Head-to-Head: 3 Series LCI vs C-Class: which 2023 luxury sedan is BEST?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 พ.ค. 2024
- In this head-to-head comparison video, we pit two of the most popular luxury sedans against each other: the BMW 320i and the Mercedes-Benz C200. Which one will come out on top?
We take a deep dive into their performance, design, features, and overall driving experience to help you make an informed decision.
Whether you're a car enthusiast or simply looking for your next dream car, this video is for you. Watch as we explore the strengths and weaknesses of each car and determine which one is the ultimate winner. Don't miss out on this comprehensive review of the BMW 320i and Mercedes-Benz C200.
Time codes:
0:00 - Intro
1:24 - Prices & Specs
3:18 - Driving the 320i
7:59 - Driving the C200
11:08 - 3 Series M Sport Interior
13:42 - C200 Edition C Interior
17:05 - Back Seats
19:20 - Boots & Cargo Room
20:55 - Running Costs
22:26 - Comparison Winner Revealed
Chasing Cars is Australia's most independent source of new car reviews, car industry news, comparisons and car guides. We give you a critical look at every new car you should consider! - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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Both are nice, but I chose the 330i because of its excellent handling.
Both are great.. but I will choose the BMW for sure
Hey Tom, excellent review and the timing couldn’t be better…in process of transferring onto a new firm as a sales manager, i was presented with these 2 brands and models…i choose for the Merc in which in my opinion suits more as a all day drive. Whilst the BMW speaks to me more if i would go for the sporty look and feel. Great review and a big thumbs up!
Love your videos. Keep it up! 👍🏻
Great review. I have the 330i and its a sensational car to drive and has all the options.
the merc like all mercs looks dumpy
Bet it goes and sounds good> ie. B.M.W
Tom, another great video with well considered comments. Unlike many car reviewers, you actually try to get into the headspace of those of us in the market for these cars. It’s not all about carving corners, loud (synthetic) engine sounds and coal-hole interiors. I own a 2019 G20 330i MSport (with Oyster leather interior) - I would have preferred a Luxury Line trim but couldn’t source one with all the options I wanted. I considered all versions then available, and I thought (and still do) that the 190kw motor is the sweet spot for Australian conditions. My car is heavily optioned, but was still considerably less when new than the 320i as tested here. The price increases for the 320i, and even more the 330i, with the LCI are breathtaking. Yet the M340i has actually stopped in price quite substantially (it’s also lost a few standard features). It’s inexplicable to me that you can’t option adaptive suspension as it really is essential for everyday use on the 3-series - even then ride comfort is marginal on run-flats. My car is a fantastic drive, and at over 3 years old is problem free and looks and runs like new. But I wouldn’t buy the new model at over $103k optioned to the level of my car. I’d buy the C200 instead. And I thought I’d never be old enough for a Benz sedan!
Wouldn't call them small cars anymore, they are as big as 5 series of just one generations ago.
Not quite that bad! Current G20 3 Series is still quite a significant 20cm shorter and 3cm narrower than the old F10 5 Series. But I take your point - card are getting bigger.
@@chasingcars then, definitely bigger than 2 generations ago? 🙃
Exactly
@@chasingcars Current 3 Series is about the same size as 5 Series E60 from 2005.
@@chasingcars I looked this up a while ago, the current 3er is very very close in dimensions to an E34 5er
pllz can u mention the location where u took ur video (the roads are super fantastic ❤ I wanna have drive on those roads if u don’t mind)
Hey Tom, excellent review I took your advice and purchased the C200. In future can you be a little more specific in regard to tyre brands, model and actual size.
I test drove a C200 fitted with 18" Bridgestone Turanza and another fitted with P7 Pirellis and the difference was incredible.
Hey mate, so far how's your experience been with c200? Planning to pull the plug on it soon
Very good review ! I think I would opt for the Mercedes . The overall packaging is more complete and being someone who wants to sit back and be cosseted the MB is the car to do this .
