Used Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2007 - 2014 review

Although it's always been a competent car, the C-Class saloon has always been a little overshadowed by the BMW 3 Series. Such is the all-round completeness of that car that it's earned itself an almost iconic status, and the class it competes in, the compact executive one, has even come to be known by the car's name.

However, don't write off the C-Class. With the introduction of this third-generation model, it actually became truly competitive with the BMW 3 Series. While the Mercedes still wasn’t as sharp to drive as the BMW, it compensated with a softer, gentler ride. In fact, the overriding impression of this version of the C-Class was one of comfort, even if the four-cylinder diesel engines could be disappointingly noisy.

Head room is noticeably tighter in the rear seats than it is in the Audi A4 of the same era, but average-sized adults will still fit and the boot has enough room for a couple of big suitcases or golf bags.

It’s worth buying as recent a C-Class as possible because the dashboard received significant styling, quality and equipment updates as the car aged. There were two significant updates: one in 2011 and another in 2013.

You can now buy pre-facelift C-Class models for less than £2000, especially if you’re buying privately or from a small, independent dealer. They lack the interior sophistication of later versions, but mechanically they should still have plenty of life left in them.

A post-facelift 2012 car will set you back around £5000 to £8000, depending on the engine and specification.

The last of the 2014 C-Classes still command prices of more than £10,000, while AMG performance versions are most expensive of all.

There is a clear divide here between the smaller-engined, fleet-friendly models and the more performance-oriented variants.

Obviously, the V8-engined C63 AMG is a highly specialised car that will be expensive to run, but a C180 petrol, with better than 40mpg in daily driving, will be very similar in overall running costs to a more mainstream saloon, albeit with servicing costing more if you use a Mercedes main dealer.

The star of the range in terms of running costs is the C220 CDI, which can get close to its official 68mpg fuel economy figure in real-world driving and which, thanks to CO2 emissions of 109g/km, will cost just £20 a year to tax.

The only serious concern over running costs would be the failure of a major component, such as a gearbox or the ‘Comand’ infotainment system, which could cost many thousands of pounds to rectify.

The C-Class range is broad enough to be bewildering, running from a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with 154bhp (the C180 Blue Efficiency, introduced in 2012) to the mighty 6.2-litre AMG V8 model with more than 500bhp in its final iteration.

The C180 petrol models probably represent the best value route to C-Class ownership – they’re frugal (unless your daily drive involves a lot of motorway miles) and quiet, with enough performance to be considered adequate.

The best all-rounder, though, is the 2.1-litre C220 CDI diesel, which in its post-2012 form came with 167bhp and the potential for fuel economy above 60mpg. It is rather noisy, especially when cold, but the mid-range performance is hugely impressive.

Post-2012 models could also be had with a menacing AMG-Line body kit, including black-finished alloy wheels, which really lifted the looks.

Our favourite used Mercedes C-Class: C220 CDI SE

The most obvious rival is the BMW 3 Series. Always popular, it can match the Mercedes for the sheer breadth of its range (from 316d to M3) and is a more engaging car to drive, but it can’t quite match the C-Class for comfort.

The Audi A4 is another solid rival to the C-Class and is a more practical car, with a larger boot and more space in the back seats. Again, it has a vast engine range, although the perceived interior quality is a little disappointing for an Audi and the driving position is poor on manual cars due to heavily offset pedals.

A more left-field choice is the Lexus IS 300h, introduced in 2013. Its hybrid drivetrain won’t be to all tastes, but it’s smoother and quieter than the C-Class, and has exceptional build quality and reliability.

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