1999 Mercedes-Benz C Class - Page 1 Review

Shopping for a 1999 Mercedes-Benz C Class? MSRP: $31,200 - $53,000

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Call it hubris, perhaps, but when you have the legendary Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star on the hood, there is a proud feeling you get aiming that hood ornament down the road. The Mercedes brand has an image that makes piloting even its entry-level car prestigious.

For 1999, that entry-level car is improved markedly. Buying the least expensive car in Mercedes’ U.S. lineup no longer means one has to settle for lethargic acceleration. The C230 Kompressor has replaced the C230. It employs the same supercharged four that is used in the SLK230 roadster instead of the normally aspirated four-cylinder engine of the old C230.

The resulting car is capable of gaining momentum at a much faster pace than the old C230. This engine makes the C230 Kompressor feel faster than the V6-powered C280. And with good reason — the C230 Kompressor’s four-cylinder engine actually produces five more foot-pounds of torque than the 195 foot-pounds of the V6-powered C280.

So why would anyone buy the more expensive C280 if the C230 Kompressor accelerates faster from zero to 60? It is slightly quieter and a bit smoother than the C230 Kompressor. However, the added smoothness of the C280 comes at a price of $4,400 over the cost of the C230 Kompressor. Undoubtedly, many will have a hard time justifying the additional cost. At a price of $31,795, the C230 Kompressor is a relative bargain. Despite that price, even this less expensive Mercedes has features that other manufacturers’ flagship models lack.

For instance, few if any other automobiles in the C230 Kompressor’s price class have a rear fog light and left and right side parking lamps. Or an all-speed traction control system that is one of the least intrusive yet most effective in the business. Or Mercedes’ innovative brake assist system that cuts stopping distances in panic braking situations. Or Mercedes’ Baby Smart child seat detection system. The list goes on.