2012 DCOTY – Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI: Modern Classic review

Petrol engine technology has come a long way since then, of course, and for those seeking a more frugal option, Mercedes-Benz offers a plug-in petrol electric C-Class instead.

In 2012, the C250 CDI won praise for its effortless performance, not because of its outright power, with just 150kW, but largely because of its hefty 500Nm of torque – a figure that almost matched the 517Nm available in a V8 Commodore from the same era.

On the other side of the coin, official fuel consumption of 5.1 litres per 100km made the C250 CDI more frugal than most city cars – an impressive feat. Under the bonnet, the 2.1-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine really did deliver the best of both worlds.

Of course, at the time changing market forces toward alternative power sources were still a way off, and the judges noted “Of the seven contestants in our two luxury car categories, only two were petrol-powered. And both those cars, the 1 Series and 5 Series BMWs, are available with diesel options”.

The year leading up to the C250 CDI’s win (based on sales data from 2011) saw the official new car sales charts topped by the Mazda 3 that racked up 41,429 sales for the year, followed by the Holden Commodore (40,617) and Toyota HiLux (36,124). The C-Class, meanwhile, comfortably topped the medium prestige car class with a market share of 35.8 per cent and 6428 sales for the year, just 4.0 per cent down on the year prior, in a segment that fell 12.3 per cent overall.

The C250 CDI sat in the middle of a range that spanned from $59,900 for the cheapest C200 CDI and topped out with the C63 Performance Package at $165,880. The C250 CDI was still at the more affordable end of the range, from $67,900 as a sedan or $69,900 as a wagon, in either Elegance or Avantgarde trim levels.

While there’s no diesel-powered equivalent in 2021, the similarly mid-range C300 starts from $74,700, but under the bonnet lies a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine producing 190kW and 370Nm, with fuel consumption of 7.0L/100km.

Judges praised the C250 CDI’s frugal fuel consumption, and noted its advancement over earlier C-Class models through features like a seven-speed automatic and engine stop-start. The former now surpassed by eight-, nine-  and 10-speed automatics, while the latter is fairly ubiquitous today.

A long list of safety features including nine airbags, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, driver fatigue detection, active cruise control, and pre-safe impact anticipation put a smile on the faces of the judges, as did a comfortable ride and communicative steering.

Success may have been the previous-generation C-Class’s worst enemy in some regards. There are plenty available on the used market, with budget buys from under $10,000, up to mint-condition cars trading at closer to $40,000, before getting into the AMG-badged performance models.

The previous-generation C-Class, in its facelifted form, still looks pretty sharp. The newer C-Class may have overtaken it for space and features, but as a time capsule from a period when Australians were happy to take their mid-size luxury cars with punchy but frugal diesel engines, the C250 CDI holds up well.

Where it is today – Redbook price estimate is $12,300-$14,600

Current equivalent – 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 priced from $74,700

Our most recent test of the current Mercedes-Benz C-Class has it scored at 7.8/10, with highlights being its slick cabin design, compliant ride quality and dignified cruising capabilities.