Mercedes' Classy C

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Behind the Wheel

Compared with most other sedans, the new C-Class is fast. In accelerating from 0 to 60, I consistently timed the C350 Sport at 6.2 seconds. When you punch the gas on the fly, the big V6 emits an unearthly moan, and the car really takes off. This is far from a sedate vehicle.

However, the C350 still lags its main competitors. I timed the '07 BMW 335i in as little as 4.8 seconds in 0-to-60 runs, Toyota's (TM) Lexus IS350 in 5.2, the Infiniti G35 Sport in 5.5, and the BMW 328i in about 6.

For driving enthusiasts, another negative about the '08 C-Class is that a manual transmission is only available on the C300 Sport. Granted, the sophisticated seven-speed automatic in the C300 Comfort and the C350 Sport has a manual shifting function. But you'd think the C350 would merit an optional stick shift, or at least steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters (Mercedes says paddle shifters will be available on the '09 model).

As with the BMW 3-Series, the new C-Class's interior is nice but far from sumptuous. There's plenty of leg- and headroom in the front seats, but hip space may be tight for heavyset people. The car seems roomier than its size would indicate because the power front seats are versatile. With the driver's seat adjusted all the way down, I had four or five inches of extra head space; with it all the way up, my head was scrunched against the ceiling.

The controls are easy to use. As in a Bimmer, there's a computer-mouse-style knob you use to input commands on the screen on the dash, but there are handy "back" and "cancel" buttons that help you navigate out of confusing situations. There are also easy-to-use steering-wheel controls that allow you to use the phone and sound system and view information on a message board below the speedometer.

My gripes about the new C-Class? Some of the controls are poorly designed. In the dark, I kept hitting the emergency services button when I tried to turn on the reading lamp (both are above the rearview mirror and not adequately lit), and I inadvertently opened the trunk several times by squeezing the key fob too hard while starting the car. Also, I don't understand why you have to pay $375 for an optional kit to be able to navigate through your iPod's menu via the car's entertainment system. An iPod/MP3 player jack is standard, and it seems to me Mercedes could offer that capability for free.

Finally, the sunroof in my test car developed an annoying rattle whenever I headed onto a bumpy gravel road, which just shouldn't happen in a Mercedes

Buy It or Bag It?

Given the choice between the '08 Mercedes C-Class and its main competitors, I would not hesitate to buy a BMW, with my top choice being the 335i. It costs $2,000 or $3,000 more than the C350, but the extra performance is worth it. Otherwise, I'd go with the BMW 328i, which started at about $33,000 in '07, or about four grand less than the C350.

If performance isn't your priority, or if you just covet the cachet of owning a Mercedes, the new C-Class stands up well. The '08 Audi A4 has a similar starting price of about $37,000, while the '08 Lexus IS350 starts at about $1,000 less. The best bargain among the alternative models is probably Nissan's (NSANY) Infiniti G35, which got a major freshening up for '08. It starts at $35,135, about $2,000 less than the C350.

Sheer speed aside, the Mercedes handles about as well as the others. But BMW still has the class act in this segment, as far as I'm concerned.

Click here to see more of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.