Mercedes C300 AMG Line Premium road test review proves there’s no substitute for quality

Mercedes C300 AMG Line Premium road test review: You can’t beat quality, and this Mercedes C Class oozes it. DAVID HOOPER puts this plush AMG Line model through its paces and finds its lights… well, illuminating!

IT’S been a while since I last drove a Mercedes-Benz so it was great to be able to reacquaint myself with the brand and this C300d model was the perfect reintroduction with its smart AMG Line styling and expensive looking alloy wheels which made me paranoid about my proximity to kerbs!
The C Class is one of the long-standing staples of the Mercedes-Benz line-up which has evolved over the years to offer us this smart four-door saloon we behold today. Estate and Coupe versions are also available.
The AMG Line Premium model tested here is as plush inside as it is smart outside, with beautifully styled and very comfortable leather seats, plush carpeting and a classically modern dashboard which cleverly integrates all the modern technology which is so quickly becoming the norm.
The dashboard features a large central screen from which most of the car’s key settings are controlled and adjusted. This also doubles as the satnav screen, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, depending on your preference, providing large, clear mapping which is impressive and really clear.
In front of the driver is a smaller screen which features the speedo and rev counter, trip computers and the like, but the driver can select different screens, a sports dashboard, for example, complete with G-force meter, or a map which fills the screen.
The centre console is larger than you find in most cars and offers a lot more storage, because there is no gear selector in the middle of the car. Mercedes prefers to put the gear selector on the steering column, opposite the indicators, with the lighting controls being operated by a rotary dial to the right of the steering column on the lower dash. This means, as well as a couple of cup holders, there is also space for a mobile phone to be hidden out of sight, on a little pad which will also charge it wirelessly, and a large central storage bin for whatever you want to keep in it.
The interior of the C Class oozes quality and everything feels as though it’s been engineered and crafted, with the exception of the indicator and gear selector stalks which are clad in plastic and just don’t feel as substantial as the rest of the interior, which seems a shame when it would cost pennies to make them feel more tactile and in-keeping with the rest of the controls.

The car is powered by Mercedes’ proven 2.0-litre diesel engine, with this example providing an enjoyably useable 254bhp. Power is transmitted to the road via a nine-speed automatic gearbox via the rear wheels, so when you get fed up of wafting around and want to pick the pace up a bit, it can do a decent impression of a sports saloon, with 0-62mph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.
Even with this performance, the car still offers decent economy, with an overall average of 43.9mpg during my test of around 500 miles. Driving it gently on my 35-mile commute to the office, it returned up to 53mpg, which is perfectly respectable in my book.
The ride quality is excellent too, suitably firm to match its performance, but always compliant and comfortable, soaking up the dreadful potholes admirably without unsettling the car, and cushioning the occupants from the worst excesses, although I would have liked a bit more feel through the steering at times, but selecting the Sport mode did sharpen things up a notch. The car also offers the choice of Economy and Comfort settings.
The headlights are superb too, featuring Mercedes’ latest Digital Lights. When you start the car at night, it’s more like disco lights as they dance left and right. This is the latest technology which vectors the light around objects and oncoming traffic. You can set the lights to automatic main beam, and you can actually see shadows around the car in front, as the car somehow directs the light around it, giving as much peripheral light as possible. It also detects oncoming traffic and moves the lights around to avoid dazzling other drivers. It’s really clever stuff and brilliant to watch in action.
I really liked this C Class in its AMG Line Premium specification. It looks good, drives well and is very comfortable on a longer trip. It’s £54,040 on the road asking price is pretty reasonable by today’s standards, but what price a three-pointed star in the company car park?

• This car was supplied for review by Mercedes-Benz of Grimsby, which is part of the Listers Group. Mercedes have various discounts and incentives currently available, including a £2,000 reduction on this model until the end of March. Contact the dealer for the latest information, on (01472) 276777.

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If you like this, read our review on the Mercedes-Benz EQA

THE VITAL STATISTICS
MODEL: Mercedes C300 AMG Line Premium
ENGINE: 1993cc, 254bhp four-cylinder diesel engine, driving rear wheels through a 9-speed automatic gearbox.
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 155 mph. 0-62mph in 5.8 secs.
ECONOMY: Combined 41.5 mpg.
Wheel World test average: 43.9mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 155g/km.
FUEL TANK: 66 litres.
PRICE: £54,040 on the road.
WARRANTY: 3 years, unlimited miles
WEBSITE: www.listers.co.uk/mercedes/grimsby
• All data correct at time of publication.