A couple of weeks ago I was given a Mercedes C220d cabriolet to drive for the weekend by my local Mercedes dealership. The weather was bitterly cold and frosty both mornings however the clear blue skies made for great, enjoyable driving conditions with the top down.
I was offered the choice of a Mercedes GLA, Mercedes C-Class Estate and a C-Class cabriolet. I chose the latter as I like the lines of the latest Mercedes C-Class coupe and cabriolet.
The particular specification of this model was a C220 4MATIC AMG Line Premium Plus diesel. The C220 specified is a 2.1 litre twin-turbo diesel engine. The 4MATIC translates to 4 wheel drive and AMG Line is the trim specification which includes larger design alloy wheels, sporty front and rear bumpers plus side skirts and upgraded interior.
19″ multi spoke AMG alloy wheels
The C220d cabriolet has 170bhp, 0-62mph time of 8.1 seconds and top speed of 140mph. The transmission is a seamless 9G-automatic gearbox. The base price of a Mercedes C220d AMG Line 4MATIC cabriolet is £43,235 with no added extras.
Standard equipment includes:
- Fully electric roof that folds in only 24 seconds, capable of opening and closing up to 30mph
- AirScarf for the front two seats which ventilates warm air to the occupiers’ necks
- Keyless Entry and start, automatic lights and wipers
- 18 inch AMG alloy wheels with Mercedes branded brake calipers
- Electrically adjustable front sports seats with integrated headrests
- Seatbelt mechanism that hands seatbelt forward to front seats
The added Premium Plus package includes an upgraded Comand multimedia and sat-nav system, Burmester surround sound audio system, ambient lighting, memory function for both front seats and steering wheel and electric boot lid. The total price for this optional extra package is £1,300. Metallic black paint is an additional extra at a price of £645. 19″ multi-spoke alloy wheels are an additional £595.
The overall price for a model with this specification would be approximately £46k.
I’m a huge fan of the latest Mercedes C-Class coupe and cabriolet models. I think the exterior of the car is great with long, sweeping lines and aesthetically good to look at. The cabriolet with the roof down has a really elongated, tasteful appearance without being too blingy. The right amount of chrome sets the car off well. With the C-Class, I particularly like how the 19″ multi-spoke AMG alloys, along with the dual exhaust pipes set the Mercedes cabriolet off.
The sharp nose, LED headlights, chrome pins in radiator grille and long bonnet set the car up for that sporty, yet refined look. When viewing from outside, the C class cabriolet looks hunkered to the ground thanks to lowered suspension as part of the lowered Mercedes suspension.
Inside the Mercedes C-Class cabriolet is a lovely place to be. The open-pore ash black wood trim, stainless silver components and central analogue clock make it feel luxurious, whilst not being over the top. The central display unit is not to everyone’s taste, to some appearing stuck on as an afterthought but I think it gives the car a modern focal point. The multimedia and control centre is extremely intuitive and easy to use. From here you can adjust including radio stations, satellite navigation, bluetooth phone connectivity, USB inputs, driving details and statistics and set the ambient lighting of the car, plus much more. The gloss black mouse looking touchpad at arm level controls the display, next to this is a rolling button to select the dynamic level of the car.
The settings include Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. Eco mode keeps the engine at low revs and selects a higher gear, sooner, to save on fuel economy, in addition to cutting the engine at idle. Comfort is the middle ground option that is selected by default when the car is switched on. Sport gets more responsive gear changes, firmer steering, longer RPM changes and unlike comfort, will start in 1st gear and not second, amongst other things.
The flat bottomed, multi function sports steering wheel is wrapped partly in leather and from here you can control features like voice command, sound volume and the car’s computer display between the dials.
The seats are really comfortable and supportive. These particular ones were finished in black artico leather and as standard on all cabriolets, include the airscarf function which vents warm air onto your neck. In addition to the heated seats, this was a great touch and welcomed feature in the cold weather. The two rear passenger seats were sufficient for passengers too, one journey I had a car full and there were no complaints on headspace with the roof up, or lack of leg space.
The centre console is split, opened at the touch of a release button and includes two auxiliary USB multimedia slots for phones or MP3 players. The silver button in front of the centre console is the cabriolet roof function, whereby different levels of the roof can be selected including having completely down, windbreak up and completely up. These changes can be made at speeds of up to 30mph.
The roof can also be opened or closed by the key fob, in addition to the automatic boot opening. Despite the roof taking up a sizeable portion of the boot, the space is really deep so would provide plenty of space for everyday usage, not limited at all.
A handy feature when you get into the car and sit at your seat, a mechanical lever hands you the seat belt from behind, saving the need to twist around and pull it from behind yourself.
The engine of the car was the more modest and practical 2.1L diesel twin-turbo, which has more than sufficient power for everyday usage but doesn’t blow you away in terms of agility and acceleration. Larger engine sizes will tick this box, with the range topping C63 AMG providing the fun and sound from the 4.0L V8.
I think I averaged MPG in the mid thirties, which is to be expected, however my journeys were mostly short town runs and didn’t include any lengthy motorway cruising.
On the whole, I think the Mercedes C-class cabriolet is a great car to drive, particularly in those summer months if you are fortunate enough to experience warm, sunny weather. Despite the weather being cold and frosty the weekend I had this car, I enjoyed driving it, partly due to the well thought out airscarf and heated seat features that took the sting out of the cold. The drive is comfortable, refined and provides a level of driving pleasure you can only get from a convertible. Mercedes have done a really good job at providing high levels of comfort, practicality and good looks in their C-Class cabriolet.
What do you think of the Mercedes C-Class cabriolet?
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