Mercedes-Benz C200 Long-Term Review: What We Loved (And Didn’t) After 6 Months

[@chasingcars]

Don't miss our C-Class buyer's guide to ensure you don't make common mistakes on spec: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnireaKXe6ilbpI

[@johnny5132]

Love my 22 c300. Great car.. only downside is the crap audio system .... Burmeister was not available as an upgrade at the time.... If anyone know how and where to upgrade this audio please let me know

[@kitli1266]

Hey Tom, what car do you personally own. Keen to know what a car journalist would buy.

[@chasingcars]

Might have to do a reveal at some point

[@TYAC_red]

That's why I am a fan of Chasing Car for they appreciate both serenity and responsiveness in driving at the same time.

[@mtozzy11]

My other half has a 2018 c250D estate 4matic. Absolutely beautiful car to drive and great on fuel we average 4.8L/100km on the highway. I really never got that whole crap the previous gen got its a nice car, as long as you don't pick the AMG line and you do learn to live with the tablet on the dash

[@chasingcars]

Yes, unfortunately many of them were AMG package here in Australia.

[@Davoodoox1]

The major problems are with the DPF and adblue systems that pisses off alot of owners.

[@stevenyeung2110]

Thank you for the honest review. A fan of the channel and in the market for a new car. This car is expensive but sounds like its better than the 3 series

[@chasingcars]

The C200 is better than how the 320i is specified in Australia.

[@neel4509]

The 330i is better than the 320i, try comparing the C200 to 330i

[@chasingcars]

The 330i’s rival is the C300.

[@neel4509]

Can you do a long term review of the BMW M340i?

[@chasingcars]

Would love that. BMW doesn't seem to go in for long-term reviews in Australia anymore, but I can ask.

[@graemenevill]

Thanks, Tom. Just wondering what the five options you mentioned were, adding to price. Thanks for very handy vid

[@iimer]

I was having a play on the MB website the other day, and it looks like you can't build to order a C Class anymore. Instead, you have to choose one out of dealer stock. Which means they all have black interiors, because of course they do. If they're going to use a fixed price model, then they should at the very least let us spec the car precisely to our own specifications.

[@chasingcars]

How odd. Let me see what I can find out.

[@jupitersydney3555]

Yes, boring as bat shit the silly obsession with having all black interiors… Car dealers order, such boring and an imaginative stock

[@aussie8114]

What wagon make do you have?

[@chaitanyasamardhi8495]

Tom, what would you pick between the Lexus 300h sports luxury and the C200 c edition ?

[@chasingcars]

Which Lexus model do you mean sorry? The ES?

[@chaitanyasamardhi8495]

@@chasingcars sorry. Yes. The ES 300h in the sports luxury spec since both on road at about $86k.

[@nizm0man]

@@chaitanyasamardhi8495 ES is a fancy Camry (front wheel drive). C class is rear wheel drive, so driving dynamics will r different.

[@jupitersydney3555]

ES is way nicer and the Benz engine sounds like a mix master

[@leochan7554]

Great review and great car! Would you review the new GLC 300 when it arrives? Want to see how this compares 😊 (I know they are different)

[@chasingcars]

Yep, will definitely do a new generation GLC review as soon as we can.

[@campbellreither550]

SO expensive now! Close to $90,000 driveaway, that's bordering on ridiculous. The quality of this new Mercedes is sub par. The interior plastics have been shoddy for years. They should not squeak or creak at all. We would expect more from a Yaris. It's built to a price and sold for a huge profit. The BMW, and rivals smash it for quality. It should not have won a Gold Star award; you're right about the honeymoon period. Tom, I feel you can be, at times, not strong enough in your opinions. You always balance a negative view with about three positive ones, so it can be hard to know if a car is good or not. Some straight to the point opinions would be great. Just a thought. Great work 👍

[@chasingcars]

Campbell, I can see that materials and build quality mean a lot to you. They do for me too. But my job is to assess a car holistically. If I was too nice, would I have been demonstrating a squeaking piece of trim clearly on camera? Probably not. That’s damaging and clearly negative for Mercedes. But as I mentioned, once the car cools down (from A/C) the noises stop. You might well not be able to live with that. Others can. Then, when it comes to the way the car drives, it’s exceptional, delivering on the luxury promise of the three-pointed star. The C200, dynamically, earned its gold star, while there’s room for improvement identified and articulated clearly in some areas.

