[sgm]

“I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
Mark Twain
This is a long post and you may get bored to death of my writing just like my sedate driving style. I think the age is catching up and I'm slowing down
This is a brief on how I arrived at selecting C-class when it wasn't on my radar a year back.

Likes
Super comfy, class and wow factor
Beautiful interiors, sporty exteriors and baby S look
Face lift has a well refined diesel in BS6 guise
0-100 in 6.9s (claimed)
Dislikes
Gear selector on the steering column
Crashy ride on bad roads, there is some sideways movements, a little more for a premium car in this segment
Small boot

What could have been better?
I would have loved a bit more hushed cabin at highway speed, the road/tire noise is not that pleasant at speeds north of legal limits.

Why the itch
Altis was fairly new and had clocked just 22k. It was in mint condition but I had one gripe, I was not happy with the overall in cabin sound insulation. The tire and road noise was irritating me. Tried a few DIY with products from AliExpress and Shultz underbody coating from 3M but there was no improvement.

I follow T-BHP and a few Youtube channels on auto segment, a way of unwinding at times. Isn't T-BHP a better place than FB or something, why not learn some useful stuff? It turned out to be costly when an itch and desire started to grow to find a more comfortable car.

My experience with cars in the driver's seat is mainly limited to cars owned by us or immediate family members. Once I did a road trip in a Fortuner but I wasn't confident of pushing it like a car when the roads were clear. I once had a scary experience of an emergency stopping in my Altis and Thank God I wasn't driving a big SUV, it would have overturned on that occasion, so I buried any interest left in me for a Fortuner or Endeavor. I have driven a few other cars during office trips to US taken on rentals.

I used to follow many threads on the Camry, Accord 2.0T(model sold in US), Superb, the C-class and the 3 series. In 2016, when Civic 1.5Turbo got released in the US, I used to dream that it will hit our shores soon, sadly it didn't. Sad that we don’t get those lovely Camry V6 or Accord 2.0T here. We are forced to go to higher up a segment to get similarly powered machines in India. Before I started considering seriously, for the last few years, I used to think that I would end up with a Camry Hybrid or a 3-series (Japanese vs German).
The worldwide launch of new 3 series kick started the action. I thought of doing the test drives of different cars in radar, but with no time limit or particular plans. I'm listing what I used to believe and how I changed my mind in the end to C-class.

Requirements:
No SUVs, only in Sedan form
Should be comfortable, feature rich and relaxing
Any fuel type or hybrid
Japanese or German
Quieter cabin
A bit more power

My motto this time was "Look for a great car and Not the best deal, follow your heart not head".



Cars shortlisted but not test driven

Passat
Passat was going to get discontinued, so getting a test drive vehicle was not possible at all. The dealer was not sure when the next batch of vehicles are going to be available, so I stopped the follow up in a few month's time. The VAG jinx starts.

Superb
I tried to arrange a test drive from Vinayak Skoda in Bangalore and the SA promised me a follow up. I tried following up a few more times but he was least interested to arrange a test drive. This continued till I paid the booking amount for the C-class, the VAG jinx continued.
A4:
After all the VAG scandals, I haven't been much keen on Audi and especially the diesel but didn’t want to leave it without doing a drive and exploring it in person. Sadly we don't get the lovely 2L TSFI Petrol model available in other markets. If you are thinking about 1.4L Petrol, why not pick an Octavia 1.8TSI and save big bucks? So 1.4L was out of question.
I had a few interactions with the SA over phone and we fixed a time slot for test drive during a weekend. We walked into the showroom as we had agreed and realized that he didn't have the car blocked and he had goofed it up. The VAG jinx hits again,hmm. We checked out the demo car. SA was pushing for a Petrol model and was offering mouth water discounts. He mentioned that diesels are going to be stopped and there won't be any test drive vehicles but promised to arrange 1.4L Petrol for test drive for another day. A4 was out immediately with no test drive possible on 2.0TDI. The interiors looked modern but missed that classy old world charm compared to the C, so family also didn't approve. What I liked was the efficient use of boot space with a doughnut tire tucked inside, plus amazing deals. Once I had traveled in one of my regular route in my colleague's A4 2.0TDI and I have a feeling that A4 suspension is better tuned for broken roads. This was a few days before C-class test drive.

