2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class User Reviews

Pros

Purposeful engineering, handling, etc.

Cons

Total waste of potential on United States roads

Purchased As New

Handling is very, very good for a 4-door passenger car. The ride is very compliant on multiple surfaces. Precise and very responsive steering, excellent and predictable handling, high speed stability and the like make the C350 a fun car to drive in *** many **** conditions.

It does not have enough power to satisfy all, but with a clever and knowledgeable driver it more than suffices for what's purpose is. The engine just "feels right" from idle to its rev limit and mated to the 7-speed transmission its uber-engineering is easily evident.

Sometimes I marvel at the looks of the exterior while other times it seems so "blaaah". Mostly I like it - in the right kind of light and angle ;)

Can't say much about the interior because i got the cheapest 350 I could get: plastic interior, no navigation, no bells or any other whistles and i'm okay with that. Well, actually, I wish I had gotten the leather.

So what do I not like? A number of things. First, this car is mostly a waste of its potential on the US roads i drive. When traffic is relatively moving, it cruises at 80-85mph effortlessly and uneventfully. The steering is way too light. It does so many things so well that it is boring to drive. It is limited to 133mph (or so) and that is just when it starts to get "planted" to the road as if it truly is on rails. And that's when citations come in. And why isn't there a 6-speed manual being offered in United States? That would have been a dream come true (even though the 7-speed auto is near excellent). The only complaint about the 7-speed is that is has quite a bit of lag when manually limiting the top gear (and it really is limiting the top gear, it is not shifting gears as in a manual mode)

There are some other minor oddities that I don't like but they're not worth mentioning (for me anyways).

By The Numbers Summary - after 27,000 miles (it is a 2008 model)
* 23.4 miles per gallon in traffic raging from heavy, hot weather to light traffic and cool temps.
* no mechanical problems
* average speed an amazing 36mph (yup, long live California traffic).

Conclusion: A smart driver will understand the environment that the C350 was engineered for and will be very happy with it. I, on the other hand, think I was a little premature in buying this car as it does many things too well and needs to be driven hard to create some excitement and the feeling of being "engaged" - and by that time the traffic laws are well broken.