We’ve recently seen the C-Class testing in the wild.
Around a new car’s big reveal, we usually see some camouflaged test cars out on the public roads, and that indeed is the case with the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Just a few days after a TFL reader reached out with some exterior shots, Mercedes officially announced the fifth-generation of its compact rival to the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, among others. The automaker teased the new car a bit, but we’ll have to wait until next Tuesday for the full reveal. Mercedes’ premiere is coming at 8 AM EST (5 AM PST) if you’re in North America.
The teaser image above is the best official look we have at the car yet. The other image they provided shows the W206’s proportions, which (surprise, surprise) aren’t drastically different from the outgoing W205. That said, it appears we will get much cooler LED lighting with this generation, akin to the brand’s other revamped models. The silhouette image below shows a wagon, but don’t get your hopes up. The odds we’ll get one in the U.S. are low, although Mercedes may spawn another “All Terrain” model as a smaller sibling to the E-Class.
What about engines and tech?
Where Mercedes has really pushed the envelope in the past few years isn’t so much with styling, but with engines and the sheer amount of tech onboard. I doubt the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be any exception. If anything, the new model will lean heavily on the new S-Class for inspiration, down to its updated instrument and infotainment screens. Mercedes does say the new car hosts the second-generation MBUX infotainment system, which is currently one of the better systems out there with natural voice recognition.
As far as powertrains are concerned, don’t expect the past cars’ fire-breathing V8s or even V6 engines to make a comeback. Instead, the automaker is downsizing to four-cylinder powertrains. That will mean quite a change for the C63 models, but don’t fret — Mercedes has already shown its four-pots pack plenty of grunt.
Fortunately, we’ll know more specifics about the updates next Tuesday, so stay tuned for more updates! In the meantime, check out the C-Class’ hyper-luxurious big brother below:
