2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300 First Drive: Honey I Shrunk the S

Newark, NJ – First things first: You should know that no, Mercedes-Benz did not have us spend our days driving its revised new 2022 C-Class sedan around Newark, New Jersey. The city has its qualities but the roads and byways in and around it are a congested maze and not, shall we say, particularly picturesque.

No, fortunately, for the most part we spent a couple of days driving the new, fifth-generation C-Class sedan through some of the prettier parts of New York state, in the Hudson River Valley. It was an occasion to run the updated model over high-speed-limit interstates as well as on curving, undulating roads.

But first, a walkaround. The new C-Class features pointy LED headlights, arched roofline, prominent shoulder crease and rounded rear end, all elements that help bring it closer to big brother the S. Personally, I love the way it looks when it’s coming in your direction, and less the way it looks as it’s driving away. The front end benefits from very comely peepers and a sport-styled grille that’s all class, balance and appropriate size (I’m looking at you, BMW), and the lines that stretch up the hood with its twin power bumps give nice definition without appearing busy. It clearly takes elements from both the E-Class and S-Class sedans. I even like the rather large Silver Star logo on the grille.

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The back end suffers in comparison, however. It’s not awful or anything, I just find it anonymous and impossible to get excited about. Call it sober, or call it understated, but don’t call it eye-catching. This car gets a chocolate-flavoured front end, and a vanilla back end, is what I’m saying.

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