2007 Mercedes-benz C-class C280 4matic Luxury Awd Review
Mercedes C280 4MATIC Review
Now that Mercedes has released pictures of their new C-Grade, I figured it was every bit skillful a time as whatsoever to sample the dead C. In Europe, the outgoing C-Form (W203 in Stuttgart speak) is dear of German taxi drivers and penny-pinching poseurs with a little extra pomposity in their bag. Stateside, Merc's three-pointed star shines more brightly; the C-Form' toll tag aspires to its 2d proper noun– despite suffering from a reprehensible rep for reliability. As I drove off in a 2007 C280 4Matic, I wanted to know what footing the new C had to encompass to make its bones.
At least, I thought I drove off in a C280 4Matic. In fact, I found myself behind the cycle of a 2006 Camry with a Mercedes logo. Tombstone engine? Check. Barcolounger ride? Uh-huh. Featherlight feel uber alles? Yep. Absolutely adequate acceleration? Check. Value for money? Uh, allow's step exterior and have another wait…
Like the chubby college daughter that somehow found her way into your dorm room on a regular basis, the Benz has a familiar, soggy shape, with too many curves above the beltline. Luckily Dr. Z's accessorizers added trendy jewelry (clear headlights) and sharp footwear (square edged alloys) during the model's last makeover. The glitz diverts your attention from the generic silhouette and drooping hood. A distracted observer would even exist forgiven for thinking that the C280 is a precipitous motorcar– though just simply.
The 360 view of the C'southward interior on the Mercedes' website is the most authentic delineation of a car motel in the history of the world, ever. Just like the image on your computer screen, the C280's interior is completely two dimensional. The main problem: most of the buttons bunk together in the black plastic condominium circuitous in the middle of the dash. It's a shame that the slab of plastic is and so huge, because many units remain un-rented. The upshot is a random disbursement of blank buttons.
The plastics may lack an Audi's rubbery finish, but I see enough rubber in my private life to know that the C'south shiny buttons are good enough for government work. Well exactly. No ane who drops xl large on a German language iv-door should be made to feel like they're slumming it. If Merc tin can engineer a Rolls-baiting leviathan, they should exist able to concoct a C-Class interior that doesn't constantly whisper "Zu billig dummkopf." (Here's hoping.)
Strangely, the C280 is powered by one of the few engines whose designation has been rounded-down for marketing purposes. Its 3.0-liter V6 is superbly soft, completely progressive and supernaturally quiet. In fact, it's guaranteed not to interfere with a sporting commuter'due south growing boredom. To wit: depress the C280's predictably leaden go-pedal and the motorcar moves a bit; overnice and gentle, like shooting fish in a barrel does it, abroad we go. If yous could be bothered, you could hammer information technology and sprint from cypher to lx in a yawn over seven-and-a-half seconds. But yous can't so you won't.
One time the C280'southward ambled up to cruising speed, y'all're gratuitous to space out about the cabin. In fact, driving this sedan in car pilot is the virtually Mercedes-like part of this Mercedes; radio on, seat heated, cruise command set up, brain disengaged. Eighty-five miles per hour never felt so easy.
Well, except in a $15k VW Rabbit. But then you wouldn't be in a Mercedes. And y'all'd have to make exercise with a puny six-speed auto, as opposed to the Three-Arrow'due south class exclusive (for this calendar week at least) seven-speed slushbox. Of course, that's only in rear wheel-drive trim. Since I was test driving a 4MATIC model, I had to brand practice with five cogs. Not shockingly, they handled the whopping 221 lb-ft of torque without a murmur. Now, allow's see what this baby Benz can practise in the twisties…
If you want to stress test a car's dynamics you tin practice worse than your local highway onramp/offramp. Of course, when I say "you," I mean "you" driving a dissimilar auto. The "you" driving a Mercedes C280 4MATIC simply goes 'circular the ramp at a sensible speed, knowing that anything more invites the electronic handling Nannies in for a nice long chat. More importantly and less tolerably, the C280's suspension is not then proficient (i.e. bad) at soaking-up lumps and bumps. It's not crashy per se, only neither is it stately. And that'southward a problem.
Mercedes-Benz was one time famous for building automotive brick shit houses. Driving a Merc– any Merc– meant that the exterior globe was worlds away– as was Roadside Help. At present, both the street and the tow truck fleet are as well close for comfort. If the new C is to defend and re-extend the brand's rep for bulletproof engineering, it must meliorate its lower-priced models' interiors, reliability and suspension. A Mercedes can exist inexpensive, simply it should never exist inexpensive.
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Source: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2007/01/mercedes-c280-4matic/
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