[@medicalguru7465]

I agree about him not sounding firm and confident voicing his negative opinions

[@davidperry3531]

Big price increase, high cost servicing, fixed price model, Artico seats and those squeaks means a big NO for me.

[@chasingcars]

Would have been more simple if not for BMW immediately matching the price increase - that said the Audi remains a good deal for now

[@davidperry3531]

@@chasingcars I agree- it is disappointing that BMW have had a series of price rises to now match Mercedes. The BMW 340i remains reasonable value though particularly that the C43 falls short in many areas.

[@chasingcars]

Yeah, the M340i is absolutely the ‘value’ pick at the moment - tough advice though given it’s an expensive car. You get what you pay for though.

[@UTKDesign]

Why is fixed price a down side?

[@davidperry3531]

@@UTKDesign Because there is no negotiation in regard to price . Other dealers who are not party to this fixed price agreement will very often agree to price reductions because the dealer buys the stock and they are not just acting as an agent selling Mercedes products. The practice is borderline illegal because it is non competitive and prices are fixed.

[@Dev-px1pk]

Very good an clear review. Could you please please please, also do a similar video on the CLA250? Not hearing a lot of chatter about that car so wonder how it actually is.

[@rossdurnin3615]

What wagon did you purchase?

[@chasingcars]

Evidently not an S206 C-Class, which should be sold in Australia!

[@thakillerb]

Do you have a bmw version of this?

[@chasingcars]

You can watch our comparison of the C200 with the equivalent BMW 320i here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZjSqnejq6psjM0

[@jasonswift7098]

Merc do make nice looking cars with great technology, unfortunately they are the most recalled car for faults in Australia.

[@cobusl1]

I had the W206 2022 C220d: worst car ever with endless rattles, squeaks - just poor quality plastics all over in the cabin. Add to this a failed (read: broken) ABS module within 10 days of taking ownership from new -the car spending a month at the dealership (as all electronics were non-functional and the car was unsafe to drive), endless software glitches and updates, car key not locking or unlocking, the car not sensing the key, sound system below par, etc. etc., I was extremely happy when I got rid of the car. The only good thing was the fuel consumption. ( I live in South Africa where these cars are assembled)

[@tonymyers3968]

How were you able to get rid of it?

[@billybob1511]

@@tonymyers3968 Probably advertised it for sale.

[@steveny9972]

how about the MBUX, is it different than the C300 or C43? Did they reduce the functionality in C200? I just found that my A250 doesn't have the MBUX High. only if I purchase the A35, I get that in 2020

[@chasingcars]

Nah, same MBUX tier across all C-Class grades in Australia at present - but AR navigation is optional (and was fitted to my car).

[@steveallen1340]

It’s a nice car, but no way would I pay over a thousand dollars a year for basic servicing.

[@chasingcars]

Quite a steep rate, that servicing pack.

[@52cct]

Is there any reason stated for not bringing the S206 to Australia? The cynic in my things there might be better margin in a GLC but surely it can’t be that hard to homologate the wagon version for Australia given how similar it is to the sedan, and there’s plenty of S205 wagons around

[@nizm0man]

CUV/SUV are way more popular.

[@chasingcars]

Mercedes says the demand isn't high enough. The wagon was about 5-10% of the sales of the W205 generation. The hard thing to understand is that Benz wagon customers are loyal and engaged customers - seems silly to push them out the door to another brand, particularly when the GLC is really not an equivalent to a C-Class wagon. It drives entirely differently, not to mention the physical size of that SUV.

