with prices from $58,600 for the C200.Audi trails the other Germans with 'only' 14 versions of the A4, including nine sedans, and a starting price of $53,000 for the 2.0 TDI running to $95,300 for the 3.2 FSI quattro. There are seven Lexus IS sedans and three convertibles with prices ranging from $55,800 for the 250 Prestige up to $81,300 for the 350 Sports Luxury.Digging deeper, Lexus serves up the best standard package and even metallic paint which is $1270 in the A4, $1415 in the 3 Series and $1600 in the C-Class - is standard. It also has the longest warranty at four years including roadside assistance, but is limited to 100,000km while the others are unlimited.Mercedes has the longest service intervals of 25,000 kilometres, which counts with potential service costs. At the other end resale values are fairly similar. BMW is the leader, retaining 53 per cent of its value after three years according to Glass's Guide, followed by Benz and Lexus at 52 per cent and Audi at 50 per cent.TECHNOLOGYThe prestige smorgasbord continues on the mechanical front, with various petrol and diesel engine choices, apart from Lexus which is unleaded-only. Our test group includes three four-cylinder petrol turbos and the long Lexus six, which makes the best power and torque but trails on fuel economy at 9.4 litres/100km.The Audi A4 benefits from the newest engine, with 155 kiloWatts and a whopping 350 Newton-metres, while the Benz trails on paper but feels strong with solid torque. Germans cars have stop-start systems to boost economy - although it's only a realistic one per cent saving - to the eight-speed auto in the BMW helps it to diesel-like figure of 6L/100km. The Audi and Benz also come in under the 7L/100km fuel-efficient Luxury Car Tax threshold.There is technology everywhere, as the Germans have wheel-style controllers for their on-board computer, infotainment system and air-conditioning; all have Bluetooth, although the Lexus refuses audio streaming and the Benz has hiccups in playback; and Lexus has the brightest touch screen although the BMW has the best design and the biggest display.SAFETYFive-star safety is a given in the prestige class, but all four should have even quality when Australian New Car Assessment Program guidelines get tougher thanks to high-tech driving aids, although many are optional. Only the Lexus comes with a standard rear-view camera, and that's something you can now get in a humble Hyundai i30.DESIGNThe Lexus is the oldest design and it shows, especially against the good looking new 3 Series. Inside, the BMW is focussed more on the driver but the cockpit can feel a little snug, although not as bare as the overly-black Lexus.About a year ago, Mercedes gave its C-Class models a makeover inside and out. The exterior still looks a bit "grey cardigan" but the interior has more jewellery and a modern styling. Audi's interior design is standing the test of time but its exterior is a little boxy and boring. Infotainment controller is the best, the cabin finishes are great and the interior lighting is first-class.DRIVINGThe BMW should be an easy winner on the road, but it's not. The Lexus has a sportier feel, helped by the big six in the nose, and the Benz feels more solid and planted over bumps and other annoying acne. The BMW engine also lacks the shove of the Benz, although its transmission is silky smooth with a gear for everything, with the Audi also getting along nicely enough.For handling, the BMW is just ahead on a smooth surface but I'm shocked to feel steering kickback over slight corrugations, something that's usually associated with the front-drive Audi. The Benz feels rock-solid and balanced in all conditions, the Lexus is fun, and the Audi is better for cruising.During highway work, the A4 hits its sweet spot with a quiet and comfortable cabin that edges out the BMW - despite optional sports seats - and the Benz. The Lexus has way too much tyre roar. Assessing the cabins, BMW has done a great job in creating an Audi ambience with good design and classy materials.It's probably a tick ahead of the A4, with the Benz - despite a mid-life update last year and a larger display screen - still boring and the Lexus trailing with an outdated interior. It's hard to pick winners in other areas, because of the varying levels of equipment and options, but I like the big wheels on the Lexus, the great seats in the BMW, the headlamps in the Audi, and a bunch of other stuff. If I had to pick a back seat for a longish trip I'd probably go for the BMW.VERDICTThe Lexus goes out first. It looks nice