Mercedes-Benz C-Class - 2008 Review

Overall 4.10 of 5 view all 21 reviews

bkovacs
Annandale, VA

It's classy but didn't feel all that special

cost-conscious, value conscious, practical, interested in good gas mileage, a sports car driver

Pros

smooth engine, good brakes, silky auto transmission

Cons

poorly placed control stalks, numb steering, touchy brakes, very firm ride with 18-in wheels

SEP

2007

Mercedes-Benz C-Class - 2008 —

I attended a Mercedes-Benz car event today and was able to drive three different cars, all 2008 C-Class models. Before my drive, I sat through a presentation where I was told that the car was amazingly special and the product of a seven-year design effort. That may be so, but it felt just like a car that seemed fairly ordinary, yet was stuffed to the gills with electronic toys.

What it is

The 2008 C-Class comes in two main varieties: a luxury sedan with a 2.8-liter engine, and a sports sedan with either a 3.0-liter engine or a 3.5-liter engine. All the engines are smooth V6 designs. There are two transmissions: a 6-speed standard and a 7-speed automatic. I drove only the automatic and it was s-m-o-o-t-h.

All versions (so far, anyway) are four-door sedans, with bucket seats up front and a three-person bench seat in back. The back will be tight for three adults but three kids will probably fit fine.

There is a spacious trunk in back and lots of cubbyholes to store sunglasses and other widgets up front. I'm not sure if there is a cup holder, though... I know this is a show-stopper for some people but I didn't think to check when I was in the car.

Driving it

The driver's seat is within reach of more switches than I have ever seen in a car. There was something like 10 switches above the rear-view mirror to control the sunroof and other accessories. I had difficulty getting the car's air conditioning to do what I wanted it to do. I actually wanted to turn it off but am pretty sure that it never actually turned off.

Once underway, the first thing I noticed was the exceptionally grabby brakes. The brakes stop great -- I know because I tried them out. However, they are also very grabby. The steering wheel feels numb and does not return to center by itself, so I had to turn it back to go straight. The engine is gracefully smooth and the seven-speed transmission worked with the lightest of touches, so that it was impossible to count the shift changes. That was very sweet.

Less sweet were the two control stalks to the left of the steering wheel. I expected the turn signal controls to be there, but there was also another stalk (for the cruise control, I think) that was also there with the turn signals. I hit it every time I reached for the blinkers and it was an annoyance. It might be okay if the 2008 C-Class was your only car and you got used to it. However, I have four cars and like my controls r-e-a-l-l-y simple so that I can hop from car to car without re-learning the layout. One other control issue: The navigation system was displaying the wrong thing and it was not obvious how to get it to display the right thing.

One of the test drives included a roll through city streets in Washington, DC. The car I drove was equipped with optional 18-inch wheels, which made for an overly-firm ride. I like a firm car but this was too firm for my taste. There were lots of loud "thumps" as we hit various bumps in the road, not the quieter ride that I expect in a luxury car... even one with sporty pretensions.

Summary

It was fun to drive the 2008 C-Class but this is not the car for me. I previously drove a 2004 C240 coupe, which I liked a lot. It felt more sporty than the 2008 C-Class and my recollection is that the 2004 model had far simpler controls. The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has a sweet engine and automatic transmission, but I was disappointed in its steering, ultra-firm ride (with the optional 18-inch wheels), klutzy controls, overwhelming technology and grabby brakes. I admit that I'm a "back-to-the-basics" guy, so this is just not the right car for me.

Last edited on Feb 22, 2009

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Comments about bkovacs’s Review

I like the looks of the C-class, but you're right....compared to other vehicles in its class, the C falls behind the A and B students...

I agree, too much money for a depreciating value.

Take your money buy a rental 2bdr property in San Antonio,TX

They go for about 85k over here, and going up and up and up..............................................................................................................................................

I can help.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My name is: Mr.Viggiani, I am a Texas REALTOR with
Keller Williams Realty , and you can reach me at my e-mail anytime:
WeCanDoIt@kw.com

Good advice. Too much money for a depreciating asset and then it's not even an "S" model which is the only "true" Merc to aficionados.

Thanks for all the nice comments! Considering there are some competent cars that you can buy for half the price of this Mercedes, it just didn't seem inspiring enough for the difference in cost.

--Bob

Maybe it's special to the engineers. I don't know. I'm not a car person at all, but these seem like the kind of cars that you go drive on a mountain rode with the sunroof down and feel like you're in a car commercial singing "It's all just a little bit of history."

Mercedes seems to have gone down hill recently. BMW is for the sporty crowd and Lexus is just flat out better built and more reliable.

Thanks for the nice comments!

--Bob

I enjoyed your review.

We had a Mercedes for three years and that car drove me crazy! It kept having problems with it's reverse and so here I'd be with a car full of kids and having to drive around and around to find a parking spot that would not require me backing up! It was such a pain and by far the overpowering memory I have of that beautiful, annoying car! LOL
Kristy

Thanks for the comment, Cyndi! Looking forward to seeing you and the others on Friday.

--Bob

Jo, I'd try both cars before buying. I've never driven a BMW but everything I hear makes the 3 Series sound like a car I'd enjoy. (Actually, I'd probably get an older one and keep up its maintenance.) I'm not a fan of all the technology that car companies are sticking in cars today, including heaters, wipers and headlights that think for themselves. I'd rather turn them on/off when I want to, not when the car thinks they should be. If your husband likes all the toys, then the Mercedes C-Class may be to his liking.

--Bob

I tell you one thing - if I bought a Benz, it sure better feel special. I'll pay for quality, but I expect it when I pay for it.

Ok here's the deal. Hubby turned 60 and thinks we should not wait until someday. So I sold my Miata this summer (consignment) and can now buy either a BMW 3 series, LexisIS or a Mercedes C class. Edmunds tested the BMW against the Mercedes and liked the BMW a tad more. I had a BMW and loved it. I don't like the bump on the top of the new ones. I'll have to pick your brain. I'm going to wait until Jan. so maybe I can get a 2007 they want to get rid of. Jo