The compact-sedan end of the luxury-badged market has historically been filled with cars that, while premium, were decidedly short of luxurious. The introduction of the entry-level CLA-Class allowed Mercedes-Benz to move the latest C-Class up a notch or two in the compact sedan arena. The C-Class quickly stood out as the most solid and well-appointed in its class, looking and feeling like the brand’s much-pricier S-Class. To keep things competitive, the C-Class gets a facelift and some updates for 2019.
From the outside, buyers will notice new LED headlight and taillight designs that follow the contours of the body lines. Resculpted bumpers make use of a chrome outline toward the bottom, and AMG-line vehicles get a diamond-patterned upper grille. Mercedes-Benz has added two new colors to the palette, Mojave Silver Metallic and Emerald Green Metallic. Fresh wheel designs, including the standard 17-inch ones, complete the exterior changes.
Inside, changes are similarly subtle. First, the C-Class features a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel with touch sensitive buttons that can detect swiping motions, much like a smartphone, and an optional 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment system. The touchpad now features haptic feedback, so drivers can pay less attention to it and more to the road. For the same reason, the voice command system has been expanded to operate things like the heated seats. Similarly to the S-Class and other higher-end Mercedes-Benz models, there’s an available 12.3-inch full-LCD instrument cluster with three modes: Classic, Sport, and Progressive. Mercedes-Benz revamped some of the aesthetics, opting for a new turbine-inspired stop/start button and a new key fob. There are additional wood veneer choices and interior color combinations as well.
Mercedes-Benz continues to offer the C-Class in two basic trims, and these determine the powertrain packages. The base C 300 gets a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, the former an increase of 14, and either front- (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The AMG C 43’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 gets bumped to 385 hp, up 23. AWD is standard on the AMG C 43 that is rear-biased with 31/69 torque distribution. It also gets what Mercedes is calling a “AMG Speedshift TCT” 9-speed transmission.
For safety, the C-Class gets updated driving aids like forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, standard. The optional systems, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control, have been revamped for greater accuracy. The adaptive cruise, for example, can now work in conjunction with map data from the optional navigation system to predictively adjust the car’s speed when heading toward a bend, a junction, or a roundabout. Mercedes-Benz says the C-Class can drive semi-autonomously in certain scenarios.
With subtle improvements, the 2019 Mercedes Benz C-Class maintains its position at the forefront of its class. Expect to see the revised C-Class in dealerships in the later part of 2018.
