You’ll recognise much of the interior as it’s largely borrowed from other models in the manufacturer’s range. The steering wheel is the same as the one found in the larger CLS, while the dash is finished in a mixture of matt black and high gloss and it incorporates the screen for myriad multimedia features from the facelifted C-Class saloon. The 3D graphics on the instruments are clear and the layout of the dials and switchgear are familiar and logical.

There are the ususal high quality materials you’d expect from Mercedes. The foot operated parking brake is a negative point though, a handbrake or even the electronic parking brake that many car makers use would be much better than this old fashioned style holding brake.

Up front the seats are comfortable and give a great amount of support for long journeys. Road, tyre and wind noise is well contained, although you do get to enjoy the burble from the exhaust on offer from the 350 model. All-round visibility is good and kit like Active Blind Spot Assist is a sensible cost option as it makes switching lanes on motorways much safer.

Entry and exiting to the rear seats can be a little awkward thanks to the sloping roof line and the two-door bodystyle. Thankfully the sporty tweaks have done nothing to harm the ride, which is superb. It absorbs potholes with minimal fuss and should handle the rough UK roads with ease.