The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class remains a popular choice in the luxury compact sedan segment, known for its blend of sophistication, performance, and advanced features. For discerning buyers, safety is paramount. This in-depth review, drawing upon rigorous testing data, provides a comprehensive analysis of the 2019 Benz C Class safety ratings, ensuring you have all the essential information.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver-side in this case) impacts an object. This test is particularly challenging for vehicles as it bypasses the main energy-absorbing structures.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Hip/thigh | Good |
| Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Acceptable |
Despite an overall “Good” rating, the driver restraints and dummy kinematics received an “Acceptable” rating. The test report noted that while the dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag, it rolled to the left due to excessive forward movement allowed by the seat belt. However, the side curtain airbag deployed effectively, offering sufficient forward coverage.
Technical Measurements – Driver Side Small Overlap
| Measurement Category | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (cm) | |
| Lower hinge pillar max | 5 |
| Footrest | 10 |
| Left toepan | 5 |
| Brake pedal | 8 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 2 |
| Steering column | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 4 |
| Upper dash | 4 |
| Lower instrument panel | 4 |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 161 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 5 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 21 |
| Femur – Left (kN) | 1.2 |
| Femur – Right (kN) | 1.3 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.50 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.43 |
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
Introduced to ensure passenger-side safety is equally robust, the passenger-side small overlap test assesses structural performance and occupant protection on the opposite side of the vehicle.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Hip/thigh | Good |
| Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Hip/thigh | Good |
| Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class achieved a “Good” rating in the passenger-side small overlap test, indicating robust protection for occupants in this type of frontal impact. Both passenger and driver-side injury measures and restraints received “Good” ratings.
Technical Measurements – Passenger Side Small Overlap
| Measurement Category | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (cm) | |
| Lower hinge pillar max | 6 |
| Footrest | 12 |
| Right toepan | 8 |
| Center toepan | 5 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 3 |
| Center dash | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 5 |
| Upper dash | 4 |
| Right lower dash | 4 |
| Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 109 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 12 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 |
| Femur – Left (kN) | 0.2 |
| Femur – Right (kN) | 0.0 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.37 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.60 |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 68 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.6 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 4 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur – Left (kN) | 0.3 |
| Femur – Right (kN) | 0.7 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.24 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.26 |
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test
The moderate overlap front test, a more traditional frontal crash assessment, involves 40% of the vehicle’s front width impacting a deformable barrier.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Leg/foot, left | Good |
| Leg/foot, right | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class earned a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test, signifying excellent protection in this common type of frontal collision. All driver injury measures and restraint systems were rated as “Good.”
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front
| Measurement Category | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (cm) | |
| Footrest | 1 |
| Left Footwell | 1 |
| Center Footwell | 1 |
| Right Footwell | 1 |
| Brake pedal | 2 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Left | 0 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Right | 0 |
| Steering column movement – Upward | 3 |
| Steering column movement – Rearward | -7 |
| A-pillar rearward movement | 0 |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 148 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 22 |
| Femur force – Left (kN) | 1.6 |
| Femur force – Right (kN) | 1.3 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.40 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.31 |
Side Impact Crash Test
The side impact test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side collision, simulating a vehicle being struck by another vehicle.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Torso | Good |
| Pelvis/leg | Good |
| Driver head protection | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Torso | Good |
| Pelvis/leg | Good |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good |
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class demonstrated “Good” performance in the side impact test, with “Good” ratings across all driver and rear passenger injury measures and head protection.
Technical Measurements – Side Impact
| Measurement Category | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Occupant Compartment Intrusion (cm) | |
| B-pillar to seat centerline | -20.5 |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 228 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 2.4 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 225 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.1 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection (mm) | 22 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 2.4 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.0 |
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover scenario. A higher strength-to-weight ratio indicates better roof strength.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Curb weight | 3,522 lbs |
| Peak force | 24,642 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 7.00 |
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class achieved a “Good” rating for roof strength, with a strength-to-weight ratio of 7.00, indicating a robust roof structure.
Head Restraints & Seats
This evaluation assesses the geometry and dynamic performance of the front seats and head restraints in preventing whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Dynamic rating | Good |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | Good |
The head restraints and seats in the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class received a “Good” overall rating, indicating effective protection against whiplash injuries.
Technical Measurements – Head Restraints & Seats
| Measurement Category | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Backset (mm) | 38 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -14 |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 16.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 57 |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 21 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 464 |
Headlights
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime visibility and accident prevention. The IIHS tests headlight systems and rates them based on visibility and glare. The 2019 C-Class has multiple headlight options.
Trim level: C300 with Adaptive High Beam Assist package
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | Good |
Trim level: C300 trim
Rating: Acceptable
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
| Overall rating | Acceptable |
Trim level: C300 with Exterior Lighting package
Rating: Acceptable
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | Acceptable |
The headlight ratings vary depending on the trim and package. The “Adaptive High Beam Assist package” equipped trim achieves a “Good” rating, while other trims receive “Acceptable” ratings. This highlights the importance of considering specific options when evaluating headlight performance.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems aim to mitigate or prevent collisions with other vehicles. The IIHS tests both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention.
System: Optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function
Rating: Superior
System: Standard Active Brake Assist
Rating: Superior
Both the standard and optional front crash prevention systems on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class earned “Superior” ratings, demonstrating effective collision avoidance capabilities in vehicle-to-vehicle scenarios at both 12 mph and 25 mph.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian front crash prevention systems are designed to detect pedestrians and automatically brake to avoid or reduce the severity of pedestrian collisions.
System: Optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function
Rating: Superior
System: Standard Active Brake Assist
Rating: Basic
The optional “Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function” system achieved a “Superior” rating in pedestrian front crash prevention, while the standard “Active Brake Assist” system received a “Basic” rating. This difference underscores the enhanced pedestrian detection and avoidance capabilities of the optional system.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
The LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) aims to simplify and improve the installation of child safety seats.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class LATCH system received a “Good” rating, indicating user-friendly and effective child seat anchor points in the rear seating positions. It has 2 rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor.
Conclusion
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class demonstrates strong safety performance across various crash tests and safety technology evaluations. It earned “Good” ratings in most crashworthiness categories, and “Superior” ratings for its front crash prevention systems (vehicle-to-vehicle). While headlight ratings vary by trim, and the driver-side small overlap test highlighted a minor issue with dummy kinematics, the overall safety profile of the 2019 Benz C Class is commendable, making it a safe and secure choice in its class. For buyers prioritizing safety, the 2019 C-Class offers robust protection and advanced preventative technologies.
