2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2021 Volkswagen Passat

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat retained its exterior styling from the 2020 facelift, which was the first major update in nearly a decade. This facelift gave the Passat a strong familial resemblance to the smaller Volkswagen Jetta, resulting in a more understated look compared to its rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Toyota Camry. The Passat's aerodynamic design, with a drag coefficient of 0.28, aimed to improve fuel efficiency, although the impact was minimal. Standard features included LED headlights and taillights, with wheel sizes ranging from 17 to 19 inches depending on the trim level. The R-Line trim added sportier exterior elements but lacked vibrant color options.

Inside, the Passat's design was clean and functional, with well-placed analog controls enhancing usability. The dashboard's low profile improved forward visibility, while a low beltline provided good side visibility. However, the interior might have seemed plain to some, with limited brightwork and basic materials like plastic and cloth upholstery. Despite this, the fit and finish were excellent, aligning with the Passat's market positioning as a value option.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class incorporated design elements from other Mercedes models, creating a cohesive and stylish sedan recognizable as a Mercedes from any angle. The front end resembled the CLA-Class, while the rear end and thin taillights were reminiscent of the S-Class. The cab-rearward proportions emphasized its rear-wheel-drive platform, distinguishing it from the front-wheel-drive CLA-Class and A-Class. Standard LED headlights and taillights could be upgraded to the Digital Light system, which offered advanced features like projecting warning icons and illuminating construction zones or pedestrians.

Inside, the C-Class aimed to emulate the luxury of the S-Class with features like a freestanding touchscreen and instrument cluster, prominent air vents, and intricate speaker grilles for the optional Burmester audio system. The ambient lighting with 64 available colors added to the luxurious feel. Despite the luxury billing, the standard upholstery was MBTex synthetic leather, with Nappa leather seats available on higher trims. Overall, the C-Class interior felt special, making a strong case for choosing a luxury car over a mainstream brand.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat featured a single powertrain option: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This engine produced 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. While the horsepower was below average compared to rivals, the torque was impressive, providing enough power to spin the wheels when pulling away from a stop. However, power delivery felt uneven at higher speeds, with slower response during highway overtakes. Switching to Sport mode or manually selecting gears improved this issue, but a manual transmission was not available.

The Passat's driving experience was unremarkable, lacking the sportiness or comfort found in competitors like the Honda Accord, Mazda 6, and Toyota Camry. While ride quality and cabin noise levels were acceptable on the highway, the Passat did not provide much excitement on twisty roads, making it a plain midsize sedan that neither offended nor wowed.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300 used a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It was paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which added up to 20 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque in short bursts. The C300 could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited to 130 mph. A sportier Mercedes-AMG C43 version was also available, featuring a more powerful engine with 402 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, reducing the 0 to 60 mph time to 4.6 seconds and increasing the top speed to 155 mph or 165 mph with optional wheels.

The C300 4Matic test car felt powerful but exhibited turbo lag, with a delay between pressing the accelerator and actual acceleration. The transmission shifted quickly but occasionally produced rough shifts and held onto gears too long in automatic mode. Despite these issues, the ride quality was up to luxury-car standards, muting impacts with bumps and potholes. The C-Class was entertaining on twisty roads, with good body control and precise steering, but required a more deliberate approach compared to the best sports sedans.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat offered 39.1 inches of rear legroom, slightly less than the Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy. This rear legroom seemed to come at the expense of front legroom, which was below average for the segment. Front headroom was also less than most other midsize sedans. The driving position was uncomfortable, with limited front legroom and seats lacking thigh support. The rear seats felt flat and hard.

The Passat had 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space, more than the Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy, or Nissan Altima, but less than the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. In-cabin storage was limited, with improperly shaped door bottle holders and a small cubby for smartphones. However, the layout of controls was excellent, with big buttons and knobs within easy reach. The analog gauges were easy to read and aesthetically fitting with the rest of the interior.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan was longer and wider than its predecessor, providing more interior space. Headroom increased by 0.1 inch in front and 0.4 inch in back, while rear-seat legroom increased by 0.8 inch. The C-Class led its competitive set in front-seat headroom and rear-seat legroom, with decent rear-seat headroom for a sedan of its size. However, front legroom was near the bottom of the segment.

The C-Class seats were comfortable with enough bolstering for spirited driving. Forward visibility was excellent, but thick rear pillars created a blind spot, justifying the many available driver aids. Minor issues included dashboard trim glare in direct sunlight and an inconveniently placed wireless charging pad. The C-Class had 17.9 cubic feet of trunk space, more than its rivals, with a wide trunk opening for easy loading and unloading. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear bench accommodated longer items, and a power trunk release was available.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat came with the MIB2 infotainment system, featuring a 6.3-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The R-Line models added HD Radio, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Fender premium audio system. Keyless entry was standard on the SE and R-Line trims. A single USB-A port in the center stack handled connectivity functions, with two rear charge-only USB-A ports on SE models. The touchscreen included pinch-to-zoom capability, but basic functions like climate control and audio could be managed with dashboard knobs and steering-wheel controls.

The Passat lacked flashy features, such as the Digital Cockpit instrument cluster or the newer MIB3 infotainment system available in other VW models. Its driver aids were basic, making it a good choice for those who preferred simplicity over a laundry list of tech features.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class featured an infotainment setup similar to the S-Class, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.9-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen angled six degrees toward the driver. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard. The mid-tier C300 Premium added a Burmester 3D surround-sound system, while the top C300 Pinnacle included a head-up display and augmented-reality navigation system.

The MBUX infotainment system, familiar from other Mercedes models, included the "Zero Layer" setup from the EQS electric car, allowing multiple items to be displayed on the screen simultaneously. The voice recognition system was one of the best in its class, and touch controls on the steering wheel were easy to use. The optional augmented-reality navigation system provided a front-camera feed with overlaid arrows for turns, making it more helpful than conventional systems.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat received top "good" scores in all crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but its standard headlights earned a "marginal" rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not published crash-test ratings for the 2021 Passat. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. The Passat also featured VW's Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and Intelligent Crash Response System.

Crash-test ratings for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class were not available at the time of publication. The 2021 C-Class was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick+," but this award did not automatically carry over to the redesigned 2022 model. The 2022 C-Class included an array of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as standard equipment, such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with safe exit assist, a driver-attention monitor, Pre-Safe, and Pre-Safe Sound. Optional features included lane-keep assist, evasive steering assist, a 360-degree camera system, dashcam, park assist, and two levels of Distronic adaptive cruise control. The C-Class also offered Car-to-X communication, which allowed information sharing between vehicles.