2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Review

Competition for the luxury performance sedan market is incredibly intense and the Mercedes C-class had, until last year’s overhaul, struggled mightily with doing well in that market thanks to cheap-seeming interior controls and blasé performance. In 2008, Mercedes-Benz gave the C-Class some significant boosts, however, and though not much has changed in the 2009 model, the car is still much more consideration-worthy than it had been in years past.

The 2009 Mercedes C-Class has the suspension, dimensions and V6 engines of a typical, entry-level luxury sedan that you might expect to find in the competition. The two different trims (Luxury and Sport), both boast significantly different styling, tuning and interior design which gives purchasers the choice of both how they want their car to look and how it should run. Halfway through 2009 Mercedes-Benz also released a C63 AMG trim which is much more performance-oriented and boasts a V8 engine capable of delivering 451 horsepower.

This comfortable mix of performance and style make the C-Class a solid contender against the similar models put out by BMW, Lexus and Audi.

Performance

All of the C300 models in 2009 come with a 3.0-liter V6 engine that generates 228hp. A seven-speed automatic transmission is standard on the Luxury model but the Sport has a standard manual transmission with the automatic being an option. The C-Class remains rear-wheel drive across the board save for the 4Matics which have all-wheel.

Upgrading to the 350 Sport trim gets one a 3.5-liter V6 which generates an additional 40hp over the base C300. The only transmission option in the C350 is the seven-speed automatic, but even so, it has been clocked in car reviews as going from zero to 60 in an impressive 6.2 seconds. Impressive, but nothing to get excited about if you pit the C350 against the BMW 335i or the Infinity G35.

Finally, the C63 AMG has a 6.2-liter V8 engine that churns out an astonishing 451 horses on a seven-speed automatic transmission. This powerhouse of a Benz can get from zero to 60 in just under 4.5 seconds.

Exterior Features

In videos and photos the differences between the different trim styles available for the C-Class become more pronounced. The car comes available with smooth, luxury-style lines and curves to boast of a comfortable drive for family. The loqued out sport and C63 models have extra vents on the front-side molding as well as prominent side-mirror signals, and larger, sportier 18-inch alloy wheels.

All C300 have the optional rain-sensing windshield wipers, auto-dimming mirrors and LED taillamps with special foglamps that set in the front corners, as well as bi-xenon headlamps. The C350 Sport also comes standard with a rear spoiler and other AMG exterior styling cues.

Interior Features

Inside the Mercedes-Benz C-class the recently upgraded styling and controls are a profound improvement over previous years and really go far to make these models contenders against Lexus and BMW. Dual-zone automatic climate controls, MB-Tex cloth upholstery and a COMAND control interface with pop-up display screen are all standard along with Bluetooth connectivity for cell phones and other Bluetooth-capable devices.

The beautiful sunroof adds a great touch of refinement and lighting to the interior to show off the simple and well-arranged controls included on the telescoping steering wheel and nicely styled CD player with audio jack that comes standard in the 300 models.

Trunk capacity for the C-class is still somewhat small when all things are considered. Unfortunately, a mere 12.4 cubic feet just isn’t quite enough to cut it in this class of vehicle. The interior cabin space is larger than before but taller adults may still find themselves scraping the ceiling and asking the driver or front seat passenger to inch up just a bit.

Safety & Specifications

The C-class does fairly well in government crash tests for safety, scoring four out of five stars for driver and passenger front and side-impact crash tests. Standard safety equipment includes full-length side curtain airbags, front side airbags, pelvic airbags, traction and stability control and adaptive antilock brakes with brake assist.

Safety for passengers in the rear seat is better than the front, earning the government’s top rating of five out of five stars for both front and side impacts in that category. Overall, a good rating for this class of luxury vehicle where some other manufacturers focus more on style and beauty and leave off on safety, earning their cars a 3-star rating or less.

Upgrade Options

The AMG version of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class can upgrade quite nicely into a “mobile sound studio and movie theater” according to one auto review. With the larger capacity hard drive for storing music and the premium speaker upgrade this vehicle is capable of delivering heart-pounding sound. If the car is in park, the CD player is capable of also playing DVDs for viewing on the pop up LCD screen.

Other items on the list of upgrades for the various classes of C-Class vehicle include leather upholstery, a panorama sunroof, Satellite communications, iPod integration, in-dash CD changer, power rear window sunshade, split-folding rear seats and aluminum shift paddles.

How the 2009 C-Class Compares to Other Luxury Sedans

Compared to the BMW 3 Series, the Audi A4 and the Cadillac CTS, the 2009 C-Series holds some distinct advantages as far as its build quality and its offerings of different styles, but still pales in comparison for performance and price. With a base invoice price of $32,900, the C-Class is somewhat high on car pricing, especially when you begin adding the options.

The Intellichoice 5-year cost of ownership overview which includes things such as car insurance, warranty and other features of the C-Class give this Mercedes a “poor” rating. Not exactly encouraging when you consider that other cars in this class such as the Audi A4 and A6 have “excellent” ratings. However, if you search for online car insurance quotes it may be possible to find a great deal.

Conclusion: Is the 2009 C-Class a Smart Buy?

If you can appreciate “middle of the road” via having some superior features to other cars in this category, but having other specs that are inferior to them, then the C-Class is worth a look. Not standing out in any particular way, neither is this car severely lagging behind either. Used car guides are impressed with the road test capabilities of the C-Class in 2009 as well as the car safety, so no points will be lost if you glance in the C-Class’s direction while out shopping.