Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016) Review
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016) At A Glance
Elegant and sleek styling, beautifully judged balance of ride quality and handling, plush-feeling interior, cracking diesel engine, comfortable on the road.
You need option air suspension for best results, C200 engine is rather thrashy, rivals are marginally more practical.
Insurance Groups are between 31–50
On average it achieves 76% of the official MPG figure
The 2016 Mercedes C-Class Coupe is competitive in pretty much every area compared with rivals such as the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series. It’s comfortable and enjoyable to drive, classy inside, reasonably practical thanks to four decent seats and a decent boot, and it comes with a good amount of luxury and safety kit. Perhaps most importantly for coupe buyers, though, it looks the absolute business, thanks to its bold details and its curvaceous rear end. Very worthy of your consideration.
Putting looks before what’s on the inside doesn’t automatically make you a shallow person. Just look at the Mercedes C-Class Coupe for proof. Granted, it’ll only hold four people rather than five like the C-Class Saloon will, and the boot can’t swallow as much luggage, either, but when it looks this good, you can really see why some people would happily make the trade.
A stylish two-door take on the compact executive saloon is hardly a new idea. The German ‘Big Three’ have been punting out cars like this for years, and these days, things are very tight between the C-Class Coupe and its big rivals, the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series, in terms of size, space and price. In fact, it’s pretty much nip-and-tuck in every area, so what does the Merc do that the others don’t?
Well, for starters, it delivers a more relaxed driving experience, with a softer, more absorbent ride and a greater emphasis on refinement.
Find an example fitted with optional air suspension - as we suggest you do - you’ll live an even more comfortable and sophisticated life. You’ll need to choose your engine carefully, as some of the smaller petrol ones don’t really deliver on performance and quietness, but go for the C220d diesel, and you can’t really go wrong.
It feels pretty sophisticated in other ways, too. The interior quality is great, with plush materials and thoughtful, stylish finishes, while the amount of standard luxury kit you get is generous enough to hammer home the feeling of luxury. You get plenty of safety kit, too, so even though your brood will be more cramped than they would be in a C-Class Saloon, they shouldn’t be any less safe.
Drawbacks? Well, the car uses Merc’s older-school infotainment system, so the super-clever functionality on other models isn’t available here, while not all versions get Apple Carplay or Android Auto as standard.
Like we said, a couple of the engines aren’t really up to muster, and when push comes to shove, rivals from Audi and BMW are a shade roomier and more entertaining to drive.
Reviews for Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016)'s top 3 rivals
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On the inside of an Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016)
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Length | 4686–4751 mm |
Width | 2016 mm |
Height | 1400–1413 mm |
Wheelbase | 2840 mm |
Space up front is as generous as you would expect, and although the rear seats - of which there are only two - are rather snug on both headroom and legroom, there’s enough space for a pair of moderately sized adults to sit in reasonable comfort. Climbing in and out of the back takes a little bit of bendiness, but that’s the case in all coupes.
The boot is a very decent size, too, and with a relatively wide opening, the space is reasonably easy to get at. There’s a load lip to negotiate when loading heavy items, but that’s the case in rivals, too.
Handily, the rear seats fold in a 40-20-40 configuration, which is more versatile than the more common 60-40 arrangement, and although the extended loadbay you get is sloped, there are no steps in it. However, while the C-Class Couple is competitive with rivals on both interior space and boot space, it’s worth noting that rivals from both Audi and BMW are marginally better on both scores.
Everything you see and touch is finished soft-touch plastic, stitched leather, grained wood, genuine metal or high-gloss panelling.
It all feels very tactile and appealing, and the range of tastefully selected surfaces and textures combine to make things look interesting, and well as classy. All versions get the same part-leatherette upholstery, too, so there isn’t much of a disparity in poshness between the bottom-level trim and the top.
Inspect super-closely, and you will find one or two surfaces in the lower reaches of the cabin that aren’t as solid or as substantial as those in an Audi A5, but they’re hidden away out of sight and do nothing to undermine the impressive feeling of quality.
While most modern Mercs have been given the company’s latest MBUX infotainment system, the C-Class Coupe makes do with the company’s older system.
Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing will probably depend on how much you like touchscreens, which is used extensively by MBUX. In the C-Class Coupe, meanwhile, you scroll through on-screen menus using a simple rotary controller on the centre console, and in our book, it’s a much less distracting way of doing things.
It still isn’t quite as user-friendly as the equivalent system you’d find in a 4 Series because the menus are more complex and convoluted, but it gets better the more you use it, and the graphics are sharp enough and quick enough. Early cars got a 7.0-inch screen, while later ones got a 10.25-inch one that made the on-screen icons bigger, improving useability.