[@52cct]

@@chasingcars completely agreed! Currently drive an S205, grew up with E Class estates. Unfortunately the next one will have to be a BMW (although no M340i wagon here) or perhaps an S4 Avant. An M3 wagon would be a dream but the price tag means it’s only that

[@yslee1401]

After watching Car Ninja, think I will avoid all German Cars

[@anakinskywalker4113]

I have 1 complaint with the C Class. It does not have a three pointed star on the Bonnet. I do not like the new look it's too over the top for me. I want a more elegant look without the show off grill. A Mercedes is meant to be elegant not such a big show off.

[@chasingcars]

Yes, I agree - it’s a shame you can no longer get a traditional bonnet stand up star on the C-class.

[@anakinskywalker4113]

@@chasingcars yes it is a big shame, I do like most other things about the new C class. Just wish we had the option of an elegance style trim. Also it is a real let down that Mercedes Benz hasn’t been able to get back to the high mark of the W204. They were bomb proof. I still have a 2010 C250 CGI with 200,000ks on it as one of my daily drivers. It still goes like it was fresh off the show room floor. With some careful maintenance it has never let me down in the 13 years I have owned it since new. Original engine & transmission still going strong.

[@jeremybean-hodges6397]

It would fail pedestrian safety tests if it did.

[@anakinskywalker4113]

@@jeremybean-hodges6397 they should have a retractable one like Bentley does on the flying spur. That would be cool.

[@chasingcars]

That’s not true, Jeremy. The star folds back. Hence why it can still be fitted to the new S-class and E-class.

[@tccco9738]

This car should be 75k drive away not $85k

[@chasingcars]

That would be nice.

[@vladthe3rd414]

85k for base model ... nah

[@chasingcars]

Hard to see how it’s a base model in the traditional sense of the word anymore. Base engine sure, but we get way more equipment standard in Australia than a base model in Europe or America.

[@sternwho3932]

Money pit for tiny engine with gimmicks

[@himynameisryan]

The plastic squeaking is a deal breaker for me. I bought a Lexus instead

[@MAte925]

STILL PREFER B.M.W

[@gerrywhelan7426]

Long Term!!! only 6 months..

[@chasingcars]

I take your point. But I reply with the fact that as a road tester, my job is to make detailed assessments about a car’s capability within days - so six months of constant driving is actually very high exposure! As for long term reliability, sadly I do not have a crystal ball.

[@jonathanng138]

Kinda pisses me off that Mercedes has the same interior quality as a cheap Honda, I'm from Malaysia we have a Honda City which is the lower tier version of the Civic yet my City considering its price has a similar built quality to a C Class after multiple test in shopping malls where the cars are featured. I don't know should i appreciate my Honda or just view Mercedes as an absolute shitbox

[@lflyr6287]

Chasing Cars : it's misleading to portray the Merc C sedan as a practical support vehicle....since sedans never were practical, they were only for single office pencil pushers.

[@chasingcars]

I don’t understand how it can be misleading when I’m describing factual things that happened 😊 turns out, large boxes of AV gear fit in sedan boots. Your comment seems loaded, though.

[@benny9075]

Ahh, the benefits (not) of having comments like this after putting in the work to do a perfectly reasonable review

[@chasingcars]

All good Benny, water off a duck’s back! I’m sure LFly R would agree with me that the wagon would indeed be more practical.

[@lflyr6287]

@@chasingcars I concur :).

[@CROMA1927]

2022 C220d owner here. Pros: 1. consumption (city 7.5L, open roads 4L, highway 5L); 2. overall seat and driving comfort; 3. great MBUX; 4. trunk size; 5. interior and exterior design; 6. engine performance; 7. the fantastic "9-speed Gtronic". Cons: 1. squeaky plastics interior on the centre console; 2. very scratch-prone plastic interior; 3. some software glitches with the "MercMe app". Having tried the equivalent A4 and 3-series, the C class is far superior. So far, I am very happy.