Test drive Mercedes C 200 d: Long live the Diesel!
The opportunity to drive a car equipped with a diesel engine is rare. Also, when Mercedes offered us the test of a C-Class 200 d station wagon, we did not hesitate for a moment.
The Mercedes C-Class was restyled just over a year ago. In broad strokes, it took over several technologies (most of them optional) introduced by its big sister, the S-Class.
These include digital light, the large central infotainment display and a driver assistance package including adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, active lane keeping assist with overtaking assistance, active blind spot control, etc.
Mercedes C 200 d On board
Our test model (AMG Line) was equipped with sport seats in cognac/black leather. Beautiful from an aesthetic point of view, they also provide good support but, depending on the settings chosen, can also complicate access on board because of their generous side cheeks.
Overall, the dashboard looks superbly good. The digital instrumentation is of course customizable, but inevitably, the eye is attracted by the large central screen giving access to the infotainment system and various settings.
The menus are clear and you can navigate quickly (possibly without letting go of the steering wheel thanks to specially designed tactile areas), as intuitiveness seems to have been at the heart of the designers’ concerns.
Another positive point is that the storage is numerous and extensive, especially those integrated into the center console, just as the soundproofing is absolutely remarkable, as is the perceived quality, both to the eye and to the touch. On the other hand, the control of the rear wiper (on the commodo of the turn signals) is really not convenient to use.
On the road
With the sports chassis linked to the AMG Line finish, the cushioning comfort is firm but not excessively. Reactions remain progressive and we are never heckled. As for the vibration balance, it did not fail to surprise us with its rubbery side.
Natural, the steering clearly favors comfort and ease of driving, understand that the assistance settings is rather of the calm kind, in other words, that it does not try to force the line as to the liveliness of the front axle (which nevertheless does not really lack potential).
Several driving modes are available. We have almost exclusively used the Eco mode as it has been intelligently developed, whether for the variable recovery of energy during braking (the car slows down more or less strongly depending on traffic, terrain or speed limits), eco-driving assistance (e.g. incentive to release the accelerator when approaching a junction) or for the freewheel function coupled with the engine stop (ability to move without losing too much speed and without consuming a drop of fuel).
Thanks to an alternator-starter also offering an additional 20 hp and 200 Nm, the stop-start phases of the engine go completely unnoticed, which is also very appreciable in traffic jams. That said, it has happened that the response time to the restart seems too long, especially when we want to quickly engage on the road.
Budget
On a daily basis, the entry-level Diesel 200 d (163 hp – 380 Nm) proved to be clearly sufficient. It must also be said that it is associated with the excellent “homemade” 9-speed automatic transmission, and that this marriage is remarkable.
On the highway at 120 km/h, the 4-cylinder runs at less than 1500 rpm, which necessarily benefits consumption. In these conditions, we were able to achieve an average of 4.3 l/100 km!
Over the whole of our test, with a lot of small trips, the overall average was 5.3 l/100 km. This represents a range of more than 1,100 km without starting the reserve and… recoverable at the pump in less than 5 minutes!
Obviously, at 50,900 € TTC basic, this station wagon is not within the reach of all budgets (ours was 62,787 €). But hey, it’s a Mercedes, and as is the case for all cars with the star, we know that the residual value remains higher than that of models from generalist brands.
Conclusion
Very pleasant, functional and remarkably sober, this Mercedes station wagon is there to remind us how much the diesel engine can still be justified at the moment, at least for heavy rollers. Obviously, the policies are no longer in his favor, but it would be a shame to deprive himself of it… while there is still time.
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