enough, it has good grunt and plenty of cornering grip, but it shows its age in too many ways. The cabin is dark and uninspiring against its rivals, and the back seat is too tight. It's also way too noisy with road roar on anything but a perfect surface.The Audi is next to fall, not because it's not good but because it's not good enough against the other two Germans. The A4 is a nice design and the car is beautifully built, the new engine is smooth and very efficient, but it falls short of the rock-solid feel and driving enjoyment you deserve - and expect - in the prestige class.So it's down to the BMW and the Benz, and I admit that I chose the new 3 Series to drive away at the end of the test. That's usually the sign of a sure-fire winner, and the Three is very good. But it is flawed. The cabin now manages to out-Audi the A4, with classy design and a big display screen, but some of the plastics feel cheap and the things I really like - especially the cushy seats - are extra-cost options.Worst of all, since BMW has always billed itself as the Ultimate Driving Machine, there is front-end chatter over bumps and the silky-smooth eight-speed auto cannot totally compensate for an engine that's too noisy at idle and missing the mid-range shove you need for overtaking in Australia.So the winner, in the end, is the Benz. It's rock solid, it has the best badge in the business, and Mercedes has done a great job on updating the car to make it a nice drive, a value package, and the top choice in this class.Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattroPrice: $64,500Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmResale: 50 per centService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 5 starSpare: spacesaverEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 155kW/350NmTransmission: 7-speed S tronic, quattroBody: 4.7m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.4m (h)Weight: 1570kgThirst: 7/100km; 159g/km CO2Options fitted: metallic paint ($1270), sports front seats ($577), hill hold assist ($154)Total: $66,501BMW 3 Series - 320i SportPrice: $57,600Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmResale: 53 per centService interval: optionalSafety rating: 5 starSpare: Nil, run-flat tyresEngine: 2-litre, 4-cyl, 135kW/270NmTransmission: 8-speed auto, RWDBody: 4.6m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.4m (h)Weight: 1425kgThirst: 6/100km; 141g/km CO2Options: metallic paint ($1415), glass sunroof ($2245), Navigation System Business ($1538), Sport Line package ($3152) includes 17 light-alloy wheels Double-spoke 392, Ambience light, switchable between Orange and White, BMW Sport Seats, Chrome Pearl Grey surrounds for centre console, Dakota leather upholstery, Exclusive high-gloss Black exterior trims, Red contrast stitching for sport leather steering wheel, Red detailing on key, Speedometer and rev counter with Red chronoscales, Welcome light, switchable between White or Cold White, Sport designation, exterior, BMW Sport door sill finishers in AluminiumTotal: $65,956Lexus IS 350 PrestigePrice: $64,800Warranty: 4 years/100,000kmResale: 52 per centService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 5 starSpare: spacesaverEngine: 3.5-litre 6-cyl, 233kW/378NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, FWDBody: 4.6m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.4m (h)Weight: 1645kgThirst: 9.4/100km; 223g/km CO2Options: Enhancement Pack (includes moonroof, satnav and semi-aniline leather) at $3500.Total: $68,300Mercedes-Benz C250 Avantgarde StandardPrice: $67,400Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmResale:  52 per centService interval: 25,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 5 starSpare: spacesaverEngine: 1.8-litre 4-cyl, 150kW/310NmTransmission: 7-speed auto, RWDBody: 4.5m (l); 1.7m (w); 1.4m (h)Weight: 1505kgThirst: 6.8/100km; 158g/km CO2Options: metallic paint $1600, Option Vision Package $3785 - Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system- Glass electric sunroof- Bi-Xenon headlights with Intelligent Light SystemTotal: $72,785 

THERE are more Mercedes coupes than descendants of the Romanovs and working out their lineage is almost as difficult.That's because Mercedes has been very un-Germanic about its two-doors and failed to line them up in a nice orderly fashion.So where its sedans come in three easy-to-understand sizes, C, E and S, the coupes have been all over the place. For example, there was the CLK, which can still be seen double-parked outside any establishment popular with ladies who lunch.It fitted somewhere between the C and the E. If you preferred gravy to jus there was the CLC, which is smaller than a C and, in any case, really a hatchback. Or the CLS, which stretches the definition even further because it has four doors.It's an E in running shoes. Then there's the retro SLS, which has wings instead of doors, and the CL, which is the rich uncle of an S.Obviously, even Germans were confused and for some time they've been trying to sort it out. First, Mercedes replaced the CLK with the E Coupe. It has mixed parentage, but at least you know where it stands.Now, in a sign it's getting the hang of the whole model family idea, Mercedes has ditched the old-tech CLC and brought out something unambiguously related to the C. It has even called it the C Coupe. It has two doors, different panels and grille, plus a unique rear diffuser. But it clearly carries the same genes as the C sedan and wagon.VALUEIt squares off against the Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series coupe but, unusually for a Merc, starts under them on price. The C180 BE, at $58,900, is designed to lure the price-conscious shoppers who would previously have gone for a CLC, which began just above $52,000.The C250 BE feels like the coupe sweet spot at this end of the market. It starts at $69,900, which would also buy a BMW 320d Coupe, with a four-cylinder diesel, or the Audi A5 2.0TFSI, which is the only front-wheel drive of the trio. With the C250 BE in the mix, the choice just got more difficult.DESIGNAll the coupes get the upgraded interior recently fitted to the sedans and wagons, which means it feels suitably premium for the money. The seats, with integrated headrests, are first rate and there's enough room in the back as long as you're no more than average height and your feet aren't too big. With the sunroof fitted, headroom is a bit cramped and, before you order one, make sure you can live with the mesh screen, which cannot keep out Australian sun.Access to the rear is fine, although that's partly because the doors are 30cm longer than the ones in the sedan. So you won't be able to get out in a car park.But the boot is as large as the one in the E Coupe and the two are closer than you may expect on some dimensions, such as wheelbase and width. If you don't need the extra presence, equipment and bling of the longer car, then the C Coupe may be enough.TECHNOLOGYI didn't sample the 180 BE on the drive program in Victoria this week, so I can't say whether it's any good. However, from the spec sheet it's clearly much slower and, amazingly, thirstier than the C250 BE, which uses a more powerful version of the same 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.Mercedes believes the C250 BE will be the most popular variant and if you can live without a V8's ability to break traction on demand, or the better torque and soundtrack of the 225kW 3.5-litre V6 in the C350 BE, then it's worth a look. It certainly seems like value against the C350 BE, which is another $30,000.The BE stands for Blue Efficiency, which is Mercedes' suite of fuel-saving tricks. So it's also frugal, consuming 7.0 litres of premium for every 100km, even though it misses out on stop-at-idle, which is fitted to the diesel. The diesel four-cylinder C250 CDI is the same price as the petrol and with stop-start delivers impressive economy of 5.1l/100km and a slightly faster sprint time to 100km/h. But it didn't feel as quick and makes noises that verge on loud and coarse. With another 110kg of weight, it's not as pleasant on the road either.DRIVEIts acceleration won't impress HSV owners, but for a small four-cylinder it feels adequately feisty. Its 150kW mean a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 and it builds speed with conviction. And while the engine does emit a few odd noises, for a turbo four it doesn't sound too bad.On a twisty road you can have fun in this car. The steering is light but accurate and gets better when the sport button is pressed. You can turn quickly into corners confident it will hold its line and grip, even when the tarmac deteriorates. Its smallish engine helps it feel balanced and planted; it doesn't have the heavy nose feel of some bigger-engined cars.MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS COUPEPrice: From $69,900Engines: 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol or 2.1-litre turbocharged four-cylinder dieselOutputs: 150kW at 5500rpm and 310Nm at 2300rpm (C250 BE); 150kW at 4200rpm and 500Nm at 1600rpm (C250 CDI)Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive