In one of the most hotly contested sectors of the market the Mercedes C-class is undoubtedly the prettiest offering. From the tip of its peanut shaped headlamps to the towing eye in the rear bumper the C-class is every inch the matinee idol.

 

But don’t be wooed by looks alone, Mercedes Benz offer a huge range of trim and engine options and the pleasure of owning a C-class is heavily dependant on getting those combinations right.

 

Introduced in September 2000 the car comes in Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde derivatives. Determined to steal customers from BMW they introduced it with good levels of standard equipment. The entry level Classic has air conditioning, cruise control, 6 air bags, ABS, brake assist, and remote central locking.

 

The Elegance offers further luxury, leather steering wheel and gear knob, alloy wheels, chrome trim on bumpers and door handles and the essential feel good fitment wood trim. 

 

Costing about the same money as the Elegance the Avantgarde model is aimed at the sports orientated driver. Lower stiffer suspension, fatter wheels and tyres, black radiator grill and blue tinted glass change the cars character and in the flesh the car sits lower and looks more purposeful.

 

But chose your model carefully, if you’re used to a BMW then you may find the Elegance ride to soft, and a Jaguar driver may accuse the Avantgarde of being harsh and uncomfortable.

 

Selecting the right model may be tricky but choosing from a range of seven engines can be nigh on impossible.

Confusingly the entry level C180 is not a 1.8 litre but a 2.0 litre engine. Producing 129bhp it’s an honest workhorse but it’s short on refinement. The C200 shares the 2.0 litre engine but adds a supercharger boosting power to 163bhp. It’s quicker but no more refined and the supercharger hurts economy, you’ll lose 10 mpg and do well to average 30mpg.

 

For a more refined delivery of power then both the C240 and C320 get you into V6 territory. Producing 170bhp and 218 bhp respectively both cars feels more special, even the exhaust note, whilst discreet, purrs with proper prestige car pride.

 

Sitting at the top of the food chain is the 354bhp C32. Understated, under rated and over priced; at £5,000 more than a BMW M3 it’s a pleasure enjoyed by a handful of people in the know. 

 

In a sector dominated by company cars Mercedes understand the importance of offering diesel derivatives. The C220Cdi will astound most drivers with its refinement, power and economy, 143bhp and 45mpg. The even more powerful C270 joined the line up in April 2000. The 170bhp motor makes it virtually as quick as a C320 and will still return 40mpg, the only down side is that second hand cars are in short supply and prices remain very strong for the foreseeable future.

 

One simple rule to apply when buying a Mercedes Benz is that the best ones are the autos. Never renowned for the quality of their manual gearboxes the C-class is no exception. Most buyers opt for the 5-speed auto box in preference to the 6-speed manual. But if you fancy stirring the stick you’ll have more chance of finding one with smaller engine in Avantgarde models.

 

Inside the C-Class cabin is spacious and major controls are clear and easy to use although the extra equipment on high spec models can make minor switches fiddly to use and poorly positioned. Seat adjustment is excellent and can accommodate drivers of any size.

 

Servicing via the 159dealer network is due every 9,000 miles or 12 months, whichever is sooner.