2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class revealed with four-cylinder power and S-Class-inspired interior

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is here, and it certainly shouldn't surprise anyone on the outside with looks closely based on its bigger siblings. But the familiar body hides a bigger car with a new four-cylinder-only engine range and S-Class inspired interior.

At first glance, the C-Class doesn't look significantly different from before, but the changes are in the details. At the front are the scowling headlights and widened front grille that can be seen throughout the Mercedes sedan lineup from the A- to S-Classes. Similarly, the thin and wide taillights are certainly familiar as is the longer rear deck. The hood picks up dual power bulges, and the roofline has a shallower slope toward the trunk lid. The whole car is bigger, too, picking up 2.5 inches in length, an inch of wheelbase, and about half an inch of width.

Stepping inside reveals a new, distinctive environment, and one that's between half an inch to an inch larger in most areas than before. It's clearly derived from the new S-Class with the waterfall dash panels and portrait-orientation center touchscreen. It's all at a smaller scale than the S-Class, though, and the air vents are rounded squares rather than slim rectangles. The screens are standard features, with the instrument panel measuring in at 12.3 inches and the infotainment display at 11.9 inches. Among the tech features available are augmented reality camera displays, over-the-air updates, ambient lighting, multiple display themes and a fingerprint reader for accessing personal vehicle settings and information.

Powering the C-Class is just one engine for now, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It makes the same 255 horsepower as the old model, but now makes 295 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 22. It's also paired with a 48-volt starter/generator that produces 20 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. It allows for smoother and longer starting and stopping, plus coasting and energy regeneration. Despite the increase in torque, the 0-60 mph time has dropped to 5.9 seconds from 5.7. There is once again a choice of rear- or 4Matic all-wheel drive, but the only transmission is a nine-speed automatic. It all rides on newly designed suspension that retains the multi-link independent setup like the old model.?

The new C-Class will hit dealers early next year. Pricing should be available closer to the on-sale date. We also expect that hotter AMG variants will closely follow the regular C 300's launch.

Mercedes-Benz explains why next C-Class will get only four-cylinder engines

Mercedes-Benz ruffled more than a few feathers when it confirmed the next-generation C-Class (called W206 internally) will downsize to a four-cylinder-only range. That means the fire-breathing, V8-powered C63 will lose half of its cylinders, and the silky-smooth straight-six that powers bigger cars will not be available. While all carmakers are trying to keep emissions in check, the German firm explained regulations weren't its only motivation.

"With the 3.0-liter [straight-six] engine, the front end would have grown by [two inches] in length, not to mention the higher axle load and its impact on driving dynamics," explained Christian Früh, the W206's chief engineer, in an interview with Automotive News Europe. He added that plug-in hybrid technology (which adds a not-insignificant amount of weight, too) allowed his team to create a four-cylinder C-Class that offers a level of power comparable to one equipped with a six-cylinder engine. Smoothness and fuel economy are noticeably improved, too.

Electrification will come standard across the board, and it will take different forms, but going entirely electric is out of the question for the time being. Früh pointed out the C-Class is built on Mercedes-Benz's modular MRA platform, which can't be fully electrified while keeping costs and dimensions in check. Making a C-Class that runs on batteries would have required significant changes like bigger wheels, additional ground clearance, or both, and the firm would have ended up with a Franken-sedan. Using the Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) that will underpin the EQS was ruled out, too, because adapting it would have gone "beyond the dimensional concept and budget of the C-Class."

Downsized, sharper-looking, and comprehensive redesigned, the 2022 C-Class will make its global debut online on February 23, 2021. Mercedes-Benz will stream the unveiling on its Mercedes Me digital platform starting at 2 p.m. European time, which is 8 a.m. in New York City and 5 a.m. in Los Angeles. Sales will start shortly after.

2021 Mercedes-Benz A35 AMG Hatch Review: Reasonably Priced AMG Goodness

Auto123 reviews the 2021 Mercedes-Benz A 35 AMG 5-door.

Mercedes, synonymous with expensive cars? Yes, of course. And yet, it’s possible to get a Silver Star-badged car that is well designed and well equipped for less than $40,000. The little A-Class can be yours for $37,800 in the 4-door version or $39,900 in the 5-door version. Both are available with a 4-cylinder engine delivering 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, or in a beefier AMG version delivering 302 hp. This is the model we had occasion to test-drive for a week.

In fact, we had already had the opportunity to drive the 4-door version; this time, it was the turn of the 5-door variant. The latter is powered by the smallest AMG engine in the group, a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder developing 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. With this cavalry at its disposal, combined with its weight of only 1,555 kg, the little AMG A 35 guns you from 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. That's not bad for a small car that sells for $49,800.

The 4- and 5-door versions – which are priced the same by the way – represent the portal into the world of AMG models at Mercedes. But, cheaper doesn't mean cut-rate sportiness. We've had the chance to drive several AMGs, from the A 35 to the volcanic C 63s, and the A 35 and A 45 are our favorite cars, quite frankly.

Discover Shopicar! All new makes and models and all current promotions.