Mercedes C180 Coupe AMG Sport: Test Drive Review

Date: 19 March 2013

P11D: £31,590

Like the BMW tested above, this latest version of the C-class takes the form of an 1.6-litre petrol entry level to the Coupe range, offering a lower P11D of £31,590, or £30,090 with a manual gearbox.

You won't experience the same smooth, mid-range power as you would with a C220 CDI diesel, but give the engine some encouragement and it responds well. The drawback is that the seven-speed automatic gearbox is economy-minded to the point where it won't kick-down, so the driver is forced to intervene via the paddles behind the wheel or the gear stick if any significant progress is to be made, so a manual seems the more logical and less frustrating bet.

All the hallmarks of other C-class Coupes remain, so the C180 is a handsome thing and well built. Ditch the Comand navigation pack and the automatic transmission that our test car was fitted with and go for a manual C180 AMG Sport and you can lower the P11D value to a little over £30,000, making the C-class Coupe cheaper still and more accessible to businesses.

Verdict: Not as smooth as the diesels but competent enough and a more attractive entry point to a Mercedes coupe

Score: 7/10

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