Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs BMW X3

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.

Since its inception in 2003, the BMW X3 has grown to become one of the brand’s top sellers. And starting with its second generation (circa 2010), the luxury compact crossover has been built at BMW Spartanburg—the automaker’s only United States manufacturing facility. Incidentally, because Spartanburg is the global producer of every gas-powered BMW crossover besides the X1 and X2, the plant also boasts the highest production numbers of any BMW plant worldwide. One can speculate that the popular X3 has a lot to do with that.

Last redesigned for 2018, the X3 receives a rather hefty mid-cycle refresh for 2022. Although the xDrive30e plug-in hybrid has been dropped from the lineup, updates to the remaining models include design tweaks, new engines, more technology, and an expanded suite of safety features.