Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes C320 CDI: 10,800 miles

Third Report: Unlikely racer gives us the speed bug

Pros
  • A brilliant blend of performance with great fuel economy. Plus, I love that mix of grown-up, chic styling with a dash of mean and menacing muscle car looks. The black paintjob, splashes of chrome and AMG wheels finish off a very fine effort from Mercedes.
Cons
  • Why is the cruise control stalk positioned exactly where every other car has its indicators? And when you do find them, why oh why are they confusingly combined with the wipers?
Find your Mercedes C-Class
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Minutes after the picture above was taken, the track was filled with the buzz of mini racing machines. Fortunately, my long-term Mercedes C-Class was safely out of the way behind the barriers.

Just as well for the would-be Lewis Hamiltons at least, as the black and menacing C320 would have blown them into the weeds! The Mercedes is an unlikely track star, because sitting under its bonnet is a diesel engine. A V6 diesel to be precise. And that makes it fast. Deceptively fast.

Advertisement - Article continues below

To make the point, we had descended on Lakeside Karting’s circuit, which is next door to the giant shopping centre in Thurrock, Essex.

Lakeside Karting normally entertains groups of corporate racers or guysout on their stag dos. So plonking a C-Class on the start-finish lineraised more than a few eyebrows with the orange-suited safety marshals.Little did they know that this Merc has an added dash of vitamin C togive it some real get-up-and-go!

For the record, our figures are 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds, and a top speedof 155mph. But the key stat is torque of 510Nm at 1,600rpm, which givesthe car a real whoosh of acceleration. I’ve covered nearly 11,000 miles so I’m used to this sudden surge ofurge, but it has been known to catch unsuspecting members of staff out.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

C Class

2016 Mercedes

C Class

77,000 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £9,780
View C Class
C Class

2016 Mercedes

C Class

67,040 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £9,880
View C Class
C Class

2018 Mercedes

C Class

58,220 milesAutomaticDiesel1.6L

Cash £11,880
View C Class
C Class

2019 Mercedes

C Class

46,380 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,595
View C Class

Boosting the performance credentials is the Sport pack fitted to ourlong-termer, which lowers the suspension and adds a meaty-lookinggrille, bodykit and AMG alloys. Interior trim includes brushed alloy inserts and AMG branded floor mats. With all of this racy kit, the plain-looking steering wheel seems strangelyout of place! My other grumbles also centre on the cabin, where thereare barely enough pockets and trays to store more than a pair ofsunglasses and a couple of CDs. And in time-honoured Merc style, theindicators and wipers all operate (awkwardly!) from one column stalk,and the handbrake is foot-operated.

But the C320’s plus points far outweigh the minuses. Even fuel economyin the mid-30s is impressive for a car with this kind of power. As anavowed Audi-lover, this Merc has almost converted me!

Extra Info

I share David’s admiration for the Mercedes – not least because it looks the part. The old C-Class was too much like an S-Class that had been put on a hot wash, but the current car is much more distinctive. Careful not to upset existing customers, Mercedes has adopted a clever styling strategy. The SE and Elegance models have a traditional three-pointed star mounted above the grille, while Sport models have a big badge in the grille. It looks much more aggressive, and I prefer it.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Mercedes C Class

Mercedes C Class

RRP £35,490Used from £14,199
BMW 3 Series

BMW 3 Series

RRP £31,915Avg. savings £5,448 off RRP*Used from £12,395
BMW 5 Series

BMW 5 Series

RRP £52,285Avg. savings £8,428 off RRP*Used from £20,577
Audi A4

Audi A4

RRP £32,725Used from £11,668
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition pays homage to the Clio Williams
Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition - front

Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition pays homage to the Clio Williams

The Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition has been created by Dutch company Re-volve and is limited to just 25 units
News
16 Jul 2025
New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment
Xiaomi YU7 - front cornering

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment

BMW or Mercedes would do anything to keep the new Xiaomi YU7 from sale in the UK and Europe, and this is why
Road tests
14 Jul 2025
Range Rover's secret mid-size EV: Inside its £500m factory
Halewood factory - Phil with Range Rover outside

Range Rover's secret mid-size EV: Inside its £500m factory

We take an exclusive look inside JLR’s revamped Liverpool site as the brand gears up for EV production
Features
18 Jul 2025