Test drives
Camry
Booked a test drive and Toyota arranged one within a few days. I walked into the same showroom where I had got my Altis. The car looked big in size. The switch between ICE and EV is ultra-smooth, you just can’t notice it. Though the car was quieter than Altis,I wasn't happy with the road noise that filtered inside the cabin once the drive started. I couldn't manage to get a nice feel of the car, as finding an open stretch was difficult with moderate traffic. Completed a short 10km drive and I wasn't very impressed, thanks to the route selected. I thought of doing a detailed test drive later before the final consideration. I felt that Camry was just a better Corolla Altis in almost all aspects but there is extra power and FE much better in comparison.
C220D
The test drive booking and follow up was really easy. I was blown away by the interiors and it looked classy. Interior has a big WOW factor. I did a 30km test drive with mixed road conditions and open stretches. I came back impressed. The sound insulation was good and I felt the cabin was quieter compared to Camry after the initial few gears at regular City speeds. I could very well notice the diesel growl during the initial few gears especially when the audio is muted. I'm fine with a bit of engine noise but I get really frustrated with tire and road noise. Later I did another test drive with the family. This was one major point which in the end tilted the decision towards C. Kids loved the party trick of self-parking in one of the tiniest of parking spots, the ambient lights and voice command system which rather works well.

3 series
For any enthusiast, the first choice is mostly a 3-series in this segment among the Germans and I was also in the same boat. I have been nurturing a dream of owning a "Joy" machine for some time. The new 3 was going back to its roots with G20 and it was the newest platform in the market among the Germans. I have been following many reviews on G20 after the worldwide release. I was hoping that the India/China model will get some tweaks on creature comforts.
Getting a test drive itself was difficult due to brand new G20 platofrm and I was losing my interest, the SA was kind of rude to deny a test drive. He wanted a definite time frame of booking. May be others were just bluffing that they would book immediately after test drive Finally I managed to get a test drive by contacting the showroom again and different SA was assigned. The test drive was within city limits, it didn't blow me away. The party trick of auto reversing out of a tight spot was nice. I felt C a bit quieter on the road. The interior was good but I liked the C more.

The lack of the following was a downer for me. I need creature comfort in a big way as I have some issues with back pain, knee pain etc.
Lumbar and extended thigh support
Rear and side sun blinds
Android auto
Smallest boot among the Germans - The space saver is covered by a flat panel, this makes the usable area even smaller than C-class
BS4 diesel and not a BS6 unit
New model, no discounts

My style of driving doesn't need the better dynamic handling of a 3-series but I definitely wanted the better comfort features of C for my kind of usage. I let go of the 3-series also after considering the pros and cons. If 3-series did not have some of the above shortcomings, I would have happily gone ahead with it.

The decision:

Family loved the interiors and features of C-class over anything else. The decision was taken to go with C-class if I'm going ahead. This was more of a want than need so wanted to give some more time.

Which variant ?

After the 2018 facelift, the C200(petrol) and C220D(diesel) variants are named as prime and progressive along with the higher power C300D AMG Line. The safety and security features are the same across the range.

Prime : A very well loaded variant
Progressive-1: Prime + Panoramic sunroof, black/beige interiors, ultrasonic radar sensors+audio visual indication, Brown open-pore walnut wood trim instead of piano black finish on center console, 17” wheels, active parking assist
New Progressive-2 from 2019 : Above + 12.3” All-digital MID, wireless charging, memory seats, more electrical controls, Burmester audio
C300D AMG line : 245PS/500NM, 18” wheels with staggered setup, same features as Progressive

AMG Line is a cracker of a machine with 0-100in 5.9sec, then why not a 300D? While considering the 300D, I was worried about the low profile tire and practicality. I have never liked very low profile tires due to harsh ride. They are prone to side wall breakage under Indian road conditions. I heard a story where the sidewall cracked during a test drive in Bangalore city area and some more were found in TBHP
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...mg-line-2.html (My Rooh: Mercedes-Benz C300d AMG Line!) (My Rooh: Mercedes-Benz C300d AMG Line!)
One of my main requirements was quieter a cabin and a 220D guise is going to be quieter than a 300D guise, more power is welcome but not at the cost of a plusher ride.

I settled for Progressive-1 as I would not be missing any major feature but only some electrical controls(less prone to failures)- which was fine and, hello, save a couple of lakhs.

