***TESTDROVE THE 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C220 CDI (W204) C-Class***

[cawimmer430]

2008 Mercedes C220 CDI (W204) Testdrive

Well, I finally managed to properly testdrive the new W204 C-Class, and I came away very impressed indeed. It's a sweet little car with some fantastic qualities and it's got character too. A nice blend between comfort and sport - but much improved, much improved. It's more capable now in both departments. Fantastic car. 



The dealer had two W204 C-Classes available for testdrives, a 6-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic version. I choose the automatic car (a proper Mercedes should have a an automatic in the first place). Here's some information about the car I drove. It was an Iridiumsilver C220 CDI with Avantgarde trim level. The price for this car, with the list of options, was 42,120.05 Euros with the most expensive extras being the Avantgarde trim level (1,680 Euros), 5-speed automatic transmission (1,830 Euros) and Audio 20 radio (1,000 Euros). The C220 CDI uses a 2.2-l 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine with common-rail technology. It used to make 150-horsepower and was very popular in the W203 C and W210 and W211 E-Classes. Now, the engine has been beefed up to 170-horsepower and the refinement has been improved as well.



Indeed, this is the first thing you notice when you start the diesel engine. The cabin is well isolated and you hardly hear the diesel clatter, especially once the engine is properly warmed up. Refinement wise, the engine is very quiet for a diesel. Open the doors or roll down the windows at a flick of a button and you hear a hardly audible  soft diesel clatter - hardly something to get annoyed about. Engine vibrations can't be felt, at a standstill or when driving. As mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, the cabin sound isolation is very impressive. It manages to keep the engine and much of the exterior sounds out, and this adds to the premium feel.



The W204 C-Class design to me is a fresh change from the boring W203 C-Class. I feel that the new W204 brings some dynamic design language into the Mercedes range and as a passionate Mercedes fan, I detect past styling cues in the W204 design that originated in the W201 190-Series (1982-1993) with a bit of W202 (1993-2000) thrown in and molded into something dynamic and almost un-Mercedes-like. Interior space is decent for this class. The transmission tunnel is small which means that there is a lot of leg space for bigger drivers (like me) and since I was testing the car alone, I could afford to slide the seat all the way back and make the most of the interior space. At the rear, the fun ends. It's small alright and tall individuals better have a shaved head or their hair constantly touches the roof. A trend which seems to be rampant in this class, where the rear roof tends to take a drastic dive for the sake of design while sacrificing head space.



I personally like the athletic design of the interior and having spent time in both Elegance and Avantgarde C-Classes at the premier in M?hldorf, I have come to favor the Avantgarde interior over the Elegance interior. Wood looks great here, but smooth aluminum applications like here just look much better, or maybe it's that way for me because I want something sporty. Either way, the interior materials feel and look decent, definitely on par with the best in this class, but not class leading I am afraid. Still, it's a nice place to be and feels like a premium interior should and that's what matters in the end.



The steering wheel was often criticized for its design, but I hardly noticed. From the driver's perspective, it looked pretty decent. There was nothing offensive about it, so I felt. What was great about the steering wheel was its size. It was compact and designed with excellent driver grip in mind and this made driving the car a joy. The compact steering wheel gave me the feeling that I had the car completely under my control. With the engine properly warmed up, I began to abuse this demo car.



My first kickdown was met with a brutal burst of speed. The C220 CDI has never been a slow car, no matter what some people might tell you. With an extra 20-horsepower and a massive 400 Nm of torque on tap, the C220 CDI accelerated eagerly and fluidly. Mercedes claims an 8.4 second 0-100 km/h time, it felt a tad quicker, probably because of the extra and useful torque reserves. Even better was the ease with which this car performed in midrange acceleration. It was no problem at all. The brutal bursts of speed always resulted in almost violent driver throwbacks, thanks to the massive torque ratings the engine produced. I enjoyed it, I really did!

