2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C350 Sport Sedan

Pros

Good looking exterior; smooth, powerful engine; large navi screen; quiet interior better than BMW 3

Cons

Horrific fuel mileage; cheap plastic interior; poor depreciation; questionable reliability record

We hastily traded in our leased Lexus ES350 after two years for an "upgrade" to a "sporty" Mercedes C350 without doing proper car shopping and research. What we didn't know was it really is more of a downgrade than anything.

First the good points- The C350 is much more sporty than the Lexus which was boring but safe to drive. The engine is simply excellent and works well with the auto trans. The exterior design is very appealing and most people either love it or hate it. We happen to love it. The auto HID lights are the best we have seen. The large navigation screen is bright and clear and easy to use considering all things. The interior is quite and smooth over bad roads. Good isolation. Surprising large trunk and plenty of room for shopping bags.

Now the rest- Value wise, it ranks low. First, the "base" MSRP is just a hook to grab you in. Load the car up with just a few popular options and its priced over $54,000 as ours was! Second, depreciation rates are quite poor. Third, insurance costs are astronomical! Parts are VERY expensive. Too bad we noticed this AFTER we bought the car. Our fault for making a hasty decision. Haste makes waste!
Looking at the reliability record from owners, the 2008 model has many problems and many owners report having the car in the shop more than on the road. If this holds true, we will be returning it ASAP. So far no problems but its too soon to tell. The rear seat is cramped and offers little leg room. don't expect to drive anyone besides children. The interior quality is poor to average- very unlike a Mercedes! Cheap plastic everywhere and subpar build quality overall. Leather quality is average but for this price, disappointing.

Now the biggest fault we find has to do with the gas consumption.
True, the car is very new and has to be "broken in" but thus far an average of 15 MPG is alarming! Anyways, mileage varies greatly. On the highway, we have seen as high as 23 MPG and as low as 17. City mileage, seen as low as 11(!) and as high as 17. The dealer says its normal. To make things worse, it requires PREMIUM gas so it gets expensive. Our advice would be to shop around before you buy this car. Our Lexus was not the most exciting but everything else was 5 stars. My husband has his sights set on the Cadillac CTS which we plan to test drive this week. I hope he likes it because I am tired of hearing him complain all the time!