All versions have DAB radio, a Bluetooth phone connection and sat-nav of some variety. However, early cars didn’t have Apple Carplay/Android Auto, and even with today’s models, you only get it if you upgrade from AMG Line trim to AMG Line Premium or above.
Car seat chooser

Child seats that fit a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016)
Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016) Value
At the time of writing, prices for brand new versions of the C-Class Coupe started at just under £39,000 for the C200 AMG Line and rose to more than £49,000 for the C300d 4Matic (four-wheel drive) AMG Line Premium Plus.
That’s the maximum if you ignore the faster AMG versions, which for the purposes of this review, we will. If you’re after a diesel version, the cheapest one - and also the version we recommend - is the C220d AMG Line at just under £42,000. Compared with rivals, the C-Class is a fraction more expensive, but there really isn’t much in it.
It’s always worth checking Merc’s website for offers and promotions, too. At the time of writing, we saw the C180 AMG Line being offered for around £375 per month on a four-year PCP deal following an initial deposit of around £5800. That represents a discount of around £5000. There’s also very little in it for how quickly the C-Class Coupe depreciates compared with its main rivals, so used prices will be just as tight.
There’s been some chopping and changing with the car’s engine range throughout the car’s life, and also, the official NEDC testing procedures were swapped for tougher WLTP ones to give figures that better reflect real-world driving conditions.
That makes comparisons between early and late cars very difficult, so for now, we’ll simply concentrate on the newer examples.
The 300 d does 49mpg, but bear in mind that the figure drops significantly with the addition of 4 Matic four-wheel drive - it's the same for the C220 d. The C200, meanwhile, will do 42mpg according to official stats, while the C300 does 40mpg. Compared with rivals, the C-Class Coupe’s efficiency figures are pretty good.
Not including the most powerful AMG versions, insurance groupings start at 31 and rise to 42, and when you consider that group 1 is the cheapest one and group 50 is the most expensive, you can see that all versions sit towards the higher end of the scale, despite the modest power of some.
Check out the various reliability surveys doing the rounds, and you’ll find that Mercedes doesn’t perform as well as you might expect, usually figuring towards the foot of the table for manufacturers. It usually outperforms Audi and BMW, though.
Real MPG average for a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016)

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
76%
Real MPG
15–65 mpg
MPGs submitted
129
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.
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- Engines range from C 200 1.5 Automatic to AMG C63 S
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 15–65 mpg
There’s more give in its suspension than that of a BMW Series, so it rides bumps and potholes in a more settled way. That said, it’s rather more fidgety than an Audi A5 over smaller ridges and ripples, so it’s not the comfiest car of its type.
It isn’t the sharpest handling, either. There’s more body roll than in the rivals mentioned, and the steering is a slower, so fast direction changes aren’t quite as crisp, but it still handles corners securely.
The four-wheel-drive versions have some useful extra grip and traction on the road, but the rear-driven cars are still very good on that score, and are actually more fun.
If you can, we’d really recommend adding the optional air suspension, which allows you to stiffen things up or soften them off according to the driving mode you select.
Regardless of the mode, it rides a lot more fluidly than with the standard suspension, keeping you more comfortable in all situations, and there’s keener control over body movements in the corners.
The choice of engine you have in your C-Class Coupe will depend on the age of the car you’re looking at. Early examples came with 2.0-litre petrol engines including the C200 with 184PS and the C300 with 245PS, or 2.1-litre diesels in the form of the C220d with 170PS and the C250d with 205PS.
Later on, the diesels were replaced with 2.0-litre units giving either 194PS (C220d) or 245PS (C300d). With the petrols, the C300’s output rose slightly, the C200’s 2.0-litre engine was swapped for a 1.5 with both a turbocharger and an electric motor to give 184PS, and a C180 was added to the range, using a turbocharged 1.6 with 156PS.
So far, we’ve only tried a couple of them, the C200 and the C220d. The C200 doesn't have the character you want in a glamorous car like the C-Class Coupe. Despite its extra mild-hybrid boost, it’s really flat, so you have to rev it hard for even moderate performance, and that doesn’t make for a particularly relaxed experience.
However, the C220d is much more like it. It’s hugely muscular right from the bottom of the rev range, so it never needs more than a gentle tickle of the accelerator to get you going at a decent rate, and it has a very tidy turn of pace when you work it harder.
The C-Class Coupe itself hasn’t yet been driven into things by the experts at Euro NCAP, but both the C-Class Saloon and the C-Class Cabriolet have, and both emerged with a maximum five-star score.
