77% Which? works for you. Which? Car review Mercedes-Benz C-class Estate (2008-) Recommended models in the range. Total score:

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1 Which? works for you Which? Car review On sale: Mar 2008 Class: New price: Up to 67,810 Used price: From 15,195 Performance: Boot & Storage: Ride comfort: Safety: Fun to drive and quiet to ride in. Highquality interior. Strong safety credentials. Cramped rear seats. Stingy standard equipment levels. Diesels can be noisy. handling: Reliability: Total score: 77% Recommended models in the range Which? Car Top Choice Model C250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY SE 5dr Auto New price: Used price: 19,195 Fastest Model C63 Edition 507 5dr Auto New price: 67,810 Used price: 062mph: 4.3 secs Most Efficient Model C220 CDI Executive SE 5dr [Premium Plus] New price: 32,700 Used price: Combined fuel economy: 65.7 mpg Cheapest Model to buy new C220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Sport 5dr [Start Stop] Overview This Cclass, launched 2008 and facelifted in 2011, marked a return to form for Mercedes. It s impeccably engineered and a major improvement on its predecessor, with tidier looks, sharper handling and better interior packaging. It s expensive, though, and you still have to pay dearly for the best options. There are two types of Cclass Estate to choose from: the Sport model, which comes with aggressive AMG body styling and firmer suspension or the more conservative and comfortable SE and Elegance versions. The Cclass was given a facelift in March 2011, with extra equipment and improved engine efficiency across the range. The smoothshifting 7GTronic Plus automatic transmission was made available for the first time, along with numerous advanced active safety systems. Read our reviews of the Mercedes Cclass saloon and Cclass coupé Handsome styling and an upmarket image set the Cclass apart from mainstream rivals, and help keep residual (resale) values strong. Build quality is impressive, and the car is refined and very comfortable on long journeys. It s reasonably practical certainly more so than the Cclass saloon and the CDI diesel engines are economical and cheap to tax. Read our guide to green car technologies The car s most obvious rivals are the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3Series Touring and Volvo V60. If you re not bothered about an upmarket badge on the grille, estate versions of the Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and Skoda Superb could be worth a look. Check out all our estate car reviews The boot capacity is only average for the class, at 355 litres expanding to 655 litres with the rear seats folded (measured to the window line). There s also less space for rear passengers than you might expect. New price: Cheapest Model to buy used C180K SE 5dr Used price: 15,195 Cheapest Model to Run (new) C220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY SE 5dr [Start Stop] New price: Running costs: 11,250 Owner s View It is very smooth, comfortable and quiet, easy to drive and the Blue Efficiency model is now reasonably economical..

2 On the road The Cclass has a great ride and handling balance, with good communicative steering and agile responses. Its range of engines is also very strong. Performance Entrylevel Cclasses come with a 156bhp 1.8litre supercharged ( Kompressor, hence the K suffix) petrol engine. This sounds as though it might feel underpowered, but thanks to the strong lowend grunt, it doesn t. Overtaking is effortless and the engine is very flexible, suiting a relaxed driving style. The manual gearchange is much improved over that of the previous Cclass, making the benefits of automatic transmission less clearcut. We ve tested the C220 CDI 2.1litre diesel in both automatic and manual form. The engine produces 170bhp from its 2,148cc capacity and a healthy 295lb/ft slug of torque from 2,000rpm. This makes it feel very flexible and it too has strong responses at very low revs. Motorway cruising is relaxed, although the diesel emits noticeably more noise than the petrol, especially during hard acceleration. The automatic gearbox is jerkfree and transmission shifts are quick, particularly in the medium rev range. The 2011model C200 CDI diesel is less powerful, at 136bhp, but performance is adequate; it sprints from standstill to 62mph in 9.6 seconds. We ve also tested the 265bhp C350 CDI sixcylinder diesel, which has massive reserves of power and torque ideal for overtaking. It s also wonderfully tractable, with plenty of pulling power from as low as 1,000rpm, and is as smooth as most petrol engines. In short, it s as close to the perfect diesel engine as any we ve tested. Performance We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standingstart and ingear acceleration, and repeat each test several times. Ride comfort Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models. Acceleration (3762mph) 6.1 secs 5.2 secs 4.7 secs diesel 3.0 C350 CDI (265bhp) auto 5door estate 3.5 secs (2011) 6.1 secs Ride comfort The Cclass Estate is comfortably sprung in SE and Elegance spec, absorbing most road irregularities smoothly. Be careful though: Sport models are not nearly so comfortable. The C350 CDI we tested was stiffly sprung, with lowprofile tyres that gave a harsher ride and the C220 CDI in AMG Sport specification feels rockhard in sport mode.

