Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate (2008 – 2014) Review

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate (2008 – 2014) At A Glance

4/5

+Neatly styled estate. Very comfortable and refined. Impressive CDI diesels are economical. Good sized useable boot space.

-Parameter steering overlight in town. Expensive options. Not the best estate for driver enjoyment. Still has an old-school foot operated parking brake.

Insurance Groups are between 28–50
On average it achieves 85% of the official MPG figure

If you're looking for the newer version, you need our Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate review

Ironically, my first drive of a W204 was on the Honda Accord launch the week before ‘my' C320 CDI arrived. Honda had hired examples of the competition and the Mercedes representative was a base spec C200 CDI Classic SE manual.

I actually liked that car. It felt completely honest and that it would do 1,000,000 miles. It wasn't fast, but the gear ratios were well matched to the engine, it handled well and it was comfortable enough for the driver to last 1,000,000 miles as well.

The £42,000 C320 CDI Sport estate was a different kind of animal. In basic form it costs £35,000, but this one had £7,000 of extras. The usual stuff: leather at £1,295, satnav at £1,995, park assist at £605, metallic paint at £620. However it did include (for £610) a very clever towbar that completely tucked away under the rear valence where it could do no harm when not in use.

For the £17,500 extra it cost over the C200 CDI Classic saloon, this C320 CDI Sport estate was a genuine luxury sports estate. Instead of a pedestrian 10.2 seconds to 60, it gets there in 6.8. it gobbles a bit more expensive diesel (33.7mpg in my case) but manages to steer relatively clear of Alistair Darling's clutches with a CO2 output of 199g/km. That means £210 tax this year and £260 next year. Not too painful.

Mercedes Benz C-Class Estate 2008 Road Test

Mercedes Benz C-Class C220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY 2011 Road Test

Real MPG average for a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate (2008 – 2014)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

85%

Real MPG

17–66 mpg

MPGs submitted

646

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

Satisfaction Index What is your car like to live with?

We need your help with our latest Satisfaction Index, so that we can help others make a smarter car buying decision. What's it like to live with your car? Love it? Loath it? We want to know. Let us know about your car - it will only take a few minutes and you could be helping thousands of others.

Help us with the Honest John Satisfaction Index now

Ask Honest John

Can you recommend a car that fits my long list of requirements?

"I'm looking for a used car, SUV or Estate. I'd like it to have the following: torque converter auto gearbox, spare wheel or spacesaver, decent performance i.e. 0-60mph in under 10 seconds, a decent size boot with a minimum of 500 litres and cruise control. Economy isn't that important to me if I get everything else. I'd prefer petrol but would consider diesels. I have a budget of around £12,000. I know its a tall order but can you help identify something suitable, please?"
A BMW 3 Series Touring or Mercedes-Benz C-Class would meet most of your requirements apart from having room for a spare wheel. How about a Honda Civic Tourer? It's a smaller car but has a huge 624-litre boot and was sold with a reliable torque-converter transmission. There's room for a space-saver spare wheel, too.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Which automatic hybrid SUV (preferably not CVT) would you recommend?

"We are looking for an automatic hybrid SUV. We're searching for a higher-ride car to replace our old Mercedes-Benz C-Class 180 Estate with sports pack. We don't like its hard ride and these days do not really want sportiness if it's at the expense of comfort. But, we have loved automatic driving and the Mercedes-Benz all-round quality. We are keen to have a hybrid if possible, but definitely not a diesel. I wondered about the Lexus RX but my husband says the CVT gearbox is over-revvy and noisy. "
There is only one, which is the KIA Niro and which has a dual clutch transmission rather than a CVT: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/kia/kia-niro-2016-road-test/ The Toyota C-HR is more stylish, more expensive and handles better, but is still a CVT: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/toyota/toyota-c-hr-2016-road-test/
Answered by Honest John

Why does my Mercedes-Benz C180 Estate need a new timing chain?

"My car is a Mercedes-Benz C180 estate. It was first registered in 2010, but I bought it in 2014 as an approved used car from a main dealer. The car ran fine until recently when I took it to my local dealer for an inspection. However, my main dealer claims that the car - which has 45k on the clock - requires the replacement of the timing chain and tensioners at a cost of £3000. Can this be right?"
This is starting to become a common problem: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/mercedes-benz/c-class-w204-2007/?section=good/ No escape, because it happens with BMW four-cylinder timing chain engines as well.
Answered by Honest John

Buying a second hand estate for £10k - any recommendations?

"My wife and I are in the market for a second hand estate; we want a car that's three to five years old and costs up to £10k. We are happy to have a fairly high mileage car (up to circa 100k). We've just test driven the Mercedes-Benz C200 BlueEfficiency Exec SE (2012 plate, 93k, £9450), Audi A4 Avant SE 2.0 (2012 plate, 104k, £9750), and Skoda Octavia SE 2.0 (2013 plate, 77k, £8995). All three seemed reasonable to drive and each has pros and cons - which would you recommend? Are there significant differences in running costs and likely resale value?"
Any high mileage diesel that has not already had a recent diesel particulate filter replacement is heading for one and that alone could cost £3000. Of the cars you list, the Mercedes at least has a well proven, chain cam 2.1 litre diesel engine that is fitted to millions of Mercedes cars and vans, so of the three that's probably your best bet.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate (2008 – 2014) cost?