A very practical and useful comparative review. Still can't get my head around a 1.5 litre engine for such an expensive car. However, from all reports it's a brilliant engine/gearbox combination.
alot of engine options in the bmw the b48 also comes in a low compression i4 2.0 hence the 330i and the i6 b58/ m340i is well one of the best engines ever made and can smack a stock m3 with a ots tune its in the new supra as well. keep in mind all these engines are twin scroll turbo so faster than your v6 or v8 respectively in their performance variants..all germans went to the turbo i4 as the new v6 and the turbo i6 as the new v8 around 2012-15 my old cayman s formerly a 6 is now a turbo 4 in its new gen and faster.... with better fuel consumption, thank american emissions law
In Europe, you can have adaptive suspension on the 320i
Classic match up but I always thought BMW and Mercedes had very little in common in the way they drive. Just two different styles completely. I prefer BMW even though I like classic Mercedes. Reason is as you'd expect. It's much more fun to drive. When I retire in some thirty odd years that might change but while I'm still young I prefer the sportier feel of the BMW. They're both great though I am sure.
I wish I had this guys job, looks great.
Great video
Thanks so much for this very good comparison review, each of these cars has a strong following.
Many would not worry about smaller issues, they would buy their car whether BMW or Mercedes, despite issues with each car.
BMW has a great following and goes back very many years and Three series cars from 30 years back are slowly increasing in value, I am sure there are similarities with Mercedes followers as well.
Great review, I remember the original Chasing Cars programmes from the states with the guy going around buying and selling classics. Thanks for this and very well done!
Anyone know the dimensions of suitcases the Mercedes C Class will hold. Ive rented with the family will pick up at the airport.
I rented a Bmw and I loved the chassis is very good. But has always with Bmw I struggled to have a good driving positions in relation to the pedals. In a left driving car the break pedal is to much to the left.
Do you test both of these cars with octane 95?
I’m in the UK and have a 330e Msport touring on order with the comfort, tech and Msport pro pack. BMW have just told me that despite being part of the package when I ordered it, the adaptive suspension has been dropped from the Msport pro pack due to semi conductor issues. I’m absolutely furious but I’ve come so far now I just can’t bring myself to order anything else as the wait will be truly awful - I’ll just have to make my peace with it
Hi, just wanted to ask, how did the suspension turned out in the end?
I have owned 2 of each of these cars. BMW build quality is now noticebly better, as well as the driving dynamics. On my 2cd 330i
Got the c300e. Did drive the 330e as well, but nicer interior, more tech and comfort and better electric range and charging made me choose Merc. Sure the BMW handled better, but I also have a supercharged Mini Cooper S as well for the fun drives.
They don't offer the c300e in the US for some reason. I bought the X50e...Better tech then the merc and much faster...BMW has hands free highway assist. Also they don't offer a 6 cylinder with their PHEV...
Great vid Chasing Cars , it’s the comp I’ve been waiting for
Glad you enjoyed
if 320i is about 15% cheaper (in my country), is it a clear winner?
Thanks Tom! Great comparison!
My pleasure!
As usual a good honest comprehensive review. I think I would choose the Merc if not for the fixed price servicing costs which are far too high.
Thanks!
Just so detailed yet informative videos!
Glad you like them!
I would like a comment about the visibility of the centre command screen with the sun reflecting on it.
I’ve been driving a 2023 C300 for nearly 5 months and have never had a single issue with glare/sun on the center display screen. I never even thought about it, to be honest, until I read your comment. It’s a good question though. But yeah, never an issue in any way, shape, or form in my experience.
Hi Tom! Nice cars, nice review! Given the fact that your daily fuel consumption is about the same for both cars, can you explain what the benefit of the annoying downsizing is with the Mercedes engine?
There doesn't seem to really be one. The C200 is a bit more frugal on the highway, though.
Perhaps it maybe more environmentally friendly though I have not the CO2 values to hand .
I test drove both cars and couldn't wait to get out of that benz, the bmw was lovely and great to dive for sure.
Did you notice by my chance that the brake pedal is jittery?? And when I wanna Reverse it does do so gradually. Please let me know
You mean for the Mercs?
@@tand9854 yes, the brake pedal for the c200
@@medicalguru7465 it’s like that. If you read the reviews online you’ll see. They call it mushy brake pedal
He mentioned this in the video. Regenerative braking for the hybrid system
Not small, these cats are nearly as big as 5series and E-class of 20 years ago.
BMW 🔥
My C series Wagon filled almost the exact footprint in my garage a my Rav4 Hybrid does now
Love a wagon.