Standard safety kit is pretty generous. Automatic emergency braking, tyre pressure monitoring and a system that detects whether the driver needs a break, are all on hand to help prevent you having an accident. If one becomes unavoidable, there are seven airbags and Isofix child seat mounting points to help keep you from harm.
There’s even a pop-up bonnet designed to give better protection for any unfortunate pedestrians. All versions have super-bright LED headlamps, but on AMG Line Premium trim and upwards, you get cleverer multibeam ones that flood the road ahead with light, but bend their beams around oncoming cars so as not to dazzle fellow motorists.
Tyre pressure monitoring is standard across the board, but you only get a repair kit to address any problems on that score, rather than a spare wheel.
Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
---|---|---|---|
AMG C 43 | 30–35 mpg | 4.7 s | 183–217 g/km |
AMG C63 | 33 mpg | 4.0 s | 200 g/km |
AMG C63 S | 33 mpg | 3.9 s | 200 g/km |
C 180 | 45–49 mpg | 8.5 s | 134–145 g/km |
C 180 Automatic | 45 mpg | 8.5 s | 145 g/km |
C 200 1.5 4Matic Automatic | 43 mpg | 8.4 s | 150 g/km |
C 200 1.5 Automatic | 46 mpg | 7.9 s | 140 g/km |
C 200 2.0 | 50–53 mpg | 7.7 s | 123 g/km |
C 200 2.0 4Matic Automatic | 41–42 mpg | 7.5 s | 153–157 g/km |
C 200 2.0 Automatic | 47–52 mpg | 7.3 s | 125–134 g/km |
C 220 d 2.0 4Matic Automatic | 58 mpg | 7.3 s | 129 g/km |
C 220 d 2.0 Automatic | 53–61 mpg | 7.0–7.5 s | 117–121 g/km |
C 220 d 2.1 | 66–69 mpg | 7.8 s | 106 g/km |
C 220 d 2.1 4Matic Automatic | 59–61 mpg | 7.6 s | 122–127 g/km |
C 220 d 2.1 Automatic | 61–64 mpg | 7.5 s | 106 g/km |
C 250 d 2.1 4Matic Automatic | 59–61 mpg | 6.9 s | 122–127 g/km |
C 250 d 2.1 Automatic | 61–64 mpg | 6.7 s | 109–120 g/km |
C 300 Automatic | 43–45 mpg | 6.0 s | 143–148 g/km |
C 300 d 4Matic Automatic | 54 mpg | 6.0 s | 137 g/km |
C 300 d Automatic | 58 mpg | 6.0 s | 129 g/km |
C63 | 28 mpg | 3.9–4.0 s | 230 g/km |
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe (2016) Models and Specs
Early cars came in Sport and AMG Line trims, but later, AMG Line became the entry point and you could then upgrade through AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus trims. AMG Line cars come with most of the luxury toys you need in a glamorous car like the C-Class Coupe.
That includes alloy wheels, two-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors, a reversing camera, keyless go, electric front windows heated and electrically adjusting front seats, cruise control and part-leatherette upholstery.
However, we wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to upgrade to AMG Line Premium trim for its 64-colour ambient lighting, multibeam LED headlamps and upgraded infotainment kit (wireless phone charging, digital instrument cluster and 225W sound system). AMG Line Premium Plus trim adds keyless entry, a powered bootlid, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic roof and an even more powerful 590W Burmester stereo.
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Length | 4686–4751 mm |
Width | 2016 mm |
Height | 1400–1413 mm |
Wheelbase | 2840 mm |
Miscellaneous | |
---|---|
Kerb Weight | 1505–1820 kg |
Boot Space | - |
Warranty | 3 years |
Servicing | 12500–15500 miles |
Costs | |
---|---|
List Price | £32,330–£82,065 |
Insurance Groups | 31–50 |
Road Tax Bands | Alternative fuel, E–L |
Official MPG | 28.0–68.9 mpg |
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
---|---|
Adult | - |
Child | - |
Pedestrian | - |
Overall | - |
Currently on sale
On sale until September 2018
On sale until April 2017
Good
- C 220 d comes with a manual as standard or a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic gearbox, instead of the older 7G-Tronic automatic.
- The ride is firm but still forgiving and makes the C-Class Coupe one of the smoothest and most comfortable two-doors on the market.
- High-speed stability and refinement are excellent.
- The boot is surprisingly useable with enough room for a large pushchair.
Bad
- Rear seats are virtually non-existent with a taller driver or passenger up front.
- Static LED headlights of 2016 Mercedes C-Class Coupe C300 Sports Premium Auto illumnate LHS of road in UK very well but there is no facility to change this to RHS for driving in Europe.
