Mercedes-Benz Philippines, under the management of the Auto Nation Group Inc. (ANG), has recently launched the all-new 2023 C-Class for the Philippine market. This new luxury sedan joins its larger and flashier S-Class sibling as well as the updated E-Class that were released last year.
The all-new 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Going back to the new C-Class, it is now in its fifth-generation form. It offers significant improvements over the outgoing version style-wise, in terms of on-board technology, luxury, and it gets a new powertrain as well.
Let’s check it out in detail.
Exterior
On the outside, the all-new 2023 C-Class size-wise now spans 4,751mm long, it is also 2,033mm wide, and 1,440mm in height. It then has a wheelbase spanning 2,865mm. This makes it longer by 65mm and wider by 45mm than the outgoing model.
C-Class rear end
The front end of this new Mercedes-Benz, particularly the Avantgarde trim, then gets a sharper front bumper. Its grille is also new and it now gets a single louver instead of the multi-slat design on the old model. The hood ornament is then replaced by a much larger Mercedes-Benz logo positioned in the middle of the grille.
Moreover, the look the of headlamp cluster was also updated. The shape itself appears to be sharper, and the LED headlamp elements and LED daytime running lamps now have a more contemporary look compared to the old C-Class.
It gets a sizable trunk as well
From the side, one can see that it continues to be a sleek sedan. It does a tad bit less in terms of character lines, while getting a new set of spoked 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in run-flat tires. Chrome bits are also present on the vehicle’s beltline.
The rear also gets a pair of new LED taillights, and the lower bumper still gets twin-exhaust tips that are decorated with chrome.
Interior
Inside, the new C-Class is both a feast for the eyes and a comfortable luxurious space to be in. It can accommodate up to five, and its occupants are kept comfortable by a Thermatic automatic climate control system.
The C-Class cockpit
Both the driver and front passenger seats are also electronically adjustable with lumbar support. Furthermore, most of the dash, interior door cards, and center console either get leather soft touch surfaces or premium metallic trim pieces.
The driver is then provided with plenty of tools including a push-to-start button, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, folding rear backrests for the rear seats, and velour floor mats, among others.
A peek into the C-Class rear cabin
Lastly, the C-Class's interior also gets ambient lighting. Of note, this is similar to the 64-color ambient lighting system that’s found on the larger Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Tech and safety
Dominating the new C-Class's dash is an 11.9-inch MBUX touchscreen headunit. One can control it either via voice commands or the multi-function steering wheel, and it gets both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well.
On the driver’s side is a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster. This particular feature has several display modes, and it can also show navigation and many other parameters relating to the vehicle.
For safety, the C-Class gets what you’d expect from a modern sedan. It has anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, plenty of airbags, a reverse camera, tire pressure monitoring, and a host of exterior ultrasonic sensors.
A closer look at the central touchscreen and digital gauge cluster
Besides those, the C-Class also comes with quite a comprehensive driver assist safety kit. Chief among these features is blind-spot assist, active pedestrian protection via the car’s bonnet, active parking assist, driver attention assist, a variable speed limit for the cruise control, and active brake assist.
The C-Class for 2023 also gets the Mercedes-Benz Urban Guard protection system. This makes use of an interior motion sensor, which upon detecting an intruder will activate the car’s anti-theft alarm.
Engine
Previously, the older C-Class either used a 2.0-liter or 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines. This new one now runs on a smaller 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline mill. But rather than working alone, the new 1.5-liter is paired with an integrated starter motor. So essentially, this new C-Class is a mild-hybrid.
The C-Class's 1.5-liter inline-4 EQ Boost Mild-Hybrid powertrain
At the most, this powertrain can produce up to 170 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque. The integrated starter motor which is powered by a 48-volt power supply can further add up to 200 Nm of torque when needed. Power is then sent to the vehicle’s rear wheels via a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Pricing
At launch, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class comes with an introductory price of Php 3.89 million. It also has a total of ten different color options together with three different interior styling packages. This makes for more than a handful of color combinations.
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