B.M.W mate!😎👍
Why is every comparison between the 3 series and c class its always the bmw with the m package and the c class without the amg package. this doenst make any sense since the c class also has a sport suspension
C43 135k. Are they mad? Who the hell would spend all that money on a 2 liter. This comes from a Mercedes fan.
Its not just a 4 cylinder its a direct injected turbo I4 hybrid with 400hp lmfao. You’re paying for a brand new handcrafted AMG. This isnt some random npc 4 cylinder engine its the most powerful 4 cylinder on the planet
@@MarlonAllen-dy9yv still slower then the previous gen and slower than the BMW... Oh and more expensive.
M340 for sure
Guys as independent reviewers for cars to the Australian market and with German brands showing to be not very reliable, you really have to start discussions on reliability in and with everything you review, this is even more important now with all European brands. All European cars are so expensive to repair and maintain in Australia. Please add comments on each models overall reliability! Keep up the Great Reviews!
Appreciate the feedback. But if we’re going to do this it needs to be based on good, independent reliability data, not just a guess or based on online complaints. You know who you never hear from? People who have an average or good experience with their car’s reliability. They don’t go online and post about it! So we need to find a way to measure the actual experience. A big, paid survey that actually reaches a broad cross-spectrum of owners isn’t a bad way to do it. I’m not sure if we are the right body to fund that, but it’s worth thinking about.
@@chasingcars thanks for the reply and hopefully Budget Direct can find a way to obtain some useful information and data. Maybe ask drivers of European cars to leave a comment if they drive European cars to share their experience. Your reviews are very good, thanks for all your efforts!
@@chasingcars Since you are owned by a car insurance company, you can have a discussion with them to see if they can do what Warrantywise in the UK does - release data regarding the average number of claims, how much the claims are paid, etc. for each car brand or even individual models. Of course, these will be lagging indicators, but the trend of reliability in previous models will still be insightful.
I don't agree. Overall reliability is something that may differ from two different cars from the same model depending on many factors including maintenance and driving style. You can end up with one owner having a trouble free run with their car, while a neighbour with the exact same car may have had to take it for warranty work once a month. Reliability is not something that can be reliably measured. Journalists can - or rather, should - report on their own experience with the car, rather than speculate as to what might happen down the line. As the C-class is a long term car, hopefully Tom will let us know if he's had any issues with the car in the six months (?) he drives it.
@@BomberFletch31 I agree with your point that the reliable of a vehicle is partially determined by how well an onwer maintain it.
A long-term review can give viewers a detailed understanding of the ownership experience of one car.
When designing a car, engineers can test the durability of car components in accelerated conditions, and use those feedback to design more resilient components. If a car marker chooses to skim on this, many of the cars they produce will show permature failures. Car markers can chose to do this engineering work at the expense of higher development cost, it is a strategic business decision.
Any single long-term review is only about the journalist's experience with one car, so the luck of the draw may influence the build quality of the car to a certain extent.
This is when warranty data comes in. If the results are drawn a sufficiently large sample size, then we can better understand whether the car maker has decided to 'over-engineer' their car or not. Those that have made this decision will manufacturer cars that have less need for unscheduled trips to the mechanic, and thus less need for the owners to make insurance claims. While warranty data is inherently backward-looking, the company culture that has led to these results do not change dramatically, hence some brand have consistently performed better or worse on rankings of Warrantywise's results.
Surely it is more beneficial to have more information (and information of a different nature), when making a car-purchse decision, don't you agree? For this reason, I stand by my original opinion, while acknowledging the utility of long-term reviews.
I wouldn’t touch a Benz with a barge pole these days. Their customer service is shocking.
Agency model sucks! And it’s killing brand equity. DAS LIFE
3 series all day..
Does the premium c200 have wireless charging for the phone?
Bmw not more expensive, they have more option to chooses from which cost money, however individually Bebz specs are more costly 1 on 1
What about comparing these with lexus? Why is lexus compared?
I wouldn't touch a MB these days. The after sales service is enough to make you go to the Bavarians.
Most of the MB dealers are suing head office so dealer sentiment under this agency model is at an all time low.