3 On the road continued... Handling The Cclass Estate feels solidly planted, with very good body control. At faster speeds, it exhibits a creditable lack of body roll. Combined with very decent steering and effective stability control, this is a safe, easytodrive car. The only downside of the rearwheel drive system is that it s harder to maintain traction in snowy or icy conditions. Selflevelling rear suspension is an option that could be useful if you plan to carry heavy loads. Brakes Braking in the Cclass is confident and assured. The estate version of the C220 CDI matched the 36.0m stopping distance of the C180 K saloon, even when loaded halffull. The C350 CDI was even better (35.5m), while the C200 CDI needed 37.1m to stop from 62mph. Overall, the brakes are above criticism, with good pedal weighting and feel. They also also impressively resistant to fade. Braking distance (620mph) 37.1m 35.4m 36.0m diesel 3.0 C350 CDI (265bhp) auto 5door estate 35.5m (2011) 36.0m Refinement and noise Noise is well suppressed from all sources in the Cclass. However, drivers of the C200 and C220 CDI may notice a buzzing or humming noise from the fourcylinder diesel engines, especially when they are worked hard. The C180 K petrol we tried was significantly quieter, as was the sixcylinder C350 CDI diesel. Handling Onthelimit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry.. Brakes The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 620mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues. Refinement and noise The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score. Cruising noise 68dB 67dB 66dB 67dB 66dB

4 On the road continued... Cabin and controls MercedesBenz has a unique take on control stalks on the steering column. There is a single stalk to the left of the wheel that controls the indicators and wipers. It s hard to understand why Mercedes persists with this design, which is counterintuitive and harder to operate than the more common twinstalk arrangement. Some of the steering wheel buttons are tricky to fathom, too. Having said that, most of the other controls are logically placed (and of noticeably high quality). The interior layout depends heavily on what options are specified. For instance, satnav equipped versions get a screen that rises out of the centre of the dash. The stereo/sat nav system is easy to get accustomed to, and the speakers offer great sound quality. Visibility and parking The view out of the Cclass Estate is satisfactory and certainly no worse than that in its direct rivals. Unfortunately, the rear headrests can t be retracted or removed, which limits rearward visibility. Park Assist (front and rear sensors) is highly recommended, given the high cost of repair if the worst happens. The turning circle of about 10.9m is small for a car this large, so the CClass Estate can be spun around in quite a tight space. Bixenon lights with cornering beams are a further option, in a package with headlamp washers and LED rear lights. Cabin and controls We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easytouse heating and ventilation adjustments. Visibility and parking Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver s eye view and any obscured areas. Turning circle 10.8m 10.9m 10.9m 10.9m 10.9m

5 Comfort and practicality The Cclass Estate isn t as large as some more mainstream family estates, but what it lacks in its size, it makes up for in status. Getting in and out Getting in and out of the Cclass Estate could be easier. Some might find the seats are situated a little lower than expected, and the doors don t open particularly wide. It s possible to remotely close the windows and sunroof (where fitted) via the ignition key. Optional Keyless Go allows the driver to start the car without inserting the key. Seat space and comfort The Cclass s front seats are welldesigned with firm but very comfortable padding, and prove supportive on longer journeys and help guard against backache. Side support during cornering is good, too. Some models have electric seat adjustment and seat ventilation. The rear seats aren t quite as good; there s a lack of thighsupport for adults and the centre rear seat is uncomfortably contoured it s really only a suitable for two people. Integrated child seats are an affordable option if your children are in the relevant weight category. Getting in and out We take measurements all around the driver and passenger s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out. Seat space and comfort We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers expert knowledge and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes.

6 Comfort and practicality continued... Boot and storage The boot capacity of the estate is about 335 litres up to the window line with an additional 55 litres available under the boot floor, assuming there s no spare wheel on board (a pump and sealant kit is standard). Capacity grows to 670 litres once the seats are folded. The optional Easy Pack system consists of a sliding boot floor which is sturdily engineered; you can slide it out, load luggage onto this and simply slide it back into the car, which saves your back. An electric tailgate opening and closing mechanism is optional. Loading bulky items is easy as the boot opening is large and low to the ground. Boot space (seats up/down) 355 litres / 670 litres 355 litres / 670 litres 355 litres / 670 litres diesel 3.0 C350 CDI (265bhp) auto 5door estate 355 litres / 670 litres (2011) 355 litres / 670 litres Boot and storage Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible). Heating and ventilation Heating and ventilation The heating system is very thoroughly engineered and both the petrol and diesel cars we tried warmed up quickly from a cold start. Air distribution is effective in the front and rear. Dualzone climate control is standard in all models but you can upgrade to automatic trizone climate control if further finetuning is required. Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty 10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted.