What to watch out for
30-4-2019: Report of 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe 2.2 C220CDi 7G-tronic stuck in gear and will not change up or down, speed is 25mph. AA Man Diagnosed Speed Sensor in the gear box. Towed to independent garage and awaiting visit by a Mercedes Benz engineer.
20-11-2019: Report of significant problems with 'Mercedes Me' app adversely affecting the softwarte functions of a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe purchased in October 2019.
20-11-2019: Report of problems with 9G Geartonic transmission in 2017 Mercedes-Benz C43 Coupe bought used at 24,000 miles. RAC checked before purchase which came back with an ESM - U24FF fault code.
Recalls
23-7-2017: MB issued a voluntary recall to apply software upgrades to diesel engines in a bid to cut nitrogen oxide emissions on three million vehicles. All Euro 5 and Euro 6 standard diesel engines registered in Europe between January 2011 and September 2015 are affected. (Only the new two-litre turbodiesel fitted to the latest E-Class saloon and a new V6 turbodiesel in the soon-to-be released S-Class are exempt.) A Mercedes-Benz spokesman said that the “software upgrade” would be carried out by dealerships when customers visited for a service or other maintenance work and would take around an hour to complete. MB “did not expect” the upgrade to have any effect on the performance of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Many Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles have already had the update applied after work to apply the changes to compact vehicles and the V-Class MPV got underway in March. It was reported in The Times in July that while Daimler, which manufactures Mercedes-Benz, had not been found to use the same type of software for cheating emissions tests discovered in Volkswagen vehicles in 2015, it is the subject of an investigation by the German authorities into the possible manipulation of exhaust controls in cars with diesel engines.
17-10-2017: Mercedes-Benz issued a voluntary recall to apply a free-of-charge fix to approximately 400,000 UK models affected by a broken steering column spring. Coupled with insufficiently earthed wiring components, this may lead to a short circuit - which can inadvertently deploy the driver's airbag. If the airbag warning light appears on the dash customers are urged to contact a roadside assistance service or their nearest retailer. The safety recall affects certain A-Class, B-Class, C-Class and E-Class models, together with CLA, GLA and GLC vehicles, built between November 2011 and July 2017.
Model History
- September 2015: Mercedes-Benz unveiled C-Class Coupe
- October 2015: C-Class Coupe prices announced
- February 2016: Mercedes C 43 AMG Coupe launched
- August 2018: Revised AMG C 63 goes on sale
September 2015
Mercedes-Benz unveiled C-Class Coupe
With an 80 millimetre longer wheelbase, the C-Class Coupe is 95 millimetres longer and 40 millimetres wider. The increased vehicle volume above all creates more spaciousness for the driver and front passenger. There is more shoulder room, elbow room and headroom in all seats.
The Coupe features a wealth of equipment as standard. The AMG Line is available as an alternative to further underline the dynamism of the Coupé. It differs by virtue of exterior features such as special bumpers and sills featuring AMG bodystyling, a diamond radiator grille with pins in chrome and 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels.
Interior highlights of the AMG Line include sportily exclusive touches such as upholstery in ARTICO man-made leather/DINAMICA microfibre in black with contrasting topstitching, a multifunction sports steering wheel with flattened bottom section and AMG sports pedals. The trim in open-pore black ash, combined with aluminium in the dashboard and the doors, emphasises the look.
Another eye-catching feature is the optional Interior Chrome package featuring numerous highlights shrouded in silver chrome, including the instrument cluster, the air vents and the door openers.
The Coupe comes with steel suspension as standard. There are two variants with selective damping system available in conjunction with this suspension, each of which is 15 millimetres lower than on the Saloon:
The Coupe comes with the option of AIRMATIC air suspension on the front and rear axle. Its electronically controlled, continuously adjustable damping on the front and rear axle ensures outstanding road roar and tyre vibration characteristics in every situation and gives the driver the option of selecting the desired driving style: sporty, comfortable or consumption-optimised.
Powerful and efficient four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with ECO start/stop function provide for sporty performance and driving pleasure. All are compliant with the Euro 6 emissions standard. Compared with the predecessor they consume up to 27 percent less fuel.
There are initially four petrol engines available for the Coupe. The power spectrum ranges from the 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine in the C 180 with 156PS to the two-litre C 200 (184PS) and C 250 (211PS) models and the C 300, likewise with a displacement of two litres but with an output of 245PS.
The two diesel models are equipped with an enhanced four-cylinder unit developing 170PS or 204PS and feature ecofriendly SCR technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction) for exhaust gas aftertreatment.
October 2015
C-Class Coupe prices announced
The new C-Class Coupe is priced from £30,955 OTR, ahead of first UK deliveries in December.