Well seeming how the w205 doesnt have any major issues except from the 2015 piston model idk what you’re talking about or if you even did research. All 3 engine varients in the c class last gen have 0 major issues outside the piston one. Maybe some tech issues like every other car but also as a driver of a C400 from 2015 i can say its at 162k never had any major issues. Take care of your car it will take care of you.
Highly recommend watching this epic battle drinking a glass of Royal Salute (on the rocks of course!)
Lovely!
And what about a Jaguar XE P300... Why no mention as a real rival for the BMW as a driver's car, and it's far better value for money?
Fair call. Haven’t seen a new one in forever, must be said.
Jaguar are really struggling in Australia and huge range of models a few years ago is now just 1. XE showed lots of promise but has been let down by reliability with the Ingenium motors.
I've got a 22 plate C-220d AMG Premium Plus here in the UK. A fantastic car with very similar BHP and performance, but gives a bit more low down grunt than than the 1.5 petrol, which I found a bit whiny when I tested it. It also has a bit of a better, more sporty look.
The C200 AMG Premium would be a better comparison here, as it has the looks of mine and would therefore match the style of this BMW a bit better. But I assume Mercedes Australia don't sell it.
This is another comprehensive review Tom and to me, a surprising result. I think BMW with this updated 3 Series has shown to be a bit mean and tricky both with the limited options on the 320i and massive price increases. After seeing Mercedes launch the C Class with huge price increases over the previous model, BMW could have had a huge advantage over their competitor by pricing the 3 Series between the A4 and the C200. Then maybe BMW are not that interested in extra sales as world-wide figures for BMW show that sales were down in 2022 compared to 2021 but profits increased.
I think a comparison between the 330i and C300 would see the results reversed but really if purchasers are prepared to stretch themselves, then a 340i X Drive 6cylinder with all the standard features you need and reportedly far better than the new C43 4 cylinder and with a price reduction of $8900, then this is the model to get. I'm just glad I bought my G20 330i M Sport, complete with laser headlights and adaptive suspension in 2019 at a price well below what BMW are asking now and I love my car. Even so, there should be some discounts buying a BMW when Mercedes will say NO.
Yeah I agree with this. I ordered a 330e (M-sport) LCI because the dealer was too slow to place my order for a pre-LCI car. I received it two weeks ago and I am shocked and pissed to see how much stuff has become optional on the LCI compared to the pre-LCI. My $70000 (US dollars!!) car doesn't have a backup camera, that is now optional and only available in a very expensive package. EXCUSE ME?!? I had no idea this was the case and just assumed it would include a backup camera, like it always had. Disgraceful. The parking assistant? Also became optional, while it was standard on pre-LCI. Ambient lighting? Optional. Adaptive suspension? Optional, while it used to be included in the M-sport package. And so on, it's a long list.... Great car, I love it, but BMW's sales tactics are turning me away from the brand I've been driving for 15+ years. This is my 5th new BMW and it will be my last, no doubt about it
@@BinaryBlueBull Hmmm….that is so interesting and one would assume that many of those features would be standard. In Australia, some of those features are now options as well and I believe laser headlights are not available now due to them being banned in some USA states. They are really fantastic and light the road up to 600 metres.
The salesperson should really have done the right thing and told what was in and what was out. This 330i M Sport is my fifth BMW but the recent huge price increases would make me think twice before buying again.
the best spot here is the M340i.. if u dont care about gas
Mercedes for sure ❤
Buy both
The old and outdated and slower IS350 is the winner lol. Change my mind.
Car price in Australia these days, i think I’ll never buy a new car in Australia. A 2017 f30 330i will make more sense then. But the one in mint condition
Rattles on a $100,000 car. Wtf
Those rattles & creeks, leaking windscreens & flashing Christmas lights dashboards are complementary free of charge features on these German makes
You’ve not been in a Range Rover lately have you? I was in a test drive signature recently. Shocking.
Yep, I'll never buy a Bimmer again. The ride quality is crap. Low profile, run-flat, 19inch wheels is a very bad combination, and unacceptable today.
BMW definitely
A stand to hold the middle screen in the bmw, yes the Mercedes wins
That’s a hell of a lot of money $90,000 for base model. Loaded with options that’s nuts if you ask me. I wish they wouldn’t make you tick umpteen options boxes & just build a car with all the fruit loaded already. It’s too confusing & expensive.