Color : We wanted to pick a blue as it looked smashing. I spotted a few on the road and my son loved it when he saw one in the showroom, but it was not available in Progressive-1, so Polar White the next favorite option was opted. This is a non-metallic paint and the paint quality and finish is excellent. Thus a third white in the house was going to come soon.


Buying experience
The way experience was the best at Mercedes, be it the visits to the showroom or timely follow up or answering my clarifications and concerns. I used call/text so many times and each time the SA would promptly reply happily. Compared to the experience at other Germans, you have to say Merc is at another level. When I finally got the go ahead from my better half, I completed the booking and the loan formalities. Car was picked up after busy Diwali period. The experience till then was superlative compared to any of my car delivery experience. There was some confusion on the delivery day, our SA had fallen sick and another SA was assisting us. It was our kids birthday and another baby was added with the same birthday. Yes, like triplets but separated by a few years each and tantrums of their own age.
There was a niggle fresh out of the showroom. It happened once more after getting it fixed first time. There was a communication breakage, causing some worries and later I realized that it was to give me a proper update after root causing it with MBIL. This was a bit unnerving as the same part failed a second time and I raised a concern directly with MBIL. Both MBIL and dealer did their best for speeding up the part procurement, so the same ECU had to be replaced once more. The issue was sorted out with excellent support from MBIL and dealer, all under warranty. The journey has been smooth from then onward. The support from T-BHP was really helpful in keeping my calm when I had posted about the same. More than 2500KMs have been covered afterwards and the car is running flawlessly now.

Exterior
The exterior is beautiful and elegant. It is sporty with sloping roofline, almost like a coupe and nothing overdone. It just looks like a baby S-class from behind and sides. The headlights and taillights are new for the facelift. The overall look resembles the family look. There is no mention of the style variant but just the engine variant. The proportions are right for congested city roads, it is not too large like Camry or E-class, similar to the size of a D1 segment cars like Corolla/Octavia/Civic.

Our C220D in Polar white


The side profile, sloping roof-line, sporty stance


The long swooping bonnet and the new LED headlamps


The new LED tail lamps with jewel effect


The black roof gives a good contrast to the white exteriors


No mention of the style variant


The baby S


Sharp creases from front wheel arch, tastefully done

[sgm]

Interior

The interior fit and finish is of topmost quality with crisp operability all round. There are soft touch materials all around. The ergonomics are very good and comfort has been one of the main strengths of Mercedes always. The seats misses on genuine leather, and it is just artificial leather, (sigh) in a premium car.

Ambient lighting


The huge transmission tunnel makes the car a 4 seater, not suitable for 5 adults


Nice cozy interior, good recline angle, sun blinds all around for protection on a sunny day


Panoramic sunroof


The beige screen still lets some sun light in, so it is bright inside but will be a problem during hot summers


Front seats have extended thigh support


Large door bins can easily hold two 1L bottles


A small storage area under the covered area of boot


Boot area eaten up by the space saver, levers to drop down the rear seats for larger luggage capacity

[sgm]

The Engine & transmission
The OM654 2L diesel engine is the latest generation all-aluminum four-cylinder engine from Mercedes-Benz, introduced in 2016. In the 220-configuration it produces 194 PS at 3800 rpm with peak torque of 400 NM at 1600-2400 rpm. It debuted in the 2016 E-class in 220D model. It is also found in both C and GLC models in 220 and 300(245PS,500NM) configurations. The same engine is also there in A and B class in lower tunes. The peak torque starts from as low as 1600rpm,which almost removes initial lag.
Mercedes 9G-Tronic transmission was introduced in E-class and S-class before it has been expanded to be used in the C-Class (W205). The gear changes are smooth and there is no jerk felt like in the A4 DSG unit.

AdBlue
This is a BS6 model, so there is a seperate 25L AdBlue tank. This should be good enough for around 15000KM, Mercedes claims so. If it runs out of AdBlue, the vehicle won’t start, so you have to get it filled when the warning for the same comes up, if the usage is really high.

A big 65L fuel tank and separate 25L AdBlue tank


The manufacturer claimed 15k KM is not going to be met, looks like I will have to get it refilled in another 7-8k KM, so effectively just 10-11k KMs per refill.