The old 5-speed automatic transmission was also overhauled and perfected for service with lower end C and E-Classes and it worked flawlessly. Shifts were hardly felt and selecting gears manually was also possible. Best of all, the automatic responded instantly when I manually shifted making for a sporty driving  experience Mercedes style. It was fun selecting a lower gear and slamming the pedal and enjoying the 170-horses and 400 Nm of torque work their magic.



The handling aspect was great. The little C220 CDI could take on corners without problems, aided by the awesome steering feel. The only aspect that was a little dissapointing was the suspension. But before I go into detail, it has to be said that the car handled confidently and was easy to control in all situations I encountered. I felt that this was mainly due to the excellent and direct steering response. You felt the front wheels, you know what they were up to and your steering input was instantly forwarded to them. Brilliant. This of course was all part of the Paramaterlenkung, a device which adjusts the steering feel and directness depending on speeds. Low speed handling tends to be direct while at higher speeds, the device softens up the steering a bit to ensure comfortable handling at Autobahn speeds.

Anyways, the suspension was very comfortable and quiet. Those were the plusses. Here's my problem. This was the Avantgarde model, which is supposed to be sports oriented - and it was, but the suspension just felt a little too soft. Body roll wasn't much of an issue (there hardly was any in curves), strangely, but for some reason, I found the suspension a little too soft in feel. In defense of the Avantgarde C220 CDI here, this car didn't have the optional sports package, which will include some serious suspension tune ups. And to me, this means one thing. The car is still aimed at the traditional Mercedes clientele who prefer cruising over sport. Younger buyers and others thankfully have the option of a sports package which will transform the C-Class into a more hardcore sports sedan. Generally though, the handling qualities of this C220 CDI Avantgarde were excellent. I'll give it a 9/10. Here's why: solid handling, excellent steering feel, hardly any body roll and easy to control. These four qualities made for excellent handling and also inspired the driver to drive the car a little more aggressively. The results were impressive. It's a comfortable luxury car and it's also a capable sports sedan. With the sport package though, it will be much better.



So, in the end, the new C-Class proved to be a most capable and fun car. Everything about it is better than the old W203 C-Class. Comfort, solidity, handling, interior, everything. The prices might be high, but I felt that the car was worth it, especially since the prices didn't increase by that much over the W203. You get a solid car with impressive capabilities in the sporting and luxury departments. A nice blend between sport and luxury, like most modern Mercedes'  tend to be. It's not quite a BMW 3-Series in terms of handling I imagine, nor does it try to be, but most kean drivers will be more than satisfied when they give this car a try - especially with the sports package. The C-Class retains part of its traditional Mercedes personality: comfort above sport, but with sport much improved. Much improved...

A great car - this market segment just heated up big time. 


IMAGESTATION ALBUM: http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2093455073


RETARDED WIMMER VIDEOS

1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s3UoS89kL8

2: FRIGGIN YOUTUBE IS SO DAMN SLOW! WILL UPLOAD THIS VIDEO LATER! 

3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnAIKBHHi2M

4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1NI-ug5pI8

5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN-FqJ9VuWk

6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OKyDt5HJp4


Got to go, Bayern Munich is going to whoop AC MILAN tonight!!! 

[BimmerM3]

I swear there's more ground clearance than most "SUVs."

[omicron]

First photo: Yes!
Second photo: Yes!
Third photo: Yes!
Fourth photo: &*(%%^E***^()(@##@$()#%

Aside, launch reviews from some Australian magazines are starting to filter through, and it indeed seems to be a better C. If I was to be buying a new C, there's a good chance it would be a silver C220CDI Avantgarde like this one

[850CSi]

Got to go, Bayern Munich is going to whoop AC MILAN tonight!!!?

They sure did, didn't they... 

[850CSi]

First photo: Yes!
Second photo: Yes!
Third photo: Yes!
Fourth photo: &*(%%^E***^()(@##@$()#%

+1

[heelntoe]

yep, that's exactly what i want to see when i open the hood.

[Raza]

yep, that's exactly what i want to see when i open the hood.

Think about what I see when I open the hood!  No engines ever!  I makes me very nervous when driving, wondering about what mystic powers are at work to aid in my locomotion.

