Snug interior
I have never been a big fan of Mercedes' austere and cold passenger quarters. Some of their latest products have been "warmed up" such as the new GL-Class. The C-Class unfortunately combines the frigid environment with very little room for legs, elbows and if you are over 6ft tall, head. The most irritating for me is the narrow foot-well and wide center-console. You see, the car's front seats are most agreeable with plenty of support and comfort but all is thwarted by the fact that my knees are only inches apart while sitting down. I am very glad to report that the new C-Class has room in strides compared to the W203.

A good example of a Mercedes-Benz austere interior.

Like the exterior, the C-Class' indoor quarters are beautifully crafted with top-drawer materials. The leather is thick and supple and best of all, the cabin remains whisper quiet even at speeds above 120 km/h. The array of controls take a few moments to adjust to but once that is done, only the cruise-control stalk remains a tad complicated.

Sub-compact tank
The C-Class is a rock-solid little car. From the moment the door closes with a dry reassuring thud beside you, you immediately feel safe although cramped. On the road, the car is poised and competent. Stable and quiet, the C-Class gobs up kilometre after kilometre without fatigue. The 228 hp 3.0L V6 is no all-out athlete although it is sufficiently in shape to carry the 280 4MATIC to 100 km/h in about 7.5 seconds. The 5-speed automatic transmission never failed to make the right move.

The tank feeling is mostly attributed to heavy controls. The gas and brake pedals and steering require an above-average amount of effort to manipulate. The go-pedal also demonstrates some lag between pressure and reaction times. Nonetheless, stopping distances are fairly short and steering, short on communication, is precise.

This 3.0L V6 is mated to an efficient 5-speed automatic transmission.