Without a doubt, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class offers one of the largest spreads of any model range. From four-door, entry-level luxury sedan to tire-smoking premium sport coupe — and the space in-between — the C-Class has the market covered. While that may not be a tremendous surprise in itself, it is a surprise that all these variants are quite good.
The new C250 sedan utilizes Mercedes’ new 201-hp turbocharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine mated to the familiar 7Gtronic automatic transmission, and most judges were surprised at how quickly this combo was able to hustle our 3500-pound sedan up to speed. It felt even quicker than its 7.2-second 0-60-mph sprint would suggest. Some complained about slight turbo lag and a peaky nature that made the C250 a little more difficult to drive smoothly than its six-cylinder coupe sibling equipped with roughly the same transmission (the inclusion of paddle shifters could help here), but nearly all testers preferred the sedan’s lighter, more balanced handling.
As expected, the C63 Coupe proved the hooligan of the group, offering E-ticket thrill rides around our winding road course and garnering no shortage of compliments. Also unanimously praised was the solid built quality of each example of the C-class range, which many judges likened to that of the most expensive Benzes. While some were unimpressed by the somewhat simple interior, others took solace in the clean, uncluttered design. And with as-tested prices ranging from a low of nearly $45,000 to a high of more than $81,000, the C-Class is still an expensive automobile.
Do you think the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be Car of the Year? Stay tuned as we preview every car that Motor Trend tested for its 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year competition in alphabetical order in advance of the official announcement on Nov. 16.
