LOOKS
In terms of appearance, I can say for certain that the C-class does live up to the Mercedes-Benz name. The exterior is classy and features an elongated hood and attractive grille up front with the familiar Benz logo.

Inside, you get a roomy back seat for a mid-size sedan, and the interior design is where the C-class shines -- it’s comfortable, well-organized and attractive all around. Every stitch looks like it was done with care.

Highlights inside include quality leather, aluminum trim on the air vents and sharp-looking wood grain on the center console, which also features a unique dial controller and hand rest/mousepad setup to control the tech system.

ENGINE, HORSEPOWER

The 2015 C300 I tested featured a 2.0-liter I-4 turbo engine with direct injection.
The output is 241 horsepower and it provides 273 lb.-ft. of torque.

My test vehicle was all-wheel-drive and featured all-season tires, so this can be an all-year vehicle even in wintry climates.

One area where Mercedes-Benz focused their attention was road noise, and as a result there is limited noise on the interior as you drive; The level of noise reduction is equal to or better than other luxury sedans I have tested.

In terms of acceleration and overall ride, the C-class is quite fun to drive and you get some pretty solid get-up-and-go and passing ability here for what the engine specs are. Compared to other luxury rides, it’s near the top, but I give luxury rival BMW the advantage in the engine and overall ride quality department. The Benz was a little more bumpy and less responsive to handling compared to BMW and even some Audi vehicles i have tested.

I also have to say that I’m not a huge fan of the shifting mechanism offered on the automatic version of the C-class. It’s a lever form (no shifter in center console), and can be a bit confusing to use at times and not as responsive as I would have liked.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY
I only had a limited time in the Benz, so I didn’t fully explore the tech features. But they do offer some innovative options.

For example, the hand rest in the center can also be used as a sort of mousepad, on which you can write letters and the vehicle will recognize them.
A helpful “head-up display” is offered to help you keep your eyes on the road (This is also on some other vehicles, so it’s not exclusive to Benz, but it’s a great safety feature to have).

You can also adjust a lot of tech settings (automatic locking, auto fold mirrors, etc.) on the C-class via the dial that controls all the tech features in the C-class.
Among the helpful safety options offered is one to automatically slow down if a crash is imminent; and the vehicle can also help steer you back into your lane if you veer out.

MPG
Official fuel mileage numbers on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 are 24 city/31 highway/27 combined. I averaged closer to 24 during my time driving the car.
Compared to its closest competition (Audi A4, BMW 3-series), these are strong numbers.

PRICE
With a starting price just above $40K, and a grand total of $52K owed after all the premium packages were added, this is not an inexpensive ride. Even in a segment where people are willing to pay more, it’s a bit on the steep end.

BOTTOM LINE
Mercedes-Benz is a name associated with great vehicles, so they can’t afford to put out anything less than that standard or risk tarnishing the name. With their revamped 2015 C-class sedan the company can breathe easy, as they have lived up to their name quite well. Between its comfortable and well-designed interior, attractive exterior, and overall strong performing engine, the C-class should be a favorite among luxury sedan buyers. It’s not the best in its segment in every category, but there’s so much to like here that it’s bound to be popular.

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Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.