The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has long been a benchmark in the luxury sedan segment, and within its lineup, the Mercedes Benz C400 once stood out as a particularly compelling option. While no longer in production, the C400 remains a sought-after model on the used car market, offering a blend of performance and luxury that’s hard to beat. Let’s delve into a detailed review of the C400, exploring its features, driving dynamics, and why it might still be the perfect C-Class for discerning buyers.
Striking Exterior Design
The C-Class received a revolutionary redesign, adopting Mercedes-Benz’s modern design language, and the C400 embodies this beautifully. It’s easy to mistake the C-Class for its larger sibling, the S-Class, a testament to its sophisticated and premium styling. The proportions are dramatic, particularly the short front overhang, giving it an athletic stance. LED lighting is prominent throughout, starting with the distinctive LED daytime running lights that add a touch of aggression to the front fascia. The headlights and taillights are also fully LED, contributing to both style and visibility.
Image: Angular front view of a silver Mercedes Benz C400 showcasing its sporty design and LED daytime running lights.
The front end exudes an aggressive charm, with large air intakes featuring diamond-mesh inserts that hint at the car’s performance capabilities. A sleek front spoiler further enhances its sporty appeal. The 18-inch AMG wheels are a visual highlight, offering a glimpse of the substantial rotors and Mercedes-Benz branded calipers behind them. The Mercedes Benz C400 undeniably commands attention with its striking and well-proportioned design.
Image: Close-up of the Mercedes Benz C400’s LED taillight design in low light, emphasizing its modern and elegant rear styling.
Image: Frontal view of the Mercedes Benz C400 highlighting its aggressive front grille, LED headlights, and sculpted hood.
Image: Side profile of the Mercedes Benz C400 demonstrating its balanced proportions, AMG wheels, and sleek silhouette.
Luxurious and Tech-Forward Interior
Stepping inside the Mercedes Benz C400, you are greeted by a fresh and modern interior design. The flowing, subtle shapes create an inviting atmosphere, with the vertical waterfall edge of the dashboard and clean lines being particularly appealing. Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to quality is evident in the use of high-grade materials throughout the cabin. Soft-touch surfaces are abundant, complemented by brushed aluminum accents and contrasting stitching on the dashboard and seats. The Burmester speaker grilles are a standout feature, renowned for their exquisite machining and aesthetic appeal, considered among the finest in the automotive industry.
Image: Wide view of the Mercedes Benz C400 dashboard showcasing its elegant design, Burmester speaker grilles, and central infotainment screen.
The heated front seats offer extensive adjustability, including power controls for the headrests and knee bolsters. More importantly, they are exceptionally comfortable, providing excellent bolstering and support, striking a perfect balance for both spirited driving and long journeys. The center stack presents a clean and contemporary design. However, the piano black trim, while visually appealing, is prone to collecting dust and fingerprints, requiring frequent cleaning to maintain its pristine look.
Image: Close-up of the Mercedes Benz C400’s front seats highlighting their sporty design, leather upholstery, and power adjustments.
Continuing the theme of industry-leading features, the C400 boasts an exceptional infotainment screen. Considered by many to be unsurpassed in its class, it offers remarkable sharpness and contrast, providing a visually stunning display. The input system, however, is a combination of a rotary COMAND joystick and a wrist rest that integrates a touchpad and fingertip input for letter and number recognition. While functional, this system can be somewhat distracting to use while driving, potentially detracting from the overall user experience.
Image: Detailed view of the Mercedes Benz C400’s COMAND interface, showing the rotary dial, touchpad, and surrounding controls.
The Mercedes Benz C400 is equipped with dual-zone climate control for personalized comfort. Adding to the airy feel of the cabin are dual sunroofs – a large panoramic sunroof for front passengers that opens, and a smaller fixed sunroof above the rear seats. For those who appreciate driver assistance technology, the C400 is well-equipped. Features include a backup camera with front and rear parking sensors, DISTRONIC adaptive cruise control with steering assist, active parking assist, blind spot assist, active lane keeping assist, attention assist, cross-traffic alert, and autonomous emergency braking, providing a comprehensive suite of safety and convenience features.
Image: Close-up of the Burmester speaker grilles in the Mercedes Benz C400, emphasizing their premium design and high-quality finish.
Comfortable Rear Seating
The comfort extends beyond the front seats of the Mercedes Benz C400. The rear seats are also well-designed for passenger comfort. Legroom is generous, although headroom is somewhat limited, particularly for taller occupants. Passengers up to 5’10” should find it adequate, but taller individuals may find their hair close to the headliner. The outboard rear seats are more comfortable due to the large floor tunnel that impacts middle seat space. Rear passengers benefit from an ashtray, a 12V charging plug, and adjustable air vents, adding to their convenience.
Image: View of the Mercedes Benz C400’s rear seats, showing the legroom, seating contours, and rear air vents.
Families with young children will appreciate the two sets of ISOFIX child seat anchors. However, fitting three child seats across the rear might be challenging due to the narrower middle seating position.
