Mercedes C180 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Review & Road Test (2010) Part 2

The second part of our review and road test of the Mercedes C180 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY

The C180 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Executive SE comes in two flavours – auto and manual. Opt for the manual and you get a 1.6 litre Kompressor, but opt for the auto ‘box – which is what we have – and you actually get a 1.8 litre turbo.

And the 1.8 litre turbo is a decent lump. It delivers 156hp and it delivers that in a nicely linear fashion through a really rather good 5-speed auto with sport setting. It’s not a traffic light Grand Prix winner, but it does manage to break 9 seconds 0-60mph and on to a top speed of 137mph.

But it’s the way the C Class manages the power it has available that’s most impressive. Especially when you consider that this is a Blue EFFICIENCY model and designed to be frugal rather than dynamic with its low rolling resistance tyres and emphasis on the ‘Eco’.

With 156bhp and a healthy dose of torque (184lb/ft) and a very good auto ‘box, the C180 always delivers a good response; one you really wouldn’t expect from a relatively frugal, compact exec-mobile. In fact – dare I say – the sort of response you’d expect from a 3 Series.

Not only does the chassis give you the sort of feedback you’d expect in a 3 Series, it does it with a little more ‘Give’. At first that feels as if it’s more sloppy, but push on harder and you realise that this C-Class is just as dynamic but somehow softer. Not softer as in ‘less able’, but softer as in ‘more comfortable’. A clever trick.

It’s the same with the steering. Sit behind the wheel and the first thing you think as you plop your mits at 10 to 2 is – dinner plate. Typically, Mercedes steering wheels are just that bit bigger; more comfort than sport. And when you get going the steering feels detached and light. Or does it? Do you think it’s detached because it’s so light?

That’s the conclusion I came to, because the steering is actually very good. And once you settle in to it you realise you really can feel what’s going on, and that it is accurate. Very accurate. Turn in and the C180 goes where you want it. For an Eco-focused, small engined bottom end model it’s a surprising amount of fun on the twisty stuff. Even with – or maybe because of – the clever 5-speed auto ‘box which conspires to give the right gear 99% of the time.

click next below to continue reading

1 | 2 | 3 next

By Cars UK