Meet the new 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Think “luxury car”, and a good chunk of the population immediately think of the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and indeed the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It’s one of the more attainable segments in the luxury hierarchy, and these sorts of sedans comprise a hotly contested field. The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is just the latest example, kicking off the W206 generation when it arrives early next year. This time around, the C-Class strictly houses a four-cylinder engine range, starting with the C300 that debuted Tuesday. Eventually, that will translate up the horsepower rungs as well — even the inevitable AMG models.
More than just the powertrain, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class also cribs its exterior styling and interior features from its flagship S-Class sibling. A new, more aggressive grille and sharper headlights set the tone for this model. It’s a theme you can see across the entire range now, from the diminutive A-Class all the way up through the S-Class. The new C-Class gets some bulges on the hood and a sharply-defined shoulder line, but it’s fairly straightforward to argue this is an evolution of past generations. That’s just the way it goes with these cars. If you liked the old C-Class, odds are you’ll like this one too. Bear in mind, though, this car is 2-1/2 inches longer than the old W205, with a slightly longer wheelbase and greater width. So, if you’re looking for a more spacious layout, this car will suit you better than the outgoing model.
Interior features, tech
Overall, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class gets about half an inch of extra space in terms of elbow, head and knee room than the last generation. More than that, though, you get the sort of modern accoutrements you’d find on the S-Class. Even though it’s smaller and will inevitably be less expensive than an S-Class (pricing hasn’t been released yet), you still get a large 11.9-inch touchscreen floating above the center console. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster makes yet another appearance here as well. The best part of Mercedes’ new interior layout has to be its “themes” — part of the MBUX infotainment system that changes up the display settings and ambient lighting to suit whatever sort of vibe you’re going for. You get that with this C-Class, as well as features like an augmented reality camera arrangement that superimposes information onto moving images as part of the navigation system.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class also has options life a 9 x 3-inch color head-up display, and the car has a fingerprint scanner to get into the MBUX infotainment system easily and more securely, including payments made through Mercedes me. Speaking of the newest-generation MBUX system, Mercedes will also keep its software updated over-the-air, so you should always have the most up-to-date features as they become available.
The 2022 Mercedes C-Class lineup goes four-cylinder only
On this Mercedes-Benz C300, you get a four-cylinder engine, which is the same displacement as before. However, this new “M 254” generation 2.0-liter mill produces more power and should be more efficient. Figures stand at 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, up 22 from the W205’s engine. This time, though, you get an integrated 48-volt starter-generator as part of a mild hybrid setup. That allows for 20 more horsepower and 148 lb-ft of extra torque in brief stints, such as launching the car from a traffic light. Despite the option of rear-wheel drive or 4Matic all-wheel drive, Mercedes says the 0-60 time is the same regardless of which you select, at 5.9 seconds.
The only transmission here is a 9-speed automatic, as is the usual across the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The car does ride on a newly designed, multi-link suspension setup, with adjustable damping as standard fare. The AMG Line helps make the ride a bit sportier should you want that by bundling in sport suspension.
Pricing on the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be available closer to launch. The old base sedan started at $41,600 (before destination), so expect a starting figure somewhere in the low to mid-$40,000 range, with options ratcheting up the cost from there.