Dynamic Select
The Dynamic Select changes the engine, transmission, and steering characteristics. The five drive programs "Comfort", "Sport", "Sport+", "Individual" and "Eco" can be controlled by a toggle switch in the center console. The default setting is the well-balanced, consumption-optimised "Comfort" mode whenever you start the vehicle. The "Sport"/"Sport+" drive program provides more agility and dynamism. The "Eco" setting is designed to keep fuel consumption to a minimum. "Individual" allows you to configure the driving characteristics according to your own personal taste. The climate control is also adjusted based on the dynamic mode.



Safety
Attention assist, don't know how to test it, try to sleep while driving


Using ultrasonic radar sensors, there are audio beep and visual map of objects in the path. This is activated based on the steering direction. At standstill, the sensors are active all around.


The drive
My daily usage is typically for my office commute and it is about 22KM one way and the traffic is moderate as I keep my timing that way. I use the Bangalore Electronic City-Silk Board toll road, so I do get open stretches almost every day. The typical yearly usage is like 10k KM in City and 5k KM on highway. The car has currently done around 3500KMs.
I mostly use either comfort mode or economy mode within city. The kickdown is slow in these modes. This is more pronounced in eco mode. There is a coasting mode in Eco which gets engaged in 5th gear or above and speeds above 60 and the RPM will drop to 750rpm. If you pull to 100km and go to coasting, it can cover close to 1km before the speed comes to 80 mark. Either a gentle tap or time for a lower gear than D5 due to speed drop, will engage the gears again and stop the coasting. If are are cruising at 60 in eco mode, once you press the accelerator, there is a lag of a second before kick down happens, and then you start picking up speed fast enough based on throttle, you would soon have to press the break and slow down else it keeps picking up speed at a good pace. A gentle tap is all needed to pick up speed gradually in everyday driving, it is only when you stomp the accelerator, the gearbox hesitates and then downshifts after a moment of uncertainty in Eco/Comfort mode. After the kick down, the surge is strong enough to pull you away to your required speed with ease.
In Sport+ mode the car changes into a different beast and you can drive it hard. I find it a bit disconcerting in City limits and it is tiring for me to keep picking speed and slowing down, so I end up changing it back to comfort mode. It is best enjoyed on highways and open stretches.
During 2019 December holiday season we did a 1700km trip visiting places in TamilNadu and home town in Kerala. Highway drives are a different story. You can really enjoy and it will plaster a smile on your face. Picking up and maintaining speeds was pretty easy. I was easily overtaking others on open stretches. The section between Salem and Dindigul is my favourite whenever I travel to Kerala. You can get a lot of long open stretches with good visibility. There are clear sign boards/barricades when you near a village or town, so you can take care and slow down in advance near those areas. With enough torque and a 9-speed automatic, the C220D goes at 100 kmph as if the engine is just idling, and higher speeds with excellent straight line stability. You won't hear any engine noise at cruising speeds. The engine is audible past 2000rpm and during the initial few gears revs pick up a lot on hurried driving, so you do hear the engine note. The steering is direct and there is no dead center position, even the slightest correction changes the direction.

[sgm]

Center console and MID
The center console uses a 10.25” crisp and widescreen. The system works clean and neat. Android auto works neatly and I haven’t found any issues except that you may have to plug-in the mobile after starting the car, else Android Auto fails to start when the car is turned ON and you have to re-plug it in. The Bluetooth hands-free mode has two mics, one for the driver and the other for passenger. I’m not an audio purist, so I haven’t found any issues with the Midline system quality. There are two USB ports, one for Android auto/Car play and the other for Media. There is also an SD card slot. Mercedes Navigation is not enabled by default and it is a paid option.
The MID as tons of information with trip meters, some vehicle details related to service, tire pressure, Ad blue level etc. You can bring the center console menu options to the MID screen also.
The current C facelift misses out the newest MBUX. The buttons have a nice
tactile feel, enjoy them before they get removed completely by touch screens. It is pretty easy to get used to the menu and features as they are very intuitive. Some people may find the menu a bit complicated to start with. Just like your smartphone, follow the rule of back button or Home menu to go into various menu items.

The updated steering wheel with brushed aluminum & piano black finish, touch controls for center console and MID, other controls on either side. Notice the Home and Back buttons on either side. The controls for turn indicators, wiper controls, hi/low beam etc are all on the left side stalk and the right side stalk houses just the gear lever with R,N,D and P controls. Paddle shifters are standard on all the variants


Brown open-pore walnut wood trim finished center console


Cup holders, mobile holder


The new crisp 10.25" high resolution center display. The overall multimedia system is very responsive


Storage area under the arm rest.


