The Mercedes-Benz C-Class once anchored the cheaper end of the luxury automaker’s lineup here in the U.S., but in the past decade or so the car has shifted upward to make room for more entry-level Benzes such as the CLA-Class and A-Class. While those newer cars use front-wheel-drive biased platforms, the C-class distills the old-school rear-drive-oriented Mercedes-Benz experience into a package not much larger. 

 The C-Class dates to 2014 and will be redesigned for 2022, but it still looks as pretty as ever and remains one of the most competent and luxrious premium compacts on the market.  Mercedes-Benz

Unlike the swoopy CLA four-door coupe, the C-Class looks and feels much like the E-class, only smaller. Like that car, it also comes in multiple body styles: sedan, coupe and convertible. Representing Mercedes-Benz’s compact sedan A-game, the current C-class is six years into its model cycle and a redesign is due in 2022, but it’s still one of the best compact sedans on the market. Pretenders to the throne include the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Genesis G70 and Volvo S60. On the two-door side, Audi’s A5, BMW’s 4 Series and Lexus RC are all rivals.

Since a clean-slate refresh is due for the cars in 2022, changes for 2021 are minimal. The cars get a new digital gauge cluster, standard heated seats and a new blackout-trim Night appearance package.

There are four basic C-class models and all are offered in sedan, coupe and convertible configurations. Most buyers will be shopping for the regular C 300, which starts at $42,650 for the sedan, $48,250 for the coupe and $55,570 for the convertible. There’s less of a gap between the body style pricing on the AMG versions, but they get progressively more expensive, with the C 43 starting at $57,550, the C 63 at $69,650 and the thundering C 63 S at $77,250. All-wheel drive (AWD) is a $2,000 extra on the C 300 and standard on the C 43, but the C 63 models are rear-drive only.

The C 43 features a sportier-looking version of the same interior as the C 300, but substitutes carbon fiber surfaces and sports seats for the wood trim and cushier standard seats in the base model.  Mercedes-Benz

The C 300 comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission routes power to the rear or all four wheels. 

Though its specs are modest on paper, the four-cylinder does a solid job of propelling the C-Class from 0-60 mph in way under six seconds, though it’s noisier and rougher on the way there than you’d expect from a Mercedes. The opposite is true around town, where the engine stays out of the way and remains quiet. The nine-speed automatic shifts smoothly and works well with the engine, delivering power when you want it and returning average fuel economy for the class.

The EPA gives the C 300 sedan a combined economy rating of 27 mpg with rear- or all-wheel drive. The AWD coupe and convertible lose 1 mpg from that and the AWD convertible gets a 25 mpg combined rating. This is about average for the class, ahead of the Genesis G70 and even with the Volvo V60, but a little behind Audi and BMW.

 For a compact-sized sedan, and the C-class is only marginally larger than a new Honda Civic, the rear seat is fairly roomy. Some AMG versions get different fabrics and racy-looking contrast seatbelts.  Mercedes-Benz

It may be a base model and skew towards luxury, but the C 300 is a deft handler with a smooth ride, and gets a little more precise with the AMG Line package, which adds a sport suspension and steering as well as a body kit that makes it look more like its faster siblings.

The C 43 mates a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with an even-faster-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission. It puts down 385 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque and Mercedes-Benz quotes a 4.5-second zero-to-60 time. Fuel mileage drops to 22 mpg for the Coupe and Convertible, and 21 mpg for the sedan, but among mid-range hot rods like this, those are above average numbers.

Beyond the C 43 are the C 63 and C 63 S. Both use a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 driving the rear wheels via a multi-clutch 9-speed automatic. The C 63 makes 469 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, while the C 63 S gets 503 and 516, respectively. Either one will push you back in your seat as they rocket to 60 in 4.0 seconds or less. These AMG models handle well too, but many testers complain about their harsh ride.

The C-Class can also be had as a sleek, lozenge-shaped coupe and as the AMG C 63 S, with 503 horsepower on tap.  Mercedes-Benz

In these days of increasingly nice mainstream interiors and junior premium cars, it can be hard for manufactures to set themselves apart, but the C-class cabin has style and materials that feel like a proper luxury car. The large 10.25-inch infotainment display dominates the dash, but offers great visibility to front passengers. 

In the sedan, seating accommodations for people up front are supportive and offer generous head and leg room of 50 and 41.7 inches, respectively. Folks in the back get far less of both measurements, with 37.5 inches of head room and 36 inches of leg room. The rear bench is well padded and offers better support than many, however, so the space does not feel like a penalty box. 

The coupe and convertible variations have much less room in back. While they’re not as confining as the Lexus RC, they’re definitely smaller than the BMW 4 Series Coupe and Convertible and best used by kids. Sedans get a small-for-the-class 12.6 cubic-foot trunk, but the coupe’s 10.5 cubic-feet are average when compared with its cohorts. The Convertible’s tiny 8.8 cubic-feet are the price you pay for al-fresco motoring.

Coupe and convertible interiors don’t differ much from their C-Class sedan counterparts, but the back seat is much smaller and the two-door models tend to run $2,000 to $13,000 more four-doors.  Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes’ infotainment software isn’t the most intuitive on the market, but the learning curve isn’t as steep as some and the displays are beautiful. Apple CarPlay and Android auto are standard, though, so the interface is easy to overcome by plugging in a smartphone. The C-Class can be upgraded with a Burmester sound system ($1,500), navigation ($1,250) and other desirable features, but its standard offering will be more than plenty for most drivers. 

There are loads of options available beyond those interior niceties, but they can quickly drive up the price. Two we recommend but which we wish cost less are the $1,150 parking assist and the $1,700 driving assist packages. The former includes a surround-view camera and rear cross traffic alerts, while the latter adds world-class adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation and may other active-safety features.

The V6-powered, all-wheel drive Mercedes-AMG C 43 drives and looks faster than the regular C 300, but the AMG body kit is also optional on the base model. Mercedes-Benz

It’d be nice if more of those were standard (as some are on a Honda Civic), but Mercedes-Benz does at least include forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot warnings and exit warnings. 

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class earned a Top Safety Pick + award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but the honor only applies to cars built after January 2021 with the available front crash prevention systems equipped. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn’t yet rated the car.