I find it pretty bad how nowadays you need tons of horsies to move these things because the new 3 series beemers literally weigh 300kg more than their predecessors.
My 330i M Sport weighs just 1450 kgs in a bigger car and is actually lighter by approximately 70 kgs than the previous F30 model, so your comment does not add up. The M3/M4 though is quite a bit heavier.
@@davidperry3531 My F30 has about 1410kg of weight its a 318d that is comparable in weight with a 320i. I know that the B48 generation of G20/G21 cars have only 50kg more in weight. Which I am fine with. Though the facelift of the G20 is already again about 65kg heavier. In other words: Engine generations like the 18 or 20 series of BMW are being more and more obsolete in these weight classes. The 3 series isn't big. It weighs about the same as a VW Arteon which hella long and huge in size. I am sorry but Cars are getting heavier and there is nothing neglige about having to carry another person in a car with no benefits really.
One could say: hey they are "only" 50kg more. This goes on for generations and all of a sudden your chassis is made completely of steel and not alloy resulting to heavy ass cars not moving forward properly for the size they carry around.
I daily drive a 318d with 143hp and 320nm of torque and I find it pretty weak even with the diesel torque the 1410kg is just too much for that engine. It would like to be a 1300kg car instead. But all these CO2 regulations lead to Cars being absolutely heavy and inefficient.
Result: I guess Everyone has to buy big engines now with their cars to get something that pulls as well as the previous weight classes did.
A VW Arteon is a smaller car then the bmw…
@@xxzmk I know that when the G20 was released in Germany by BMW in 2018, they said that the base versions of the car were approximately 70 kgs lighter than the previous F30. Now it all depends what comparison you are making but BMW made a concerted effort to get the kgs down. However since then, the weight seems to have been added but of course all the extras that are piled onto cars now add weight incrementally but even so, you would have to say that considering the capabilities and performance of the 330i M Sport, economy is a stand out when compared to many other makes. I get up to 5.5 litres per 100 km on country touring. Interestingly, the BMW X3 30i M Sport adds more than 300 kgs which means performance is down compared to the 330i and economy is also poorer.
@@mukhethwanemahunguni3597 The Arteon is bigger than a 3 series I daily a 3 series and had an Arteon as a rental car. The leg space in the back is comparable to a S- class. Whilst the 3 Series is more like C class legroom and less comfort
You are an awesome reviewer 👍 But please don’t say “peddle on the GAS”
you are an Aussie car reviewer.
In this segment the handlig matters More . Bmw for me . Second choice would be Mercedes and then everything else but audi.
But the Mercedes supposed to be AMG Sportpack since the BMW is a Sportpack
Why is it supposed to be that way? The 3 Series is only available as an M Sport in Australia now, whereas Mercedes allows you to choose the arguably superior Edition C trim for the C200. Besides, the AMG Line pack for the C-Class is literally just a visual pack - it doesn’t change the suspension, steering, engine tune etc …
Am I really the only one smart enough? The C-Class now beats the 3 series hands down. The C-class is a baby S-Class now. This is intentional from Merc's strategy's POV. The C-Class now is basically S-Class lite. The E-Class is there for the sake of still being there. Sales for the E-Class are poor because you either spend the money on an S-Class or you don't and instead buy the C-Class. Hence, Merc intentionally designed a C-Class that can battle the 5 series in terms of size, look, feel, prestige, etc. However, since the C is a C, it is still priced below the 5 series.
Do you see what Merc has done? For those who cannot afford the S-Class or do not want to risk minor accidents driving a behemoth car, the C-Class is more than respectable enough. Yes, cheaper than a 5 series, but immaterially so. Barely there C-Class owners of the past cannot afford today's C-Class. So the C-Class has not cheapened: the C-Class today is MORE prestigious than the past in every way.
Merc's strategy of positioning the C-Class today trounces the 3 series and makes 5 series prospective buyers wonder whether they should really pay more for the 5 series.
Why didn’t this guy mention the king of this class, the Lexus IS Series? Does class leading quality, reliability and safety means zero to this guy?
MY NEW CAR M340 IS MUCH BETTER THAN C63 S COUPE.(MY OLD CAR)
Choose Mercedes without doubt, I don’t want to repair every month.