USB and SD slots; CarPlay/Android auto works only in slot 2


Others:
Wheels : The 17” alloys, are not eye catching in design, but just fine.
Tires : Bridgestone Turanza T001 225/50R17 RFT with good grip levels and very low NVH

Notice the break dust collected, complaints on short break pad life on C and GLC are common


Ground clearance : The GC is similar to the other German cars, so you have to take extra care while negotiating the highly unscientific humps within cities. Mercedes India has used taller springs compared to International spec, so you can notice an uneven gap between the tires and wheel arches due to this raised height

Safety
There are a host of safety related features.PRE-SAFE® is a Mercedes patended techonology. The first step is to give you a gentle hug when you put on the active seat-belt.

Is it comfortable?
Yes it is super comfy even for a tall 6’ 1” person like me in the front. It is easy and relaxing to drive for your daily commute. The dash is set low, so the visibility is good where you can see the long bonnet clearly. There is a 12-way adjustable seat for both the front passengers and the additional extended thigh support is a boon for tall people.I could easily find my correct driving position. Earlier in Altis, I couldn't keep my right hand elbow on the arm rest while holding the steering, now I can rest my elbow comfortably on the arm-rest and still manage to drive. My wife found driving the C easier to our Altis. On Altis she had issues with seat height, now there is no such issue. The rear bench is set a tad low, so a person like me lack enough under thigh support at the back. The car is filled with a lot of comfort features and the kids are loving it, it is their sleepy car, I find them asleep most of the time soon after the drive starts. They are fascinated by the gizmos especially the voice command system and ambient lighting. My son's favorite activity is to change the ambient light using the voice command. The panoramic sunroof is loved by kids, though I'm not a fan of even a small sun roof.

Following are some of the comfort features
12-way Electrically adjustable seats, with lumbar and extended thigh support for both the driver and co-passenger, the head rest can also be adjusted for both height and forward position
Big bottle holders and cup holder for all the four passengers
Manual pull-out roller sunblinds for rear windows
Electrically operated rear sun blind
Pretty usable Mercedes voice COMMAND system
Reading lights
64 color ambient lighting
40:20:40 split folding seats, can be operated from the boot with a lever
Cruise control
Active Parking Assist : find suitable parking spaces, helps you to enter and leave; tried on test drive vehicle, it works well, got scared while trying on mine, won't try again
Load-securing rings on the luggage compartment floor for securing the load
Auto headlights, wipers

Any misses ?
3-zone climate control could have been introduced in the 2018 facelift as this is now a standard feature in 3-series and A4
No USB charging socket for the rear passengers, only a 12V charging socket
No genuine leather but only artico leather

Extended warranties & service packages
The vehicle comes with a 3 year warranty and you can extend it till 6 years. For each year it roughly costs 60K.

A basic Compact Package with 2/3/4/5/10year tenure cost about 40k/year and it covers

On board electronics check via XENTRY – an advanced diagnostic tool
Replacement of Engine Oil, Transmission Oil, Brake Fluid and Coolant
Replacement of Oil Filter, Air Filter, Cabin Filter and Transmission Filter

A Compact Plus Package with 2/3/4/5/10year tenure includes

On board electronics check via XENTRY Diagnosis
Replacement of Engine Oil, Transmission Oil, Brake Fluid and Coolant
Replacement of Oil Filter, Air Filter, Cabin Filter and Transmission Filter
Replacement of Brake Discs and Brake Pads (front and rear)
Replacement of Wiper Blades
Wheel Alignment and Balancing

A 3 year Compact Plus will cost roughly 1.65L for 30K KMs or 2.18L for 60K KMs.
GST is to be added for all the above rates.
I didn't opt for any of the above, hoping the maintenance amounts should be falling in similar lines.

What I miss from my Altis:

There are a lot of positives, but then there are a few misses. The biggest miss on a daily basis is the Smart Key locking and unlocking option. The spacious boot is the one missed during long trips. Others include flat rear floor and adjustable back seat recline for the back passengers.

Japanese is trouble free and abuse friendly, easy on the wallet, the German is like a baby and it has to be pampered.

