[karan561]

Likes;

- Engine & Gearbox (Strong Performance)
- Exterior Looks (AMG Line Treatment)
- Economy (Efficient, Long Range)
- Interior (Ambience & Feel)

Dislikes;

- Missing Features (Keyless Entry, HUD)
- Pricing (@ INR 61L Ex-showroom its E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E)
- Rear Seat & Boot Space (Personally feel for people who require more space the 3 GL is a better family car for the driving enthusiasts)
- Ride Quality (Stiff at low speeds but gets better with speed like any German car would, may be if it had come equipped with Air Suspension it would have greatly helped particularly at this price point)

Video Review;

https://youtu.be/EWzkeTCYpBI

^ This is a Driver's Perspective Video Review of the Mercedes-Benz C300d AMG Line.

Based on the timestamps provided below, the above Video discusses the following aspects of the car;

0:01 - Intro
0:56 - Engine
4:14 - Gearbox
5:45 - Platform
6:30 - Handling/Steering
8:10 - Suspension (Ride Quality)
9:11 - Design (Exterior/Interior)
11:14 - Final Thoughts

To those who prefer text may read on;

Engine & Gearbox Performance;

At a time when Diesel cars are going scarce & the environmentalists are keeping their yardstick ready for internal combustion engines, this diesel engine seems to be the saving grace for not only the Tree Huggers but also the Enthusiasts.



In India the C Class is available with a 1.5L Petrol, a 2L Diesel in the form of 220d & then we have this which is the 300d & all these engines have the 48V Hybrid system.



The test car too was a 2L Diesel just like the 220d however the engine is massaged more to churn our 265 HP & 550 NM of torque. This engine is codenamed the OM 654 M & this is their 1st Diesel engine with an Integrated Starter-Generator.

The M in the OM 654 also stands for modifications, the key modifications (New Crankshaft, Increased Injection Pressure & ability to glide with the Engine "Switched Off") done to this engine allow it to produce such a healthy output of 265 HP & 550 NM of torque. The EQ Boost function allows an addition of upto 20 HP or 200 NM more torque on demand & this will keep the enthusiasts smiling and surely not miss more cylinders. This 300d engine in the C Class though a 4 cyl, pulls, accelerates (0-100 km/h in 5.7 secs, factory quoted) and feels like a 6 cylinder but doesnt sound like one. However once past a couple of gears the sound of the engine is acceptable. Speaking of the gearbox its doing a good job most of the times & has never been jerky or confused, it is the 9 speed unit which Mercedes call the 9G-Tronic unit. Its internally codenamed the W9A-700. The paddle shifters are also well crafted and suit the car's new Sport steering, however it doesn't flaunt any AMG badging which is a bit of a downer as this variant (AMG Line) is like a M-Sport (which has plenty of M Logos) from the BMW Stable hence a subtle AMG logo/badge would have helped. However coming back to another strong point of the engine is that its very economical too as it comes with an ARAI rated fuel economy of about 20 km/l which is genuinely impressive.



Another point which works in favour of this engine is that this W206 gen C Class will no longer get 6 or 8 cylinders (43 & 63 AMG's included) hence you won't feel too bad driving around in a 4 cyl diesel because there's no option to buy a C-Class with more cylinders than 4. This decision though not favourable for true blue AMG fans but will psychologically work well for non AMG variants. Hence overall, this kinda economy with Electrical assistance from the 48V motor & a torquey engine upfront is surely a game changer for Diesels

Platform;



This 5th Generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class being a Rear Wheel Drive car belongs to the Modular Rear Architecture platform but the 2nd gen Hence another name for it is the MRA2. This updated version of the MRA platform now allows integration with the steering & uses a lot of Aluminium components. This updated platform feels more agile than the outgoing predecessor.

Handling;

It is essential to discuss the steering calibration (natural build up of heaviness with speed) of gen C Class in the handling department. Although completely electric, it contributes greatly to the overall dynamics & is further helped by the beautiful new AMG line steering wheel design. It is a joy to operate under all conditions.



As already said that this platform allows rear wheel integration for steering (available Internationally) but unfortunately we don't get it in the Indian spec even for the C300d AMG line. The setup seems to be dynamically configured with a new 4 link axle at the front & a multi-link axle at the rear mounted to the subframe.



Rear wiggling out is understandable with so much of torque (+ added EQ Boosts) but during those times too the front end remained impressive to aid control. The suspension system feels dynamic enough for having all the sporty fun, but honestly at these prices i expected an Air Suspension at least for this AMG line variant.

Braking Performance;

The braking system on the other hand feels solid and reliable.