Sorry, are you comparing a 1.5L with a 2.0L? 😮
BMW more sporty
I fly ABOVE all da drama ifykyk
Drive it like U stole it dude, my merc c300 d kicks ass. A little bit sporty 😂
BMW❤❤❤
merc
Benz Design Hands Down, with the AMG Exterior is more refined and S Class like and Interior of the Benz steals the show.
That's some high kms between services for Merc. I don't feel good about that!
Of course, you still have to service it every 12 months - and many (most!?) owners won’t manage 25,000km in that period!
Sedans ❤ yesssssssssss
BMW by a 1 billion miles
But I think you should use the AMG package one for comparison as the steering wheel and the body is much nicer.
And frankly the BMW screen is ugly
A C200 doesn't need an AMG Line package IMO
Disagree. The C-class looks a lot better without the AMG Line package.
@@BomberFletch31 Nah, it looks ugly without it.
@@calvin14888 looks are subjective. I think it looks ugly with the AMG Line kit.
Sportless Mercedes is ugly.
No flat bottom steering wheel
No aluminium pedals.
No bucket seats
Just a boring Mercedes without AMG kit
Can't imagine paying that much for a BMW with 181 HP. Here in the US the base 3 series has 255 HP and starts at $44K (US of course). While there's way more to a car than the 0-60, my wife's 2017 Chevy Volt PHEV will do 0-60 in the same time the 320i will.
Yeah the 320i not the 330i lol.
BMW wil beat the driving experience over Mercedes any day of the week and twice in M-mode
except that, in this spec, it doesn't
Simple answer wins Audi A6
Both companies are very disappointed that they make customers subscribe their options such as heated seats which are already included in the car! Crazy..
These two don’t have heated seats as a subscription - they’re either optioned or not. The new BMW X1 18i SUV does have preinstalled warmers that you have to buy a subscription or outright ownership of through the App Store.
Same thing for Maps
Why should I be forced to buy electric or hybrid? That's not the way it works. If you offer me a better car for the money I'll make my choice. Don't put me in a situation. Where I have to spend a fortune on something that I don't want.
Fair comment, however, 330i will win the head-on battle to C300 when spec up the same😜
Nah c300 interior looks way better. You can have the speed. At night the interior of the c class is unbeatable
@@MarlonAllen-dy9yvc200 looks like something an old man would drive. Bmw is the better drivers car just need a 330i or m340i
@user-my4xu4gf1z No it doesnt lmfao the interior of the c200 has digital touch screens and looks way more futuristic and marketed to the younger population. What old man would drive a car with digital touch screens. The interior of the bmw is boring af the c200 is miles ahead
@@MarlonAllen-dy9yv lmao what? Digital touch screens? So does the bmw. Ur happy about having a touch screen in 2024? Even a camery has a touch screen lmao. The bmw has way better performance and sporty interior. The bmw looks far more aggresive and sporty. The merc looks feminine and old manish next to it.
@user-my4xu4gf1z bruh what? Im saying the younger population would be happier with a touch screen. The BMW has a boring interior compared to the merc. The touch screen is much brighter and the interior just looks nicer. And the 320i doesnt have much better performance than the c200 lmfao im starting to think you know nothing about these trims. This isnt a B58 its a detuned B48. They have about the same performance. What are you smoking
Close to half of people have Android. Do they both have android auto?
""Fun to drive" not sure its the key factor here .
Cars are way overpriced in Australia. For those posted prices in the video, one can get an M car in North America.
Australian dollars is worth less than US dollars
@@olgerjovani8653 Yes, true, but even with exchange taken into consideration, it is still more expensive in Australia.
It seems that these two companies want to push their customers away, high base prices for base models, expensive options, questionable designs and subscriptions??
I am a Merc guy all the way. I traditionally think BMW's designs outside are too eclectic and inside they are overdesigned. Yes, the 206 C is great looking from the outside but I hate it. I think its objectively a bad car. Mercedes is on a really bad trajectory in this new gen.
