1994 Mercedes C Class Review

Specifications

Seven Stellar Years

The year was 1982. Mercedes-Benz hadnt produced a compact vehicle since before World War II. Years witnessing thousands of 1600s, 2002s and 3-Series models leaving BMW dealers, with nary a cent of compact luxury money spent at Mercedes-Benz, must have had its effect. Finally the purveyor of the three-pointed star decided to dive into the entry-level segment with the 190-Series.

It was a good looking sedan, with a big, bold M-B chrome grille up front, Euro-style headlamps, edgy overall shape with a tall decklid overtop Mercedes then trademark corrugated taillights. Inside it was more luxuriously appointed than its BMW competitor, with excellent quality interior materials and near S-Class creature comforts. The bar had been raised and the race for compact sport/luxury buyers was on.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class that succeeded it in 1993, like the 190, was tuned more towards comfort than sport. That doesnt mean it lacked adequate handling dynamics, it just wasnt as capable as a similarly equipped BMW. But thats OK. Rather than go head to head with the Bavarians for sport sedan buyers, Mercedes found an untapped niche with its luxury bent. While costing about the same price, the C-Class was larger than the outgoing model, looked decidedly better and served up considerably more performance.

Initially the C-Class offered two engine choices, a 148-hp 2.2-L 4-cylinder in the C220 and a 194-hp 2.8-L inline 6-cylinder in the more luxuriously appointed C280. The 4-cylinder came with 16-valve technology and dual-overhead cams, making it a spirited performer for its day. The C280s engine was obviously quicker, while smoother in operation. An automatic transmission was standard, which meant no manual was initially offered

Considering its smooth ride and big-car feel, the C-Class is surprisingly agile when the road begins to wind. Still it was, and still is most comfortable motoring down the freeway at high-speed, securely planted on all fours. It provides excellent road feel and superb stability in almost any circumstance.

Just the same, Mercedes-Benz engineered its smallest car to provide many of the passive safety benefits of its larger sedans. Its standard ABS brakes were phenomenal, stopping the 3,150 pound C220 in a mere 121 feet. Dual front airbags were also standard. Mercedes even went so far to conduct its own crash tests, a practice it continues to this day.

A first-aid kit hidden under a lidded compartment on the rear shelf is useful for minor cuts and scrapes, while storage bins are conveniently placed throughout the cabin for odds and ends. The relatively staid C-Class interior was designed with function taking precedence over form, even though authentic rich wood, quality plastics and luxurious leather permeate every inch of visible space. While a power sunroof came standard I especially appreciate the rear head restraints that fold flat for improved visibility when a switch on the dash is pressed. Other standard features included climate controlled air-conditioning, alloy wheels, AM/FM stereo cassette, cruise control, fog lights, halogen headlights, heated power mirrors, leather steering wheel, power antenna, power brakes, power door locks, power drivers seat, power steering, power windows, and velour cloth seats. The seating itself was comfortable with a generous amount of space inside overall, adequate shoulder room and 32.8 inches of rear legroom, good enough for all but extremely tall passengers.

A restyled interior came in 1996 along with the introduction of the C36. This new model allowed Mercedes to flex its muscles with a sport-tuned suspension and a 268-hp 3.6-L inline 6-cylinder engine. The 240-hp BMW M3 of the era now had a serious contender.

The remainder of the C-Class models stayed unchanged until 1997, when the C220 became the slightly more robust C230 at 162 lb-ft of torque instead of 155 - its horsepower remained the same at 148. Still it needed over nine seconds to find 60 mph, so performance enthusiasts were required to move up-market to the carry-over C280. Speaking of moving up market the top-line C36 gained a few horsepower, now 276.

For 1998 the C280 received Mercedes first V6, a 2.8-L unit once again with 194-hp. Torque actually decreased from 199 lb-ft to 195. New features included Brake Assist and side airbags as well as a BabySmart car seat detector. The biggest news was the wickedly quick 302-hp V8 powered C43, replacing the inline-6 C36. The only downside, it only came with an automatic transmission. As good as the new car had become, it still experienced initial hesitation during full acceleration, a problem that even continues today with the new supercharged C32. On the good side traction control became an option this year.

1999 was the banner year for the base model, receiving a kompressor or supercharger for its 2.3-L 4-cylinder. Output was raised from 148 to 185 horsepower while torque improved from 162 to 200 lb-ft. Whats more, Xenon headlights, leather seats, a 5-speed automatic transmission and traction control system were made standard on C-class cars.

Year 2000 brought the Touch Shift auto-manual transmission to all C-Class models while stability control was made standard. Mercedes Telaid, a GPS communication system that is able to summon help if involved in an accident, was introduced as standard equipment too.

I recently test drove a dark green metallic 1999 C280 Sport with perforated tan leather hides that hardly seemed worn. The same went for the entire interior. While the odometer had just ticked over 24,000 miles everything looked in excellent condition.

Being a C280, its inline 6-cylinder made plenty of power and ample torque, preferable when mated to an automatic transmission. Its stepped manual-type automatic worked seamlessly holding gears through corners or simply staying in drive through traffic. Safety features on this particular car include ASR traction control, dual front and side-impact airbags and ABS. While anti-lock brakes can help to avoid an accident in a crisis, the C280 Sports performance-tuned suspension helped to ensure the crisis never occur in the first place. All in all, it was an impressive car in excellent condition.

The 1994/95 models saw the C-class only official safety recall and it was a minor one. Basically if the area surrounding the hood latch gets bumped in a frontal impact it possibly will stop working properly - annoying but not critical.

Despite the stellar recall record the cars biggest complaints come from overly expensive maintenance and repair costs and in some cases frequent reliability problems. From the reports I read it seemed people either bought a perfect example or a lemon, not much in between. Incidentally, the online bulletin boards where I derive my reliability conclusions seemed to be dead even between amorous praise and dubious disdain for the C-Class.

Used C-Class models vary in price considerably, which makes sense due to its long tenure and wide gap between vinyl seat base and luxury/performance features.

While the C is an upscale ride, it doesnt take millionaire status to park one in your driveway, especially if a 4-cylinder model will do. Just take into consideration repairs will be more expensive than the Honda Accord youre considering trading in and probably be needed more often.

All in all though, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is as solidly built as small cars come, and should offer years of service provided regular maintenance is undertaken. There are few safer cars built and few that offer as dynamic a ride and handling combination.