Mercedes-Benz C-Class C200 Estate 2021 UK first drive

We drove the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class last week overseas but we’ve now driven it in the UK, albeit still early left-hand-drive examples.

The one most different from last week’s test car was this C200 petrol estate, presented in a slightly unknown spec because it’s non-specific to any particular trim level. But it did run on swanky 19in wheels and have a high-specification interior.

The estate is the same 4751mm length as the saloon, unlike the previous model, which was a touch longer than the four-door, while it has a 490-litre boot (rising to 1510 litres with the seats folded), all but the same (500-1510 litres) as the C-Class’s arch rival, the BMW 3 Series.

The other boot numbers – the ones on the outside – don’t always correlate to engine capacity these days and this C200 is no exception, with a 1.5-litre petrol engine with integrated 48V mild-hybrid starter-generator that boosts low-end torque and response.

The engine provides 201bhp and 221lb ft, and, briefly, the motor another 20bhp and 148lb ft, but you can’t just add the numbers together to get a maximum because both elements won’t be working their hardest at the same time.

The numbers say the C200 hits 62mph from rest in 7.5sec, which makes it the same sort of speed as a Toyota GT86. But the way it drives its rear wheels through its nine-speed automatic gearbox means it doesn’t really feel as fast as that and, while the engine is impressively quiet, the ’box is indecisive with ratios in all but gentle mooching, with more meaningful acceleration accompanied by quite a thumpy downshift.

The rest of the way it drives is mixed, too. Even the estate this time around has no air spring option but even so, with coil springs both back and front, it rather feels like the fore and aft set-ups are moving at different rates, with a lack of cohesion to it contributing to a front-rear bob to the ride in the suspension’s Comfort mode. In that, there is, at least, also moderate isolation that would probably be improved by not having 35-profile rear tyres.

Nonetheless, this isn’t a car that has the ride and handling deftness you’d hope for from a small rear-drive Mercedes. The steering’s better, glutinous at times but middlingly weighted, and it gains a bit of heft and confidence as you turn – and it’s not nervy despite having only two turns between locks.