Mercedes C-Class

	The driver is well catered for, too – legroom is excellent and the seating position spot-on

Launched in 2001, the C-Class Sports Coupé – to give it its full (and rather long-winded) title – is the oldest of our trio. Its styling is far more aggressive than the C-Class saloon’s. Gone is the bonnet-mounted three-pointed star, replaced by a larger Mercedes emblem on the slatted grille, which itself gets an aluminium finish rather than a plastic one.

But is it actually better looking than the four-door? We don’t think the proportions of the Sports Coupé work that well. Viewed side-on, the three-door seems nose heavy and stunted at the back. What’s more, the spoiler cutting across the tail­gate glass is fussy, and hampers rear visibility.

It does have a sporty, coupé-like stance, however. The low roofline and smooth curves contrast with the chunky looks of the A3 and C30, but the design is beginning to show its age.

As the Mercedes is the longest car tested, and has the largest wheelbase, it’s a surprise the boot is the smallest with the seats in place, at 310 litres. It’s blighted by a narrow opening, but it’s still more practical than the C30’s, with a big tailgate and, when the chairs are folded, a maximum volume that matches the Audi’s. Rear passengers benefit from the extra length of this car. The Merc led the way for seat space, and offered the easiest access to the back, too, thanks to the clever sliding and lifting front chairs. The rear offers excellent head and legroom, and although getting three adults in is a bit of a squeeze, short journeys are bear­able. Forward visibility is also good.

The driver is well catered for, too – legroom is excellent and the seating position spot-on. While electric adjustment of the chair is a pricey £665 option, it brings a wide range of movement and includes an electric steering column.

The Sports Coupé’s cabin design and quality is as good as rivals’. The two instrument dials are backlit white at night, and positioned in between them is a multi­function screen which is controlled via buttons on the steering wheel. We were surprised by the amount of blank switches on the centre console, given that this model costs more than £23,000, but fit and finish are superb and the interior has a stylish feel that’s missing from the more functional Audi cabin.

It’s a pity the engine isn’t up to the same stan­dard. The 2.1-litre four-cylinder is noisy at start-up, and lacked the urgency of its opponents’ smaller oil-burners. This wasn’t helped by the slack £1,025 auto box. The five-speeder can be shifted manually, but it doesn’t have steering wheel paddles and even in manual mode has a tendency to change up too early. What’s more, while the unit is the largest and most powerful here – and consequently has the highest CO2 emissions and worst economy – the Sports Coupé was the slowest car at the test track. However, the blame for that can be laid at the door of its heavy 1,515kg kerbweight.

Nevertheless, the Merc handles well thanks to its rear-wheel-drive set-up. There’s plenty of grip, minimal body roll and it’s precise in corners, but the steering is too light and the ride much firmer than its rivals’ – although our Sport Edition model has lowered suspension and big wheels.

Yet the biggest stumbling block is the Sports Coupé’s price. At £23,770, it costs around £4,400 more than either rival. And that’s before you add any options – something most buyers will do given that standard equipment isn’t very generous.