Wonderful Wagon
Family friendly segment still has plenty of appeal, particularly when it’s a Benz
Whether it’s another driver snagging the final parking spot in front of you at Costco on a Saturday or biting into a chocolate chip cookie before realizing you’re out of milk, life is unfair. Just ask the mighty station wagon.
It’s a puzzling predicament, really. This type of car is regarded as a near-perfect blend of SUV-like practicality and car-like driving dynamics. Yet more often than not, they’re also unfairly saddled with a bad rap, usually for styling.
Come on. Just because the Ford Country Squire wagon proudly wore wood panelling in the 1960s doesn’t mean that trend is coming back. It’s a weak argument, especially after taking so much as one passing glance at the new-for-2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 Wagon. It’s a genuinely attractive package and the horizontal LED tail lights, stretchedout roofline and optional AMG package work especially well with the car’s stance.
The C does, from certain angles, have a tendency to come across as a smaller E-Class wagon, but that’s hardly a knock, because E is far from ugly.
Powertrains, on the other hand, tell a different story and it’s arguably the C300 wagon’s weakest point. While Mercedes had the courtesy to offer buyers the choice between a wagon and a crossover, it somehow forgot the additional powertrains. When it was originally announced for Canada, the C-Class Wagon was slated to arrive with a 2.1-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine under the hood. But times change and two years after the original announcement, the only way to have the longroofed C is with Mercedes’ ubiquitous gasoline 2.0-L turbo four.
With 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque at your disposal, it’s not as though the C300 Wagon is lacking. But it’s hardly an inspiring choice for such a niche model. Pretty much everything else out there has a 2.0-L turbo four. The 362-hp, double-boosted V-6 from the C43 would be perfect and it’s already available in the C-Class sedan, coupe and convertible models, plus the GLC crossover. How hard could an engine transplant possibly be?
Mercedes quotes a zero-to-100 km/h sprint of 6.1 seconds, a touch slower than the slightly lighter C300 sedan, but quicker than the slightly heavier GLC 300. In the real world, the turbo four is certainly fleet, hardly breaking a sweat while taking off from a red light or slingshotting into an open space from the merging lane of a busy highway.
There’s smoothness to how the turbo four works with the nine-speed automatic, though with Mercedes’ standard Dynamic Select configured correctly, the duo can certainly be pushed around with gusto.
Of the five driving modes, Eco maximizes efficiency and dulls the C300 wagon almost to a fault, while Sport and Sport+ allow for more spirited drives, though they aren’t quite suited for daily driving. Individual lets you mix and match various settings, but do yourself a favour and leave it in Comfort. The default mode does a formidable job in keeping the C300 sedate or on its toes, depending on the strip of tarmac ahead. Maybe Sport+ if the road has a few twists and turns.
The C300 rides quite well, both around town and at speed. Wind and road noise are minimal and it soaks up bumps and rough pavement with ease.
Inside, the C300 wagon is nowhere near as opulent as an S-Class or even an E-Class, for that matter. Still, it’s deserving of the Mercedes-Benz moniker and given the wagon’s $46,000 starting price, it’s well appointed. The materials and trim pieces are top shelf and complement one another quite well, particularly the wood trim and silver accents on the centre stack.
The instrumentation — pleasantly enough, a set of analog gauges with a digital display nestled in the middle — is clear, but those wanting a wagon and Mercedes’ 12.3-inch display would have to move up to the E-Class. Mercedes’ COMAND infotainment system is smart: A rotary dial and touchpad control the sharp, seven-inch display. There’s a learning curve to it, but it’s easily mastered. And if you somehow don’t, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported.
The C300 Wagon can accommodate 490 L with the rear seats up, and 1,510 L with the seats stowed.
As tested, the C300 wagon fetched $56,865 thanks to more than $10,000 in options. The $1,700 Sport package ought to be considered mandatory, dressing up the C300’s bodywork with unique front and rear fascias and side skirts, as well as 18-inch AMG wheels and performance-oriented brakes and suspension bits. For a seemingly hefty $5,000, the Premium package adds a power liftgate, GPS navigation and LED headlights, among other enhancements.
The Premium Plus package adds a 360-degree camera, the ability to open the liftgate using your foot, manual rear sunshades, ambient interior lighting and lets the car park itself, among other enhancements, for $2,300. Want the 360-degree camera or self-parking gizmos on their own? Too bad. You’re required to spend $5,000 for the Premium package and $2,300 on top of that for Premium Plus. Somehow, genuine leather seating didn’t find its way into either Premium package; that’s at least another $1,990. Ditto the optional heated steering wheel; when it’s standard on a loaded Kia Rio, it should be standard on the Benz.
Competitors are few and far between. Aside from the GLC 300, the C300 wagon’s closest competitor is the equally low-volume BMW 3 Series Touring, but at least BMW gives you a choice in engines. There’s also the Volvo V60, but the Swede is getting long in the tooth.