[omicron]

Think about what I see when I open the hood! No engines ever! I makes me very nervous when driving, wondering about what mystic powers are at work to aid in my locomotion.

Kylie Minogue called: she wants her tragic '80s pop back.

[TheIntrepid]

So this is the automatic C220 CDI?

[Raza]

Kylie Minogue called: she wants her tragic '80s pop back.

Luckily, I want her back.

[omicron]

Luckily, I want her back.

She just can't get you out of her head.

[Raza]

She just can't get you out of her head.

........I don't know any other Kylie Minogue songs.

But she's very attractive.

[heelntoe]

Think about what I see when I open the hood!  No engines ever!  I makes me very nervous when driving, wondering about what mystic powers are at work to aid in my locomotion.

can you really see the engine from the rear boot?

[cawimmer430]

I swear there's more ground clearance than most "SUVs."

The illusion of photography. The Avantgarde version is actually lower than the Classic and Elegance models. 

[Raza]

can you really see the engine from the rear boot?

Nope, you can't see the engine at all.  I wish they'd put some glass back there, so I could see it.  But, as it stands, the only engine access is from under the car.

[cawimmer430]

First photo: Yes!
Second photo: Yes!
Third photo: Yes!
Fourth photo: &*(%%^E***^()(@##@$()#%

Aside, launch reviews from some Australian magazines are starting to filter through, and it indeed seems to be a better C. If I was to be buying a new C, there's a good chance it would be a silver C220CDI Avantgarde like this one

I liked the rear from the moment I saw it. The W203 rear looked a little "wimpish". This looks sporty. 

The C220 CDI is a great choice. It's got 170-hp now and as you can see, it's not slow by any means.

[cawimmer430]

They sure did, didn't they... 

Fuck Inzaghi. 

[cawimmer430]

So this is the automatic C220 CDI?

You want a POS Mercedes manual transmission? Fine with me. 

[heelntoe]

Nope, you can't see the engine at all.  I wish they'd put some glass back there, so I could see it.  But, as it stands, the only engine access is from under the car.

so you have two completely functional boots. that's awesome.

[The Pirate]

Nope, you can't see the engine at all.  I wish they'd put some glass back there, so I could see it.  But, as it stands, the only engine access is from under the car.

How do you check the oil level, change the spark plugs, change the air filter, etc.?  That'd be a big turn off to me, I'm willing to have a subjectively inferior engine layout in order to be able to monitor such factors myself.

[TheIntrepid]

You want a POS Mercedes manual transmission? Fine with me. 

Tool, I was referring to that video you posted a couple weeks back where you said "Automatic C220CDI" like 85 times.

[cawimmer430]

Tool, I was referring to that video you posted a couple weeks back where you said "Automatic C220CDI" like 85 times.

I had to because the shifter looked like a manual and then everyone would ask "Was it a stick, was it a stick!?" 

[850CSi]

The C220 CDI is a great choice. It's got 170-hp now and as you can see, it's not slow by any means.

0-60 in 8.4 isn't really quick.

[850CSi]

Fuck Inzaghi.?

Go Chelski!

[cawimmer430]

Go Chelski!

I am so routing for Manchester United to give AC Milan an ass beating. Also because some bitch of a girl I know is so in love with AC Milan. I don't care much for Bayern either, but I didn't want Milan to win. Fuck Inzaghi. We could have dealt with the Seedorf shocker, but Inzaghi nailed the coffin close.

[cawimmer430]

0-60 in 8.4 isn't really quick.

In America it's not. Here it is.

[The Pirate]

It's faster than my car!

[cawimmer430]

It's faster than my car!

The Mustang in your sig? 

[nickdrinkwater]

In America it's not. Here it is.

I wouldn't say 'quick'.  But it aint slow!  It's more than adequate and quicker than what many people have, for sure.

By the way, thanks for the writeup.  And  for the photography.  Very nice shots.

[TheIntrepid]

For the record Nick, what do you drive again?