New Mercedes C-Class updates aim to edge it ahead of BMW 3 Series and Audi A5

Mercedes is in the midst of a revolution of sorts, with both its all-electric models and internal-combustion engined offerings getting thoroughly revamped. Among those is the big-selling C-Class, which is about to be refined for 2025. 

The timing of the C-Class’s facelift is about right, because its long-time rival, the BMW 3 Series, was updated just last year and the new Audi A5 arrived to replace the old A4 a few months ago. 

We’ve seen the fifth-generation Mercedes C-Class testing in this facelifted form before, but these latest images showcase the compact German executive with even less camouflage, giving us a better look at its revised styling. 

Since the current C-Class went on sale in 2021, a new E-Class has entered the market - and we can see the larger model’s influence here. Up front, the C-Class’ Panamerica grille will become taller, which will no doubt have a knock-on effect for the side air vents and indeed the whole front bumper.

Our previous spy images didn’t show too much of the car’s rear, but here it’s clear the tail-lights will follow the headlights and gain Mercedes’ new three-pointed star signature - a bold design trait shared by the new, all-electric CLA.

We’ve also spotted the new C-Class in estate form. This version looks like it’ll get a bespoke set of rear lights, while the model we spied also features a sportier rear bumper and larger twin exhausts, although it’s not a fully fledged AMG variant. 

The interior of the current C-Class is pretty much identical to the CLE’s, which launched in 2024, and we don’t expect Mercedes to overhaul it. An 11.9-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital display with the latest MBUX infotainment system will take up much of the dashboard space, joined by a head-up display on higher-spec models.

A range of four-cylinder engines make up the C-Class’ petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrain line-up, and we’ve had no indication that this will change with the 2025 model.

The range currently starts with a 1.5-litre petrol mild hybrid in C 200 guise, with the C 220 d having a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid diesel, the C 300 e using a 2.0-litre petrol plug-in hybrid combination and the C 300 de doing the same, but with diesel power. There’s also the C 300 petrol and C 300 d diesel, which feature more powerful four-cylinder mild-hybrids.

There are no details so far on what form a hot version of the C-Class could take. The upcoming CLE 63 was initially set to use the same four-cylinder petrol plug-in hybrid set-up as the current C 63. However, because sales of the C 63 PHEV have been so poor, Mercedes extended the development time of the hottest CLE to give it V8 power. There’s no word yet on whether this change of tack will apply to the facelifted C 63, though.

This is our third sighting of the updated C-Class so we expect a full reveal in the coming months - potentially at the Munich Motor Show in September. Sales remain strong for the model, rising to 88,800 in the third quarter of 2024 compared with 82,000 during the same period the year before.

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