Having spent all weekend in a brand new 64 plate C200 petrol auto (
) when I was hoping for a C220D or C250D auto, something with enough torque to waft it along and that won't drink like Gazza. With no turbo or torque to boost us along, really can't understand why anyone would buy this engine. The diesels in the range trump it all day.
As you'd expect it also doesn't feel quick and you have to drive it like an S2000 in the rev range to get anywhere quickly, but then it won't with a korma level 180hp in what is essentially a mini S-Class
As it turns out, on my 300 mile round trip cruising at sensible speeds it barely scraped 42mpg even though there were 5 of us all with luggage stuffed into it. I was hoping it would break at least 45mpg (when the combined stat is 53 mpg).
The main disappointment was the auto box - I'm assuming it's single clutch (?) and it's very hesitant & slow. No DSG smoothness or confidence in a fast change. It's acceptable, but not a 2015 kinna' feel automatic gearbox from a luxury brand manufacturer in their flagship saloon. Hmm.
The big WTF is that it has a dash mounted auto shifter lever like the traditional old American auto's had, there's no normally centrally located gear level to switch between R-N-D etc... This is really poor IMO, as the last C-Class had a DSG style central shifter which is just right - and normal. And what you'd expect for a car that begins at 27k. I even checked a video of the brand new S63 AMG coupe 2015 model and even that has the ugly dash level - what's Mercedes' objective here?
While the cabin was smart enough, the steering weight was good, chassis and handling felt capable, I can't understand the journo's high praise for the new C-Class auto's?
I'd expect the BMW F30 3-series and Audi A4 automatics to be much, much better.
