rxonmymind

Upon walk up my initial impression of the vehicle was favorable. My wife happened to like it to. From the "diamond" faceted from mesh grill to the racing inspired air scooped underneath it the front gave an aggressive but not over the top look. The side profile was your typical lines while the back was gently sloping which meet with curved rear tail lights. Over all a good looking vehicle.
However my ocd took over for detail and I immediately noticed fitment issues. Where the tail lights meet the trunk on one side was a noticeable gap vs the other. One could fit ALMOST a nickel inside the gap while the other not even a penny.(pic provided) looking at the hood I noticed where the points of the hood meet the inside headlights & mesh again one side was a tiny bit wider than the other.
Inside I found the the interior less than luxurious. The special silver "carbon" had obvious defects as it looked as though someone had used a lead pencil on a few squares(9 to be exact) darker than the rest. What it boiled down to was an inconsistencies in finish.
The rest from the stitching to the seat comfort was spot on. UNLIKE THE RFC I could sit comfortably in these seats! Adjusting the driver seat to my liking with a little lean back in it I went and sat behind it. Exactly like the GS in that I had about two fingers width of room between my knees and the backside of the driver seat. Not bad for what I call a compact. So it isn't but to me it sure is. Lol.
The back seat oddly felt like it had air bags in the lumbar support area and would not be comfortable for long distances as it literally has you upright. Also one would want the front driver seat raised for those with large feet. Mine were almost squished.
Once enclosed in the front seat it's not unlike my IS350. Very cozy. This is a few inches tighter doing a quick visual measurements. Not much but a tad. Turning on twin turbo V6 I didn't know what to expect. A hearty brap, brap, brap came out then settled into a steady cadence. I have to give praise for the steering wheel as the grip was a larger diameter than most that I felt. "Meatier" So for those that have a difficult time gripping due to arthritis or big hands you'll appreciate this steering wheel.
Pressing on the accelerator I Eased I to traffic and the engine was...quiet. Not limo or LS quiet but I was surprised. Finding an empty road I hit the pedal and WOOOOOOOWEEEE that initial acceleration will throw you back in the seat. Experimenting with sport + and comfort mode one could DEFINITELY tell the difference in how the engine sounded and geared. My wife noticed too. I dare say in comfort the twin V6 was audible but not loud. However put that into sport+ mode and bam everything came alive. Similar to our Lexus ECT mode. Gearing changed & sound.
Here I asked the young smartly dressed salesman if there was a sound generator or was the engine noise being piped through the speakers. Negative to both.
I didn't get to try any spirited driving as my wife would get sick(lol). But taking a corner just quick enough I felt it handled nicely. I'll never track this car or any for that matter but going on a few on ramps and exits with a swooping gentle curve I felt this car handled well.
As for cabin noise there was more than it's fair share. The back end exhibited the most while going over bumps, man hole covers and uneven pavement. Also getting back to fit & finish there was rattling coming from what sounded like the glove box. But upon moving the two pieces of paper and my wife physically holding the glove box the rattle did not go away. In an attempt to find it I pressed hard on all the plastic parts I could find in my reach. Nothing worked.
So overall I'd give this cars engine performance a solid A+. Well done on the turbos.
Fit & finish insiide I'd say a B+. While outside an A.

A very nice athletic car and if you can deal with a few squeaks inside then I'd put this on my shopping list along with the RCF.

RXSF

Tail light fitment on that vehicle is considered pretty good. The first C classes coming off the assembly line had big issues with rear light/rear bumper/trunk lid fitment. If you are OCD, then yes, it is something to be of concern. People who brought it up to the dealer were able to get their's cars fixed to some degree. IMO, fit and finish were never at the MB forefront. On my current 2009 C W204, I haven't had a single rattle and things seem very solid. However, while the passenger front door sill meets the dash at the same height, my driver's side door is about 1 cm lower...

rxonmymind

Ahh, thanks for the clarification. Having sat in all the models from the lowest to the highest it seems they spent the most attention to the S550. Less plastic. My wife not knowing these alphabet lettering of cars went by looks alone and pointing to the the S550 said "ooh, I like that one". I had to laugh. She does that ALL the time. Picks the most expensive...everything. lol. Sitting inside I would easily say it's on par with any Lexus vehicle. Only if they could put that interior inside the C450!

rxonmymind

Anyway, I kicked the tires of an Audi S6 yesterday but didn't get to drive it just went and kicked the tires as it was a parking lot out there at 4pm on a Friday. Dealer has a 2014 one with only 3500 miles on it and they're asking $71k for it.
The interior in that was VERY nice.
The technology in that car has me absolutely impressed. A twin V8 turbo that gets 27mpg. I can't list a the feature in that car but a few things caught my eye.
Noise cancellation system.
Night camera
Cylinder deactivation
Wow. They threw everything into that car. Changed my wife's perception of Audi. Excited.

mmarshall

Thanks for the write up.........I guess an RX-Condensed Review?

Though not as expensive as the C63 AMG, the C450 is still a good chunk of cash. Do you think it is worth what it costs?

RXSF

I priced out a C450 and honestly it didn't cost that much more than the C400 it replaced. I think the difference is a mere 2K or so for the extra 60 horsepower.

rxonmymind

Boy that's a tough one, subjective & all that. While I appreciated the hp and was wowed the interior left something to be desired. Kinda blah. I'd rather have the GS interior any day even if it means less hp. Even though I'm not a fan of carbon any looking fiber, even the wood treatments lacked the depth of Lexus lacquer. The interior looked on par with top Toyota Camry or Honda accord territory to be honest.

But the headlights on that car are gorgeous. They turn as the car turns, and looking up close they have a sight blue tinge. Beautiful.

SW17LS

I simply do not agree that the C interior is "Toyota Camry quality". I haven't driven a C450, but I did drive a C300 after it came out and the interior is VERY nice, when you consider that its an entry level car comparing to the IS, ES, 3 Series, A4, etc etc. Its easily the best in class interior IMHO.

Issue is when you get to something optioned this highly...its still the same basic entry level interior so in the $60k class it falls down beside the GS, 5 Series, A6, etc. But, at that $60k point this car outperforms versions of those cars you can buy for $60k handily.

C Class:



Camry:



Come on lol

Aron9000

I wouldn't buy an AMG Benz without a V8. Just like I wouldn't buy a new ATS-V. The V6 twin turbo mills might be state of the art powerhouses, but they just do not have that sound or visceral feel that makes the V8 special IMO.

RXSF

its an AMG sport, just like F sport, and M Sport, not a full AMG

mmarshall

Even so, with 384 ft-lbs. of torque, it's still got a lot more grunt than some Lexus F-Sport models. And if my memory is correct, that's more torque than the original full IS-F's V8 back in 2008.

SW17LS

Even though the power figures may be the same or better, the feel isn't the same in the 6 vs the 8 I agree.

LH1

I really wish GM put the LT1 in the ATS-V instead of the 3.6 twin turbo. I would have already bought one if they did.

I8ABMR

very nice looking vehicle. I love the new gen body and the powerplant options are great.......Its just that German reliability and price tag . Extra cash for what usually amounts to more headaches

TangoRed

I too have been disappointed in the exterior fit and finish of the C-class's coming out of the Alabama plant. The South African ones look much better.

I really like the C450; I think it'll be a great fit for a many buyers.

Totally agree.