Base cars swap an older turbo-4 for a new 2.0-liter unit from Mercedes' new inline engine family. It’s void of a Mercedes emblem, but that has been replaced with a unit mounted to the hood. This oil leak on the cylinder heads has been misdiagnosed as leaking valve covers, but the problem stems from plastic expansion plugs used in models between 2008 and 2012. These plugs need to be replaced every 60,000 miles to avoid this engine oil leaking problem. The EPA rates the C350e’s range at just 8 miles of continuous electric range, 9 miles total, and its fuel economy is only about 10 percent higher than the C300. Rivals such as the BMW 3-series offer better fuel economy (up to 26/36 mpg). Fuel economy checks in at 18/26 mpg for the C300 Luxury and the C300 Sport with the manual transmission; it's 18/25 mpg for the Luxury AWD and the Sport automatic. Mercedes will update this model sometime in the 2019 model year, and will likely add more battery capacity to boost the plug-in’s 9 miles of electric drive range, and with any luck, the combined 30-mpg fuel economy that barely nudged out the gas-engined C300.
The Mercedes-Benz C350e plug-in hybrid sandwiches a 60-kilowatt (80-hp) electric motor between the 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine and a 7-speed automatic transmission, for a combined power of 275 hp. It doesn't provide electric idle creep with the engine off at stops, which takes a bit of getting used to. If you want a bit more screen space, you can upgrade to a 10.25-inch central color display. Prior to this model year, that display size was standard in the coupe and convertible, while the sedan had a 7-inch screen. 3.0-liter V-6 spins out 385 hp, up 23 hp, while torque stays steady at 384 lb-ft. In lower-output trim, its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 pumps out 469 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, channeled to the rear wheels through the only 7-speed paddle-shifted dual-clutch transmission in the C-Class family. The other big thing that we can spot from this round of spy shots is that there is some camo attached to the rear, which means it’s rocking the production rear fascia.
Check out our special section below to learn more about what we see in this round of shots. Check out our U.S. First off, we can finally make out the shape of the vents in the corners of the front fascia. The Facelifted C-Class is getting closer to production, and our paparazzi just caught it out giving the public streets the business with some new developments. Should I Buy the Mercedes-Benz C-Class? A: The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C300 comes standard with a rear-wheel drive (RWD) drivetrain. Opting for the 4Matic system gets you all-wheel drive. Adaptive dampers get the nod, with steel springs, and that standard all-wheel-drive system. It should get aerodynamically sound styling around the edges to account or smooth air flow. Under the sheet metal, the C-Class rides on an independent suspension that can be upgraded from steel coils to air springs and a continuously damping set of shocks with selectable settings. However, with this new round, the C-Class is sporting a new grille that is predominantly chrome with three horizontal slats that are intersected by one right in the middle. Those reverse lights are now split into three different display areas that will likely be brighter than ever.
Now the C300 can hang with the sport-sedan editions of its cross-country rivals. There is some black tinting to prevent us from seeing the full layout, but as you can see the matrix is more defined than ever, with bright, sharp angles everywhere, darker portions of the matrix can be found in the center and just above the reverse lights. Truth be told, the lights are a little more futuristic and more on point with what you would expect from a luxury model in this day and age. The LED running lights have been moved from the bottom of the lens to the top edge, where they follow the contour of the top and inner edge before terminating at the lower, inner corner. The ‘intelligent’ LED headlight upgrade works beautifully and the 360-degree camera (standard fitment on the rival 3 Series) is handy. Then there’s the Vision Package ($4846) that adds a glass roof, multi-beam LED lighting, 360-degree camera and head-up display; Energising Comfort ($769) brings the glovebox fragrance dispenser; Comand Package ($1769) brings online infotainment and Burmester sound; Wireless Charging ($308) for smartphones; Dynamic Body Control ($1077) adaptive damper system plus, of course, an extra sting ($2154) for the Designo Diamond White paintwork.