Yeah but the CLE is FIRE
@@MarlonAllen-dy9yv heavily disagree. The cle’s exterior is spectacular but the interior is almost identical to the w206 c class - meaning it’s quite unacceptable. I guess it’s fine for those customers who are not discerning enough to care about interior quality and just want to drive a Mercedes because they care what other people think. The prior generation c class had a better quality interior (even though the tech was outdated) and the cle is not even close to nice enough inside for e-coupe customers (like me). Not a single thing that looks like metal is real metal in the new cle/c class. Theres much less soft touch on the dashboard, center console, and doors. Instead it’s all cheap, hard plastics you would find in the lowest-spec Hyundai from 10 years ago. It has no business being this cheap in any Mercedes, never mind a mid-tier one. They market the cle as a replacement for the c and e coupes, but it’s really just a long c class.
@tool8337 Being a 2017 c43 w205 owner i completely disagree when you’re talking about the quality of the interior compared to the w206 idk if you actually own a w205 but the w205 material actually feels way cheaper than the w206 c300 i test drover over the summer. The interior is miles ahead of the w205 i love my w205 only for the V6 never have i ever heard anyone in any reviews think the interior of the w205 is better than the w206. Also idk why people complain about the material being used in a c class when its a c class its not an E or S class. Its made to be compact and cheaper than the “typical mercedes” also the cle class is a c class chassis btw so obviously its going to have the same interior lmfao
@@MarlonAllen-dy9yv my mom has a 2018 c43 cab. It’s a great spec with real leather and extra stitching on the doors and the dash. My aunt has a GLC 300 and the interior is so much nicer on the c-cab. I am familiar with both ends of the spectrum. Side note, my brother works at mercedes so we all drive them lol. I have a ton of experience with both generations. I have also spent a few weeks in the 206 as a loaner, and I was actually disgusted. I will concede that the design and technology on the new one is a whole different league - and a very much needed update. But technology isn’t all there is to luxury. Many places where the old c43 has soft touch are cheaper plastics on the new one. I think that when the 205 came out, the A/cla class was not a real viable option, so the C was the real entry level car in the lineup. However, now we live in a world where the CLA is a great car and Hyundai makes decent interiors. Not only is the 206 not good enough, but it went backwards. They market the CLE as a replacement for both the c and e class coupes/cabs. There is no more E class tier or S class tier coupes for people who actually want a luxury gt. I personally think if they are only going to offer one coupe (excluding the gt models), it should be a middle ground to satisfy all levels of customer (c, e, S). There’s nothing for me to replace my car with from this gen (I might have to look at an 8 series). Can you imagine an S-coupe customer in the CLE? It’s not just that we have no options, but the CLE is priced in the E class tier in the US. The only elements of the E class it actually incorporates are the bigger back seats of the last gen e class, and access to features that the C doesn’t get (massage seats, 6-cyl). Perhaps the perfect middle ground would be a sportier car like the c-coupe, with the size and interior of the forthcoming 214 E class which is actually pretty decent. I still take issue with the piano black center console and inserts on the doors, but at least it has the quality to match the price. I also recognize that they brought back the 6cyl engine - so at least there’s that.
Is android auto worth nothing then?
Premium brands don't care as much about Android Auto on average, because they consistently quote data showing that most new premium car buyers use iOS
@@chasingcars Still would be nice for a journalist to let me know
Lol my old c320 02 has more hp than both of these cars and pretty sure its lighter with great handling
Im a huge merc guy but the bmw exterior demolishes the c class. However the right specced c class interior would be top notch for bmw
Mercedes is about comfort, bmw is about rushing… 😂 Mercedes for me anytime
its saloon not sedan ffs
Interesting.
I don't know how it is in Australia, given that its huge, but here in Israel these cars no longer make sense when you can just get an electric vehicle.
Unless you go for charismatic engine (V8, V12...) an ev is more responsive, linear and cheaper to run.
An EQC would make more sense.
I own a Tesla (Model 3 Performance and an X plaid) and love it. I understand not everyone like Teslas, but that would be my choice.
Entry level is $90k plus 😢😢😢😢
for me the best luxury car in this segment is the c-class.
this car is absoloute amazing 😯
but the problem is it is more expensive then the 3 series and you have to make service every 12 months by mercedes
w205 > f30
w206 < g20
F30 looks better than w205,w205 is one overstyled C class,but the w206 looks better but the C43 and C63 has a 4 cylinder which makes it a joke
Regardless of how fast they may be, Mercedes sedans are for retired people. Stodgy.
BMW seems to have lost its way with styling