With four engine options and two model lines, the new C-Class Coupé builds on the specification of the best-selling C-Class Saloon and Estate. The range starts with the C 200 petrol engine, which produces 184 hp and is available with a six-speed manual (123 g/km of CO2) or 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox (125 g/km). The new C 300 engine produces 245 hp and comes only with the 7G-Tronic gearbox, with CO2 from 146 g/km.
Two diesel engines are available: the 170PS C 220 d, with a six-speed manual (106 g/km) or 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic gearbox (106 g/km), and the C 250 d, which produces 204PS and comes with a 9G-Tronic gearbox (109 g/km).
Two model lines are available: Sport and AMG Line. Standard equipment includes LED headlights and tail-lights; Active Park Assist; PARKTRONIC parking sensors; a reversing camera; sports seats with ARTICO upholstery including heated front seats; 7-inch colour screen; Garmin navigation; electrically folding mirrors; and Collision Prevention Assist Plus automatic braking system. The C 300 model also features as standard a sports exhaust system with switchable sound.
February 2016
Mercedes C 43 AMG Coupe launched
Powered by a 367PS 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine with 520Nm combined with the new 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission that provides agile gearshifts. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 4.7 seconds.
The Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC Coupé offers the optimum conditions for high driving dynamics and outstanding comfort on long journeys thanks to the standard-fit AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension. The four-link front axle is fitted with special steering knuckles and load-bearing joints; all components have been optimised in terms of rigidity.
The driver can select the automatic adjustable damping system's three suspension modes "Comfort", "Sport" and "Sport Plus" using a button on the centre console to fully customise the driving impression.
The AMG styling includes the front apron with sporty distinctive air intakes, diamond meshes, silver chrome trim, as well as the rear apron with matt iridium silver diffuser insert. The diamond radiator grille features chrome-plated pins, a louvre in high-gloss black and the AMG lettering. Down below, the silver chrome front splitter ensures an optimal flow of air to the cooling modules.
Additional highlights include the black exterior mirror housings, the high-gloss black waistline trim strip and window frame, as well as the two chrome-plated tailpipes with centre divider. Further striking features come courtesy of the new "BITURBO – 4MATIC" lettering on the front wings and the "AMG" (left) and "C 43" (right) lettering on the boot lid.
Customers can choose the complementary optional Night package, which adds heat-insulating dark tinted glass rearward of the B-pillar, high-gloss black front apron trim, a high-gloss black diffuser-look insert at the rear, and two black tailpipes with centre divider.
AMG 5-spoke light-alloy wheels painted in high-gloss black with a high-sheen finish round off the design visually. Size 225/45 R 18 tyres on 7.5 x 18 light-alloy wheels are fitted at the front, while the rear axle comes with 245/40 R 18 tyres on 8.5 x 18 wheels. 48.3 cm (19") light-alloy wheels in various designs are optionally available for even greater individualisation.
August 2018
Revised AMG C 63 goes on sale
The C 63 Coupe is priced from £68,719. The AMG C 63 uses AMG’s hand-built 4.0-litre V8 ‘hot V’ biturbo petrol engine which generates 476PS or 510PS for S models.
For the first time the C 63 now comes with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G transmission (previously 7G), which has been specially designed for shorter shift times. A wet start-off clutch continues to replace the torque converter, ultimately saving weight and optimising throttle response.
AMG Ride Control suspension with adaptive damping adjustment and an electronically controlled rear-axle limited-slip differential are now standard on all C 63 models. The C 63 S also comes as standard with dynamic engine mounts, combining comfort with dynamic performance by reducing vibrations in the engine/transmission unit.
The C 63 Coupe can travel to 62 mph from standstill in 4.0 seconds (C 63 S: 3.9 seconds). The standard C 63 has an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph, while all C 63 S models can reach 180mph.
Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, performance exhaust, Multibeam LED headlights, 12.3-inch digital cockpit display, 10.25-inch central display, Comand Online, ambient lighting with a choice of 64 colours, keyless start, wireless phone charging and memory seats. The C 63 S adds nine-stage AMG traction control, AMG Track Pace, AMG performance seats and 19-inch alloy wheels.
For £2595 customers can opt for the Premium Plus equipment line which includes Burmester surround sound system, panoramic sunroof (not available on Cabriolet), 360° camera and Keyless-Go Comfort package.
The Driving Assistance package costs £1695 and includes Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, BAS Plus with Cross-traffic Assist, Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, Pre-Safe Brake with pedestrian detection and Pre-Safe Plus. AMG’s high-performance ceramic braking system can be added for £4285.