Looking into the new C-Class? The prices are going up.
Generational price hikes are hardly anything new, and you could argue that the W206 C-Class isn’t much worse than before. The barrier to entry when the car arrives this spring is now $44,600, including destination. That’s an asking price $1,950 higher than the 2021 C300, albeit you do get a fairly wide range of standard equipment for the money.
If you’re already in the Mercedes ecosystem (or you’re wanting to jump in), the new trim structure is one change you’ll have to take in. The new C-Class bundles features into three total trims, including the base Premium, mid-level Executive and top-end Pinnacle. Kicking off, the C300 Premium has an 11.9-inch infotainment display and 12.3-inch driver display, a biometric fingerprint scanner, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED headlights and taillights, heated front seats, 18-inch wheels and most of Mercedes’ available safety tech.
Step up to the $46,850 Exclusive, and you’ll get all that content plus Parktronic with Active Parking Assist — one of the few driver assistance omissions from the base car. The mid-level trim also includes a 360-degree surround view camera, ambient lighting, illuminated door sills, wireless smartphone charging and a Burmester 3D surround sound system.
The $48,550 Pinnacle, as you’d expect, continues to add onto the tech pile with even more features. Here, you get navigation with MBUX Augmented Video, as well as a head-up display. Overall, the new trims cut down on how many standalone options you’ll need to pick, though you will soon be able to add one-off options to the list, should you so desire.
What about all-wheel drive?
All 2022 Mercedes-Benz C300 models come with the same powertrain. At this level, you get a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, putting out 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. A 48-volt mild hybrid system comes by default, as does a rear-wheel drive layout and 9-speed automatic transmission. If you want 4Matic all-wheel drive, that will be another $2,000 added to the asking price, no matter which trim you choose.
Eventually, the more powerful C-Class models will come along, including the (four-cylinder) AMG models.
