Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs BMW M2

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was the automaker’s entry-level model, but it needed a new role. Mercedes now has a line of compact cars serving as lower-priced entryways to the brand, so it’s moving the C-Class upmarket. The redesigned 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan borrows design elements from the automaker’s flagship S-Class to entice new car buyers on a budget who still want the most Mercedes for their money.

The C-Class competes against a formidable array of small sports sedans. Like the Mercedes, the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS, and Volvo S60 are fixtures in this segment, with nameplates that date back at least two decades. The Acura TLX, Cadillac CT4, and Infiniti Q50 are newer names that build on their respective brands’ experience in the segment. The Genesis G70 is a relative newcomer from a recently launched brand that’s already managed to impress.

The all-new C-Class launches in C300 sedan form with standard rear-wheel drive (RWD), optional 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD), and Premium, Exclusive, and Pinnacle trim levels. Our test car was a C300 4Matic in the top Pinnacle trim. An AMG C43 performance model is also on the way, but it’s not expected to hit showrooms until after the C300, which arrives at dealerships later this spring.

To automotive enthusiasts, a sports car like the 2023 BMW M2 is special. The modern car market is marching away in multiple directions from the purist driving experience. Be it autonomy or electrification, that driver-meets-car connection you get from a rear-wheel-drive, straight-six internal-combustion performance machine is feeling more and more like an endangered species.

Safety and creature comforts mean bigger, heavier cars. For a brand like BMW, the M2 is one of the last cars in its lineup that is even remotely close to the cars that put it on the map, like the legendary E30 M3. The 2023 BMW M2 has been completely redesigned, and it’s a more focused performance machine with bolder styling. It’s not the semi-sleeper that it once was. Is this more athletic, boisterous personality for the better?