2009 Mercedes-Benz C350 Riverdale GA

October 15, 2009   By Alison Lakin, Associate Editor


2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

DriverSide Overview

If the Mercedes-Benz brand is fine dining, then their C350 might just be that amazing little neighborhood joint a great chef opens. It's never going to see a Michelin star, but the food and service are consistently great. Nestled below the AMG-tuned C63 sits the C350, a blend of affordable luxury and sporty drivability. Though it’s true some compromises have been made to ensure it stays under the $40k mark, the luxurious appointments in the sedan are full-on Mercedes-Benz. At even the base level, conveniences like heated seats and Bluetooth interface are a given. The drive, though more brawny than the C300 , lacks the intimate feel of some of the more aggressively sporty Mercedes-Benz models. Despite this, the C350 holds its own in tight corners and masterfully softens the suspension to avoid the shake, rattle and roll over potholed city streets. While the interior is typically comfortable, we'd like to see it move more into the 21st century and clean up the tech interfaces. It may not be the restaurant with a six-month waiting list, but the C350 will sate a discerning appetite.

What's to Like
V-6s aren’t known for their perfect pitch. That didn’t stop Mercedes-Benz from attempting to make it growl like the best of them. The smaller engine achieves a fairly green 25 mpg on the highway. Its base MSRP includes enough standards to keep buyers from venturing too deeply into the options list, meaning the price will stay nice and low.

What's Not to Like
Rear visibility is limited, so where's the optional backup camera? It's a must for a car with a spyhole for a rear window. Sport seats look great, but the rear ones offer little in the way of comfort during a long journey. The navigation interface needs tweaking big-time. It's easier to whip out an iPhone than deal with it.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
In the C350, the feel of the drive depends almost entirely on whether you’ve slipped the car into Comfort or Sport mode. Gears are dropped more quickly and held longer in Sport mode, though acceleration still doesn’t reach competitive levels. Suspension is tightened up too. Body roll around tight corners – a sacrifice to the Comfort god – is replaced by a decidedly taut suspension in Sport mode. But fear not, city-dwellers, even the more eager driver won’t ever see the C350 completely shun all levels of bump absorption. As a healthy alternative to the aggressive half of the C350, Comfort mode starts the sedan in second gear to add smoothness to the drive. Though as an unfortunate side effect, second becomes dreadfully long, leaving you missing that punchiness associated with the brand. Best to switch back to Sport mode if that bothers you.

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