Am I happy after a few months?
Yes, I'm happy so far. After the initial jolts, things have smoothed out. The initial niggle helped me to understand how the dealer had taken the extra steps to help me out. I hope I can enjoy many years of trouble free ownership.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

Your car will be going to our homepage

[V.Narayan]

Congratulations on your handsome new ride. I love those Merc interiors. They really do a great job with the right mix of class and glitz. I wonder why they call the stepney a space saver. It does anything but save space! Best wishes for many happy and safe miles.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by sgm

This is a brief on how I arrived at selecting C-class when it wasn't on my radar a year back.

Congrats sgm on your latest acquisition, which looks elegant

A very well drafted ownership report that you have shared, was a good read. With the new design which mimics its bigger/premium cousins, C seems to have lost that Sporty stance. But as you have rightly mentioned, it looks like a mini S, which is not entirely a deal breaker I guess.

Wish you many fun-filled and fuss free mile munching.

Happy motoring

[ash22]

Congrats on your new acquisition. Polar White C class with new headlights looks fab.!!
These sophisticated German cars are definitely one of the nicest cars in which to travel with well-decorated interiors. Thank you for the detailed write-up. Able to catch up on every point in the thread.

[vishwasvr]

Lovely! Congrats on your new car! Totally in love with the new interior facade! Wish you plenty of happy miles!

[alphadog]

Congratulations! and thank you for the detailed write up.

Mercs have always had the classiest of interiors amongst the German luxury trio and this car is an example. The interiors truly look truly classy and I trust its a great place to be when on the road.

I am sure there must be a reason why these cars cannot hide away the spare tyre under the boot floor as most other brands of cars do. I wonder what it is.
The car is a looker and you must be a proud owner.

Enjoy driving and have fun.

Cheerio!

[sgm]

Originally Posted by GTO

[b]
Your car will be going to our homepage

Thanks GTO

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Congratulations on your handsome new ride. I love those Merc interiors. They really do a great job with the right mix of class and glitz. I wonder why they call the stepney a space saver. It does anything but save space! Best wishes for many happy and safe miles.

Thanks V.Narayan.
Instead of 225 section, the space saver is just 185, so technically it is saving space by 1.5" and actually saving cost for manufacturer

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Congrats sgm on your latest acquisition, which looks elegant

With the new design which mimics its bigger/premium cousins
Happy motoring

Thank you Vik0728
Blame it on the family look, poor S-class owner will be crying. Jokes apart, the headlight signature of 1/2/3 strips of LED DRL lets you distinguish C/E/S from far away.

Originally Posted by ash22

Congrats on your new acquisition. Polar White C class with new headlights looks fab.!! Able to catch up on every point in the thread.

Thanks ash22 that you didn't get bored.

Originally Posted by vishwasvr

Lovely! Congrats on your new car! Totally in love with the new interior facade! Wish you plenty of happy miles!

Thanks vishwasvr for the wishes

Originally Posted by alphadog

I am sure there must be a reason why these cars cannot hide away the spare tyre under the boot floor as most other brands of cars do. I wonder what it is.

Cheerio!

Thank you alphadog.
The Rear wheel drive hardware is limiting the free space for a spare tire under the boot area. A4 manages it, may be because it is front wheel drive. Not sure about the Quattro A4 models in international markets

[sgm]

Mostly in Eco mode with Engine Auto Start-Stop enabled

[Nikhilb2008]

Nice, crisp review!

The new Mercs have absolutely beautiful interiors. It is my dream to own any one of the current gen Mercs, simply for their interior.

The brushed aluminium switches look and feel very very nice.

Congrats on this great purchase and wish you many years of happy ownership!

[pradyumnakalagi]

Congratulations on the new Mercedes! Despite being the oldest car in the segment, I must say the design has aged really well. The interiors still look very premium and there is a sense of warmth that only a Merc cabin can give. Great choice!

Wishing you many happy miles and happy motoring!

[sgm]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Nice, crisp review!

The new Mercs have absolutely beautiful interiors. It is my dream to own any one of the current gen Mercs, simply for their interior.

The brushed aluminium switches look and feel very very nice.

Congrats on this great purchase and wish you many years of happy ownership!

Thank you Nikhilb. Hope you are doing great with your vRS.
Yes, the interiors made me fall in love with Merc and I forgot all the good stuff like ZF gearbox, weight distribution and new tight G20 platform of 3-series.
Will try to catch up at your showroom.