7 Running costs and depreciation The MercedesBenz badge ensures fairly healthy resale values, though some versions and specifications are more desirable to secondhand buyers than others. Service costs for the Cclass Estate are very high: up to 1000 over three years and 36,000 miles, with the high performance AMG version costing yet more let alone its fuel costs. Insurance is also quite high, even for entrylevel models. Tax bandings for VED are relatively low for the lesserpowered models, especially the C200 CDI and C220 CDI diesels, but company car tax is rather high thanks to the expensive purchase prices. Fuel consumption We ve tested five Cclass estates. The C180K manual estate averaged 32.7mpg compared to the claimed average of 39.8mpg. The C200 CDI diesel manual (2011 facelift) managed 56.5mpg compared to the claimed 58.9mpg (the prefacelift C220 CDI diesel manual estate averaged 44.8mpg, versus 46.3mpg claimed). The C220 CDI diesel automatic engine estate tested in 2013 achieved a respectable 50.4mpg combined that s nearly 4mpg less than the claim. Finally, the C350 CDI automatic returned 43.5mpg in our hands (officially 47.1). Fuel consumption We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions using realistic test cycles to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway. Petrol (combined mpg, claimed) Diesel (combined mpg, claimed) 20.8 mpg 47.9 mpg 37.7 mpg 65.7 mpg Urban (claimed/tested) 47.1 mpg/49.6 mpg 44.8 mpg/46.3 mpg 34.9 mpg/33.6 mpg 38.7 mpg/34.4 mpg 29.7 mpg/24.4 mpg Extra urban (claimed/tested) 68.9 mpg/67.3 mpg 62.8 mpg/60.1 mpg 57.6 mpg/55.4 mpg 52.3 mpg/55.4 mpg 49.6 mpg/41.5 mpg Motorway (measured) 49.6 mpg 41.5 mpg 44.1 mpg 40.4 mpg 31.7 mpg Combined (claimed/tested) 58.9 mpg/56.5 mpg 54.3 mpg/50.4 mpg 46.3 mpg/44.8 mpg 47.1 mpg/43.5 mpg 39.8 mpg/32.5 mpg

8 Running costs and depreciation continued... Emissions The Cclass facelift in 2011 improved CO2 emissions across the range, with all engines (other than AMGs) earning the BlueEfficiency tag. The 2011 C200 CDI manages a claimed 127g/km (132g/km in our test), which means low car tax. Even the C350 CDI has emissions of only 159g/ km. The best petrol model is the C180K with automatic transmission, whose carbon dioxide output is 155g/km. Petrol (CO2, claimed) Diesel (CO2, claimed) Safety and security Euro NCAP score (Year tested: 2009) 139g per km 326g per km 114g per km 199g per km Emissions (claimed/tested) 127g per km/132g per km 124g per km/178g per km 159g per km/169g per km 159g per km/171g per km 168g per km/207g per km Adult occupant 82% Child protection 70% Pedestrian protection 30% Safety assist 86% Which? safety rating Active (crash avoidance) 82% Passive (crash safety) 81% Child 73% Pedestrian 36% Emissions While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines. Safety We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test after all, it s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags... Security Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from. Security Theft of car: Theft from car:

9 Which? Car Survey results The Which? Car Survey is the UK s biggest and best reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2013, drivers told us about 57,182 cars, covering more than 450 million miles in the previous 12 months (that s equivalent to driving 18,398 times around the world). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars. Note Star ratings below are from 15 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under Most common faults indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months. Brand MercedesBenz ratings Sample size: 2,382 people Overall owner satisfaction for this brand 79% Brand reliability Dealer Sales Service Dealer Servicing & repair Model: Ownership ratings Sample size: 176 people Overall owner satisfaction for this range 84% About our survey Brand ratings Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give toplevel satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five. Model ownership ratings These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners ratings are subjective so may differ from Which? Car test scores but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space). Driving enjoyment Ease of driving Comfort Dash layout and controls Incar technology Styling Build quality Practicality Value for money Owner s View The car handles well and is a good blend of traditional and modern. Performance is very good and fuel economy OK for a large 6 cylinder diesel. Owner s View So easy to drive on all roads. Uses no oil between services. Excellent fuel economy. Remarkably good turning circle for large car. Easy to park. Spacious interior. Reasonable service costs. Excellent main M.B. dealer support. Very well

10 Which? Car Survey results continued... Reliability ratings Overall Reliability Up to 3 years old 38 years old Petrol cars Reliability Breakdowns average annual repair cost Diesel cars Reliability Breakdowns average annual repair cost All cars Reliability Breakdowns 3% average annual repair cost 27 Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12 months About our survey Reliability ratings We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five the more stars, the more reliable the car. Most common faults Most common faults Up to 3 years old Sat nav 8% Other Minor 5% ECU 3% Fuel System 3% Cooling System 3% 38 years old Want to know what s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and nonengine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars. Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year