Mercedes-Benz C300e Avantgarde (2019) review

Mercedes-Benz C300e Avantgarde (2019) review

Forget what the badge stands for. The updated C300e does all things better than the pre-facelift C350e.

What’s new?

The facelifted C-Class model range started off with the diesel-powered C220d late last year. Now, Mercedes-Benz Thailand is offering the next one in the guise of the C300e plug-in hybrid.

Superseding the pre-facelift C350e, the C300e gets some visual changes in the manner of mid-life updates like new lights and front grille design. But the more important news come beneath the skin.

While the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is familiar, the automatic transmission has been upgraded from seven-speed to nine. As well, the lithium-ion battery has doubled in energy density to 13.5kWh to increase the all-electric range from 31-50km.

The net result in the C300e is a combined output of 320hp, some 40hp higher than in the C350e. Torque has also risen dramatically to 700Nm thanks to assistance from the electrical system.

Two trims are being offered in the C300e: Avantgarde as tested here at 2.699 million baht and AMG Dynamic asking for 3.215 million baht. Spec-on-spec, the C300e is around 320k dearer than the C220d. 

What’s cool?

For those who like the merits of pure electric driving, the C300e shouldn’t disappoint. The car zips around town effortlessly and can do so up to 130kph elsewhere. 

And yes, you’ll note the longer EV range the C300e has over the C350e even though attaining the claimed 50km can hardly be achieved on Thai road conditions due to factors of prolonged air-conditioning use and unpredictable traffic snarl-ups.

Leave the drive system in hybrid mode and the C300e feels lively at all times. While diesel-turbo engines traditionally have rich amounts of torque in real-world use, the C300e isn’t short of it at all thanks to the presence of both turbo and electrical boost.

In fact, the C300e has lots of power in the open and reaches high speeds with the same ease as the Mercedes-AMG C43 (see sidebar below). Yes, the C300e is quite a rapid sedan when asked for. Plus, the latest nine-speeder shuffles gears neatly.

Although the C-Class has now passed mid-life amid the presence of BMW’s all-new 3 Series archrival, it still looks decent on the skin. The Merc’s cabin, too, remains stylish, well-made and easy to use.

What’s not?

As in the outgoing C350e, the mechanical refinement of the C300e’s petrol motor is gruff and vocal. Away from idle speed, the C220d sounds more muted overall.

The same goes for the fitment of the lithium-ion batteries in the C300e. Rather than neatly disappearing into the boot floor, the battery pack sits on top of it creating a two-tier design that hopelessly robs usability. 

As well, you can feel some compromises in the C300e’s behavior around corners. In terms of handling crispness, the C300e is outdone by the C43. 

While a longer driving range in all-electric mode is welcome, you need to charge longer if using a normal wall socket at home. So not only has the battery doubled in terms of energy density and driving range but also in charging times. It took us 5-6 hours to replenish from empty to full (though still acceptable if done overnight).

Buy or bye?

If you happen to be a satisfied owner of the C350e, there’s a good chance that the C300e will take your grin nearer to your ears, so to speak. Why the inferior badge is even something Mercedes couldn’t provide us with an answer (maybe they’re planning a more potent plug-in hybrid in the future).

Despite some issues in packaging the batteries, Mercedes has shown that plug-in hybrid technology is here to stay when it comes to the performance of the electrical bits. 

Due to battery tech that keeps improving, the EV range could easily increase in the future and properly bridge the gap between combustion-engined cars and battery-electric ones.

Probably the only things that will keep diesel alive, in this case the C220d, is its lower price point, longer range between fill-ups and convenience in finding stations to do so. 

But diesel’s once-fabled attribute of good mid-range punch is now fading away in the presence of improved plug-in hybrid tech.


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