^ The brakes not only look good with a large caliper and cross drilled rotors but also stop well.

Ride Quality;



Coming to the ride quality we need to talk about the tyres as we are running a low profile setup with 225/54 R18 front and 245/40 R18 at the rear. There's nothing magical to write about the ride other than the Ride being stiff at low speeds but gets better at higher speeds. For those who prefer better ride its best they pick the 17" variants or downsize with a higher profile. Quick mention about the ground clearance which is manageable but with this AMG kit the front bumper lip is a bit low hence one needs to be careful while negotiating the speed bumps.

Exterior;



There's no doubt the design language seems to be having inspired from the top of the line S-Class, but the original design philosophy was always "Sensual Purity" & in the case of the C-Class it has an added sporty touch.



^ Overall "Cab-Backward" design is clearly visible in the profile of the car.

Interior;



The interiors are sort of the highlight & may be the USP for general audience. Thanks to the large floating screen interface and the latest generation of the MBUX system the cabin feels properly modernised and provides a great ambience. Other details about the interior, screen interface has been covered in the TEAM-BHP official review hence not discussing this at length.

Final Thoughts;

With the demise of 6 & 8 cylinder variants from the entire C-Class line up this 4 cylinder 300d seems to be a strong performer. The rear seat space is not the best & i really hope they launch the LWB version of the C-Class in India too to make things more interesting

[shauryadabas]

Excellent review karan561!!

Originally Posted by karan561

The interiors are sort of the highlight & may be the USP for general audience. Thanks to the large floating screen interface and the latest generation of the MBUX system the cabin feels properly modernised and provides a great ambience.

Interior design looks great, especially with the subtle AMG touches. IMO, this steering wheel looks so distinctive and cool compared to the standard trims. How do the steering buttons feel to operate considering the non-conventional layout?

[GTO]

Wonderful review, Karan! Thanks for sharing. Going to our homepage "hot threads" tomorrow. The C-Class has grown and is no longer a Baby-Benz. I found rear seat space to be much improved over the outgoing C-Class (which was cramped), and the urban ride quality to be firm, yet compliant enough & liveable. In fact, I thought the suspension tune of the C300 is just spot-on for India from an enthusiast's POV.

The real beauty is the performance from the engine. It's loads of fun on the expressway as well as mountain roads. Expensive, yes, like 70-lakhs on the road! But because its grown and due to the performance on tap, the 2022 C300d is very comparable to the previous generations of the 530d, E350d etc. Other than the 6-cylinder creaminess of the F10 530d & a 15% gearbox advantage of the ZF-8, the C300d is a match in almost every way, be it space, performance...and with more features & up-to-date safety standards. Think of it that way (comparing to previous-gen bigger cars) and the price seems more palatable. You could even compare it to the G30 530d in several ways, although the G30 is decidedly a level above.

The biggest competitor to the C300d is the iconic M340i which is priced a few lakhs ahead. To enthusiasts, this will be the biggest dilemma. A faster high-revving petrol with AWD, or a more practical C300d? The 3-Series totally owned the poll on Team-BHP.

[itwasntme]

@Karan, thanks but not for me.

Interiors are modern but old-fashioned. Positioned towards balding uncles who love to peer at the myriad buttons when doing 40 on the Sea-link.

But will be a huge success unless NGT intervenes across all Metros.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by shauryadabas

Excellent review karan561!!

Thanks Shaurya !

Interior design looks great, especially with the subtle AMG touches. IMO, this steering wheel looks so distinctive and cool compared to the standard trims. How do the steering buttons feel to operate considering the non-conventional layout?

In fact there is not a single AMG badge on the steering or anywhere in the interior, but the elements, theme & materials used for this variant are sporty. The steering wheel controls take time to get used to.

Originally Posted by GTO

Wonderful review, Karan! Thanks for sharing. Going to our homepage "hot threads" tomorrow.

Thanks GTO

The biggest competitor to the C300d is the iconic M340i which is priced a few lakhs ahead. To enthusiasts, this will be the biggest dilemma. A faster high-revving petrol with AWD, or a more practical C300d? The 3-Series totally owned the poll on Team-BHP.

Other than the torque boosts which make the C300d feel momentarily more punchy than the M340i, there's simply no comparison IMO. However for enthusiasts who are confused between the 3 series / GL 330i & this C-class the C300d may be a similarly fun, more economical alternative with a longer range.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

@Karan, thanks but not for me.
Interiors are modern but old-fashioned. Positioned towards balding uncles who love to peer at the myriad buttons when doing 40 on the Sea-link.

