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ELEGANCE AS STANDARD
A look at the new Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI estate, a car boasting more space, equipment, safety provision and refinement than the car it replaces:
For all the talk surrounding premium compact SUVs - Freelander, X3 and the like - theres still much to be said for the compact premium estate car.
Companies like Mercedes have seen their bottom line grow in recent years, and you can apportion some of that success to booted versions of their increasingly desirable premium saloon models.
But theres been a shift in approach recently - you could call it the BMW effect - and the emphasis is very much now focused on performance and driver enjoyment.
Mercedes has never been the first brand to spring to mind in enthusiasts circles, but the German firm has shown with its new C-Class saloon that it can do sporty.
Thankfully it hasnt been at the expense of the Mercedess key USP - refinement. And theres some good news: the firms C-Class estate follows the same path.
When a company calls one of its trim levels Elegance, you expect the products concerned to match such a veiled claim.
Trading standards officers can rest easy; the C-Class wagon is everything a compact Mercedes should be.
Granted its not as compact as it used to be - which car is these days? - but the resulting conversion from saloon to estate is an, er, elegant one.
From the rear theres more than a hint of E-Class, which is fine as the bigger car is a sophisticated load-lugger in its own right.
In profile the C-Classs waistline gently rises on a path to meet the top of the windows. It never gets there of course, but the effect of a slowly diminishing glass area is eye catching nonetheless.
And thats it from the outside. In real terms the estate is just like the saloon from its nose to the rear seats.
However, unlike the saloon the wagon boasts a few clever features to make the ownership experience that bit more enjoyable.
Just like with some of the big boys, the C-Class estate can be selected with a power-operated tailgate. The E-Class has it, for instance, and its activated via the keyfob or a button in the cabin.
Then theres the cars wide, flat load floor. Its hardly a stand-out feature these days, but its still good to see a load space devoid of lumps, bumps and a raised load lip.
Also helping to make the best use of the space available is the cars optional luggage restraints.
Mercedes has its own name for it, but in essence rails are added to the boot floor and dividers can be slid fore and aft to stop anything from sliding around.
Sliding around is something that simply doesnt happen when youre driving the C-Class estate. Just like the saloon, the wagon boasts a fluid and refined ride but is also willing to entertain if the mood takes you.
Everything about the C-Class wagon is a significant step up over its predecessor; the more accurate steering, balanced ride, high speed refinement, willingness to entertain and the slickness of the manual gearbox the latter itself a rarity in a Mercedes these days.
The cars traditional rear-drive layout is aided by a plethora of safety and stability kit, from basic anti-lock brakes right up to a sophisticated anti-skid system.
However, unlike in the past, the systems arent there to stop you having fun.
Mercedes realised long ago that its set up was a little too conservative, and thats been rectified with the ultimate aim of attracting people who would otherwise opt for a BMW or Audi.
And with a decent range of petrol and diesel engines, the C-Class is easily on a par with its German rivals.
Shared with the C-Class saloon, the line-up is frugal, refined and competent. With fleet customers taking up a considerable portion of the business, its obvious that the diesel units will prove the most attractive.
A good balance is the C220 CDI variant; it boasts 170bhp and ample torque, making it a sensible and cost effective pulling partner considering the potential for the estate to be worked harder than the saloon.
Connected to the optional five-speed auto (de riguer in a Mercedes) progress is swift and smooth. Extra refinement can be found by selecting a six-cylinder engine and Mercedes seven-speed auto.
Refinement is the overriding impression you get from the C-Class estate. Yes, the saloon mirrors the wagon in most areas, but its the estate which gets my vote purely because its that bit more versatile.
It looks good - which isnt always the case with a wagon - and drives well, making it a proper estate car without any of the usual premium class pretensions.
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