Mat Watson reviews the new Mercedes C-Class EV: is it worth £20,000 more than a Tesla Model 3? 

I’ve been to Helsinki, Finland to drive the new Mercedes C-Class EV. It’s an electric saloon car with up to 473 miles of range and loads of clever tech, but it is rather expensive. It starts from almost £58,000, which is £20,000 more than a Tesla Model 3.

To find out if it’s worth paying the extra, I spent a day with the new C-Class EV testing its technology, practicality and driving characteristics.

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New Mercedes C-Class EV: design

There are bits of this new Mercedes C-Class EV which I like, and some which I don’t.

I reckon it looks really smart from the rear. That light bar with the three-pointed star LED details makes it stand out, and I quite like the sporty sloping roofline as well.

This being the AMG-Line version, it has some more aggressive-looking styling details than the standard Sport model. You get a deeper rear diffuser and bigger air intakes in the front bumper. I think it’s worth upgrading, because the Sport doesn’t look quite as purposeful.

The Sport also has a silver grille, rather than the black one fitted to this car. I don’t really like it either way, but in silver it looks particularly ugly in my opinion. It’s a shame, because the sleek LED headlights look good.

New Mercedes C-Class EV: interior and technology

The C-Class EV’s dashboard looks very similar to the GLC EV SUV’s, which comes as no surprise seeing as the two cars are heavily related under the skin. The dashboard is dominated by a 39.1-inch screen spanning the entire width of the car. It looks very impressive, but be warned that entry-level cars have three separate displays rather than this continuous one.

The graphics are bright and colourful and the system is responsive, but there are lots of menus to dig into. The climate control is operated through the screen, which I find annoying, and the touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons are a faff as well.

In terms of quality, it’s very good on the whole. The leather-trimmed door cards feel posh and the switchgear is all nicely-damped, but there are areas which let the side down. The interior door handles feel horribly cheap, as does the button to open the centre console.

That said, it does still feel posher in here than in a Tesla Model 3, and that premium feeling extends to the rear seats as well.

New Mercedes C-Class EV: space and practicality

Sitting in the back of this car doesn’t feel like being relegated to the cheap seats. Material quality is still excellent, and, being around 9cm longer than the petrol C-Class, there’s plenty of space.

Well, there’s plenty of legroom at least. Headroom is a bit tight with the panoramic glass roof, and the batteries under the floor mean your knees are raised up as well. The seats themselves are very nice though, and it’s still a comfy car to travel in.

The C-Class EV has a big boot as well, although it’s not class leading. At 470 litres it’s around 63 litres bigger than a Polestar 2, but it’s 100 litres down on a Tesla Model 3. At least you do get a big front boot as well, and you open it by just pressing the Mercedes logo. No faffing around with screens or levers in the footwell.

New Mercedes C-Class EV: batteries, range and performance

The C-Class EV I’m driving has a 94kWh battery which Mercedes says is good for up to 473 miles of range. But what’s the reality?

During my day with the C-Class EV, I covered 65 miles taking in motorways, crowded cities and twisty roads. The car averaged 3.7 miles per kWh, which works out to around 350 miles of real-world range – almost 125 miles less than the claimed figure.

A single-motor version is also coming soon, and that car will have up to 497 miles of range. Impressive, but some way off the BMW i3’s 567-mile figure.

In fairness, I was driving this car quite hard to test out its performance. It has two electric motors with a combined 489hp, and Mercedes says it’ll do 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds. With my specialist timing gear rigged up, I managed to launch it from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds.

New Mercedes C-Class EV: driving and comfort

After a few hours behind the wheel, I can tell you that the Mercedes C-Class EV is a car tuned for comfort over thrills. My test model was fitted with the optional air suspension, and it makes the car glide over bumps almost as well as a Mercedes S-Class. It feels really expensive.

It’s practically silent on the motorway as well, making it a wonderful long-distance cruiser. Mercedes was keen to show off the handling though, which is why the brand took me to a race track.

I was following a professional racing driver, and I was quite impressed with how stable and secure this electric car felt through the corners. It stays flat, the steering is responsive and well-judged and the optional rear-wheel steering makes it turn in really tightly as well. It’s not fun or engaging, but it’s hugely competent and confidence-inspiring. Driving this car quickly is effortless.

New Mercedes C-Class EV: Mat’s final verdict

So then, what’s my final verdict on the Mercedes C-Class EV? Well, I reckon you should add it to your shortlist.

It may be quite expensive compared to a Tesla Model 3, but it’s extraordinarily comfortable to drive and the tech is really impressive as well. The real acid test will come when I drive the new BMW i3, because that will be the Merc’s biggest rival. For now though, this is a luxurious electric saloon which you can buy with confidence.

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