[XDriver]

Great, crisp and to the point review Karan. I would take the M340i over this anyday. But yes, it is a looker inside out! The 3 series Ld long wheel base will be better for those wanting more rear space. Enjoyed the video review.

[Aditya]

Exceptional, unbiased & detailed ownership reviews of cars have started going to our homepage reviews box. It's the ultimate stamp of trust from Team-BHP (as a platform) because lakhs of visitors every month check out reviews from there & make purchase decisions.

Your review has also been included here. Thank you so much for sharing .

[Tutenkhamen]

It’s a tough sell. Personally, at that pricepoint, 530d outsells the competition with a balanced approach towards Mileage, Practicality, Performance, Prestige, Comfort.

While M340i shines better at performance, 3GL with a performance + practicality, C300d with performance + mileage, A4 for price point + comfort.
I don’t really them carve out best of every facet as good as 530d does.

E350d comes close but it’s finely tuned towards chauffeured audience and the price point reflects the same.

[turbowhistle]

Originally Posted by karan561

In fact there is not a single AMG badge on the steering or anywhere in the interior, but the elements, theme & materials used for this variant are sporty.

This is a welcome change for people used to seeing //M badges plastered all over in the BMWs

Excellent review otherwise, I like the format and the information you give out each time. Been following your channel for a while now. I see the appeal of the car though, it looks the part and has a proper diesel engine. Would be cheaper to own in long run over the 340i.

I wish German brands start realizing the tyre situation in India, I would take 17" with healthy sidewalls anyday over 18-19s and save some headache. The handling advantage is anyways nulled out on our roads.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by XDriver

Great, crisp and to the point review Karan.
Enjoyed the video review.

Thanks, Pleased to know you enjoyed the video / review.

I would take the M340i over this anyday.

Me too.

But yes, it is a looker inside out! The 3 series Ld long wheel base will be better for those wanting more rear space.

Originally Posted by turbowhistle

This is a welcome change for people used to seeing //M badges plastered all over in the BMWs

True, but this has none still the variant is called AMG Line which is a bit vague.

Excellent review otherwise, I like the format and the information you give out each time. Been following your channel for a while now.

Thanks for your kind compliments towards my content / channel.

[xtremeshock]

Hey Guys, getting a decent deal on a demo vehicle C300D, August 2022 manufactured billed to the dealer in April 2023, it has run just a shade below 800kms, what I like about the car is the explosive diesel engine and the amazing music system.

Any suggestions on what I should look out for? Also any views and inputs are welcome, would have loved the 340i but it is around 18L more expensive than this car, which is out of budget.

[nmn.070]

Originally Posted by xtremeshock

Hey Guys, getting a decent deal on a demo vehicle C300D, August 2022 manufactured billed to the dealer in April 2023, it has run just a shade below 800kms, what I like about the car is the explosive diesel engine and the amazing music system.

Any suggestions on what I should look out for? Also any views and inputs are welcome, would have loved the 340i but it is around 18L more expensive than this car, which is out of budget.

Demo vehicles are more unkempt than usual in my experience, without proper running in of the mechanicals as everybody tests limits of performance during TD. Would suggest getting a new or used from direct buyer who pampered it.

The premium fuel requirement of m340i will make one nervous during long drives. It is reasonably more expensive and suffers from too firm a ride. The c300d may be enjoyed more often owing to it's higher fuel economy and overall comfort.

I'm also caught in a similar dilemma add to it the ev choices. I have narrowed down to Volvo c40 / merc c300d / Kia ev6. All these are priced between 65-70L.

Do share which way your decision went. Cheers!

[xtremeshock]

Originally Posted by nmn.070

Do share which way your decision went. Cheers!

Went ahead and purchased the C300D Demo vehicle, got a good deal and I will purchase the Extended Warranty for extra peace of mind. It drives well, stops well and more importantly it has the new car smell.

Also the other thing which pushed me with this decision was that there are rumors that they would be stopping the C300D for future C Classes, I did not want to miss the opportunity for the last powerful diesel before the shift to EV's, however, the engine is stated to continue for GLE and GLS. Also, the other thing which was on my mind, Tamil Nadu has announced 5% increase in Road Tax, which has no clear date when it would start the implementation.

PS @mods: have shared this picture at another thread, if found inappropriate can delete it.

[nmn.070]

Congratulations on the new ride! Maybe the last of its kind now. Happy driving!

[zeustrojanstark]

Thanks for the great review.


I have been driving Petrol Cars only right through and now planning to buy a new one.


My past cars are:

BMW F10 523i

Mercedes C200 Progressive W205.

I am contemplating between C300D AMGLine and GLA 35 AMG, I am unable to decide which one to buy, any suggestions and clarity helps.