2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Review

Traditionally the cheapest bed at Hotel Benz, the C-Class sedan has been a success for Mercedes. It's outsold its larger siblings eight of the past 10 years — despite the fact that some versions have presented a cut-rate side to the brand.

Now well into its third generation, the 2010 C-Class is competent, but its cost-cutting interior ranks it below a number of competitors on the luxury ladder.

Trim levels for the C-Class include the C300 Sport, C300 Luxury and C350 Sport; click here to compare them with the 2009 C-Class. There's also a high-performance C63 AMG, which we cover in greater detail in our review of the '09 model. All four cars come standard with rear-wheel drive; the C300 Sport and Luxury offer Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel drive. I evaluated an all-wheel-drive C300 Sport.

See also:

Activating/deactivating airrecirculation mode
You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if unpleasant odors are entering the vehicle from outside. The air already inside the vehicle will then be recirculated. WARNING Fogged windows impair ...

Driving tips
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration. ► Vehicles for USA: fully depress the accelerator pedal. The transmission shifts to a lower gear depending on the engine speed. ► ...

Traction
WARNING The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characterist ...