Let’s talk about the Mercedes Benz C-Class for a bit. For the past few generations, those model from the Mercedes range has been a symbol to our generations in vast families across the South African plain. The C-Class has always been a symbol of status and class, so much so that one would be regarded as prominent if they drove through the car park with the latest version of the model. It’s no wonder that the new range would keep the tradition going and believe me when I say that the C220d does not disappoint.
First glance, I thought of how it would be a perfect fit for, and don’t laugh, a wife candidate to my sporty life. The car is refined through and through, with the Avantgarde range being subtle and classy at the same time. The Mojave Silver Metallic paint looks very good, especially when hit by the sun through an overcast Sunday afternoon. We had a few a few additions available to us, but I must say that the cruise control was a nice cherry on top as the driver can easily engage and disengage it while driving.
The interior for this model we took for a Sunday stroll has the new generation Mercedes look with the huge high-resolution digital instrument display that has near responsive touch entry. The bonus is that the driver can setup their profile through the “Mercedes Me” mobile app, sign-in once to the car through the display and all their settings will be updated whenever they access the vehicle.
The interior featured an ARTICO Black upholstery that can stand the heat of The Vaal; seriously, it feels very comfortable on the skin and at no point did I feel like I was uncomfortable.
The car was sitting on 18-inch 5-spoke light-weight alloy wheels that MADE the drive. Between inner city driving through the Johannesburg streets to the highway, the ride comfort truly spoke on the pedigree of The Mercedes brand, refined comfort.
Now, Mercedes has incorporated a mild-hybrid system through the engine and what that meant was that we STRUGGLED to move the needle on the fuel through normal day-to-day driving and the weekend long drive out. The C220d has an output of 147kw with 400Nm of torque so it’s not “slow” as one would expect from a refined model like this one; in fact, it moves when one puts their foot to the floor. In addition to the power, the ride is rather smooth on the road and shows that peak comfort was the consideration in the design of the suspension.
The C220d is perfect premium sedan if you are looking for comfort and class wrapped in a Mercedes bow for your ease. It is refined and has grown up a few from its predecessors, sparing nothing from the luxury that it’s known for. The base model starts from R990 000 and customers can add on a range of extras to build their dream car.
