Mercedes C-class estate: Test Drive

Date: 03 October 2007   |   Author: Alisdair Suttie

rear	Category: estate Prices: £21,000-£35,000 (estimated) Key Rival: BMW 3-series Tourin

There are no rakish lines or steeply sloped tailgate either, just good old-fashioned load-lugging space that's up 10% more on its predecessor to create a 1500-litre maximum cargo bay with the rear seats folded. A low-set load sill that lies flush with the boot floor makes it easy to get heavy and/or bulky goods in and out. For business drivers carrying hefty items, the new C-class is a much better bet than the Audi A4 Avant or BMW 3-series Touring.

The flat load floor is easy to extend thanks to 60/40-split rear seats that tip forward in one easy move to leave a long, unhindered boot. There's also little intrusion from the rear wheelarches. A hidden cubby big under the boot floor is enough for a laptop, though this does mean giving up a full-size spare wheel.

Mercedes might have kept it simple for the C-class estate, but that doesn't mean they've abandoned innovation. The wagon is the first in its class to offer a powered tailgate, opening and closing either from a button on the dash or from the key fob. There's also the Easy-Pack load securing system, which comprises extending aluminium bars that partition the boot to secure cases in place, plus, for those carrying heavy loads, self-levelling rear suspension to keep things on an even keel. During our test drive of cars fitted with the latter we found no discernible difference in the ride quality and handling compared to cars without it. The three aforementioned systems will be options when the car goes on sale in the UK in the early part of 2008. All C-class estates will, however, come with a collapsible plastic shopping crate stowed under the boot floor.

The C220 CDI model is expected to be the big seller for fleet users and its turbodiesel engine is lively, smooth and quiet. It turns in a very respectable 46.2mpg combined consumption, while performance is notably better than its predecessor. Emissions weigh in at 159g/km for the six-speed manual car or 161g/km for the auto, which is not quite as good as a BMW 320d but still very affordable for a premium small estate.

Mercedes has retained all of the style and appeal of the latest C-class saloon in the estate - indeed, the biggest compliment we can pay the car is that it drives with all the polish of the saloon - even with the shift towards practicality over more superficial style. It's a welcome move and makes the C-class the estate of choice in its sector for those who need to carry loads rather than carry off a lifestyle.

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