Practical Storage Solutions
In terms of interior storage, the Mercedes Benz C400 offers practical solutions. The center console features two cupholders and a traditional ashtray concealed under a hinged lid. The armrest’s clamshell lid opens to reveal a small storage bin, which also houses two USB plugs for device charging and connectivity.
Image: Open trunk of the Mercedes Benz C400, illustrating its cargo space and depth.
The trunk’s swoopy styling does compromise its overall practicality. The shallow height can make transporting taller items, such as full-size suitcases, a challenge.
Potent Twin-Turbo V6 Engine
Under the hood, the Mercedes Benz C400 is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, producing 329 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. It shares a 7-speed automatic transmission with other C-Class models and features 4MATIC all-wheel drive for enhanced traction and stability. Mercedes-Benz rates the fuel economy at 11.1 L/100 km (21 US mpg) in the city and 8.4 L/100 km (28 US mpg) on the highway. Real-world driving, even with a spirited driving style, yields an average fuel consumption of around 11 L/100 km, demonstrating reasonable efficiency for its performance.
Image: Engine bay of the Mercedes Benz C400, showcasing the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine.
Engaging Driving Dynamics
Starting the Mercedes Benz C400 is a refined experience, with a quiet purr from the engine. While it might initially seem understated, the V6 engine delivers smooth and potent power. The car always feels composed and effortless, never strained, even under demanding driving conditions. The low, sporty seating position encourages a more engaged driving experience.
Image: Close-up of the Mercedes Benz C400’s push-start button, highlighting the start of the driving experience.
The C400 offers four driving modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. Sport and Sport+ modes significantly enhance the driving dynamics by increasing responsiveness and firming up the suspension. In these modes, the car feels surprisingly quick and agile, with ample power on tap. While generally quiet at idle, the engine produces a satisfying throaty V6 sound under hard acceleration. The 7-speed automatic transmission operates smoothly, shifting seamlessly and holding gears when needed, depending on the selected driving mode and driving style. Paddle shifters are also available for those who prefer a more manual gear selection.
Image: Detail of the Mercedes Benz C400’s steering wheel paddle shifter, allowing for manual gear control.
The sporty suspension strikes a good balance between handling and ride comfort. It provides excellent handling with minimal body lean in corners, while still offering a generally compliant ride. Larger road imperfections, such as potholes, can be felt more noticeably in the cabin. The sport brakes are powerful and responsive, providing confident stopping power when needed.
Image: Close-up of the Mercedes Benz C400’s AMG wheel, showcasing the sporty brake calipers and rotor.
The Mercedes Benz C400 is remarkably smooth and quiet, especially at highway speeds (80-100 km/h), enhancing the overall driving experience. One minor drawback is the steering assist feature, which, while functional on freeways, can feel somewhat intrusive in more congested areas, sometimes applying brakes abruptly or steering back into the lane when drifting slightly. This feature might be preferred to be turned off by some drivers in certain driving conditions.
Image: Detail of the Mercedes Benz C400’s center console buttons, showcasing the technology and control features.
Minor Nitpicks
Some minor drawbacks were noted in the Mercedes Benz C400. The steering column has a high number of stalks, particularly on the left side, which can be initially confusing. The cruise control stalk is also hidden from direct view, requiring familiarization or a stop to understand its functions.
Image: Close-up of the Mercedes Benz C400’s steering column stalks, highlighting the density of controls.
The placement of the volume control on the center console, rather than the center stack, might not be ideal for all drivers’ preferences. While overall fit and finish are excellent, some mild rattles from the rear window ledge were observed when encountering larger bumps.
Image: Driver’s perspective from inside the Mercedes Benz C400, showing the dashboard layout and steering wheel.
Final Verdict: Still a Compelling Choice
So, is the Mercedes Benz C400 the perfect C-Class? For those seeking a high-performing luxury sedan without venturing into the extreme territory of the C63 AMG, it certainly comes very close. While the C400 was succeeded by the even more potent C450 AMG (later rebranded as the C43 AMG), the C400 remains a fantastic option. It offers a compelling blend of luxury, performance, and sophisticated styling.
Image: Close-up of the Mercedes Benz C400 badge, signifying the model designation and prestige.
Currently, prospective buyers might find attractive deals on pre-owned 2015 Mercedes Benz C400 models, or consider the slightly newer and more powerful 2016 C450 AMG. Both represent excellent choices in the luxury sedan market.
From a practical standpoint, the “Wife Acceptance Factor” is notably high. The C-Class styling is widely appealing and easy to drive, making it a desirable choice for everyday use. Its premium appearance and brand prestige are sure to turn heads.
Image: Rear view of the silver Mercedes Benz C400, emphasizing its elegant taillight design and dual exhaust outlets.
For those in the market for a used luxury sedan, the Mercedes Benz C400 deserves serious consideration. It represents a sweet spot in the C-Class lineup, offering a rewarding driving experience and premium features that continue to impress.
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