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April 3, 2008 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/mercedes-benz_c-class_2002

  Bengt Halvorson
EditorBengt Halvorson

“Do not become distracted from traffic by use of COMAND !”

Going simply by these words you see whenever you turn on the ignition, the C320 would be a rather stern, businesslike disciplinarian. But that’s far from the truth: the C320 wagon is more stylish and fun to drive than any other wagon in the automaker’s past.

Although this is the first time a C-Class wagon has been sold in this country, the last generation C wagon was quite popular in Europe. Just like the sedan sold here, it was solid, comfortable, loaded with safety features, and with the right powertrain choice was a very satisfying drive.

The power of aluminum

The C320 is powered by an all-aluminum, 215-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 engine—the same V-6 that’s offered in larger M-B models. While it’s not any more than adequate in the big M-Class SUV, it feels strong and willing to haul the C320 quickly up to triple-digit speeds, whether or not you’re hauling a full load of people or cargo.

Though some drivers will surely miss a manual shift, Mercedes-Benz automatics have an uncanny way of intuiting what gear to be in based on your right foot and previous driving habits. The transmission offers a mode called Touch Shift where you can manually select the gears if the gearbox isn’t quite reading your right foot, but most people will be quite satisfied. It’s a shame that no manual gearbox is available, though. A stick is available on the C240 (2.6-liter V-6) sedan, but the wagon is only available with the 3.2-liter.

The transmission in our test car did, however, shift quite harshly from first to second when first starting out on cold mornings. After a few stop-and-gos, the shifts would be buttery smooth once again under gentle acceleration.

“Do not become distracted from traffic by use of COMAND !” Going simply by these words you see whenever you turn on the ignition, the C320 would be a rather stern, businesslike disciplinarian. But that’s far from the truth: the C320 wagon is more stylish and fun to drive than any other wagon in the automaker’s past. Although this is the first time a C-Class wagon has been sold in this country, the last generation C wagon was quite popular in Europe. Just like the sedan sold here, it was solid, comfortable, loaded with safety features, and with the right powertrain choice was a very satisfying drive. The power of aluminum The C320 is powered by an all-aluminum, 215-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 engine—the same V-6 that’s offered in larger M-B models. While it’s not any more than adequate in the big M-Class SUV, it feels strong and willing to haul the C320 quickly up to triple-digit speeds, whether or not you’re hauling a full load of people or cargo. Though some drivers will surely miss a manual shift, Mercedes-Benz automatics have an uncanny way of intuiting what gear to be in based on your right foot and previous driving habits. The transmission offers a mode called Touch Shift where you can manually select the gears if the gearbox isn’t quite reading your right foot, but most people will be quite satisfied. It’s a shame that no manual gearbox is available, though. A stick is available on the C240 (2.6-liter V-6) sedan, but the wagon is only available with the 3.2-liter. The transmission in our test car did, however, shift quite harshly from first to second when first starting out on cold mornings. After a few stop-and-gos, the shifts would be buttery smooth once again under gentle acceleration. “Do not become distracted from traffic by use of COMAND !” Going simply by these words you see whenever you turn on the ignition, the C320 would be a rather stern, businesslike disciplinarian. But that’s far from the truth: the C320 wagon is more stylish and fun to drive than any ...