Mercedes-Benz C-Class running costs and reliability
Miles per pound (mpp) ⓘ
| Petrol engines | 6.0 - 6.5 mpp |
|---|---|
| Diesel engines | 6.8 - 8.0 mpp |
| Plug-in hybrid petrol engines * | 5.9 - 6.0 mpp |
Fuel economy ⓘ
| Petrol engines | 40.9 - 44.1 mpg |
|---|---|
| Diesel engines | 53.3 - 62.8 mpg |
| Plug-in hybrid petrol engines * | 40.4 - 40.9 mpg |
- Diesels are impressively efficient
- Plug-in hybrid comes a close second
- Petrol models still make sense, too
What are the running costs?
Surprisingly, not a lot. The diesel models make the best sense if you’re planning to do a lot of motorway miles. On a long, 200-mile motorway schlep, we managed to extract 60mpg from the C220d, which is almost exactly what Mercedes says the car will do under WLTP conditions. Its 66-litre tank should provide a maximum range of around 600 miles.
The plug-in hybrid-powered C300e has the potential to deliver some impressive economy figures, but only if you plug it in regularly. Mercedes says it’ll do 65 miles on electric power alone, which we found to be fairly accurate. With that much battery power available, you should be able to get to work and back without burning a drop of fuel.
Run the C300e in hybrid mode and it’ll achieve similar fuel economy figures to the diesels if it has a full battery. Let the battery go flat, though, and you’re looking at more like 40mpg. You can manage that in one of the petrol-powered models – so if you’re trapped in a low emission zone and plugging in is too much hassle for you, go for one of the petrol options and save yourself £4,000 on the purchase price.
The regular petrol models cost the least to buy and still make sense for low-mileage drivers. But be warned, during a week with the C300 we only achieved 31mpg.
View detailed MPG and CO2 figures on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class specs pages
Servicing and warranty
Servicing intervals for the Mercedes C-Class are every 12 months or 15,500 miles, whichever comes first. A range of service packs are also available to help spread the cost of maintenance – and they can be passed on to the new owner if the vehicle is sold.
Every C-Class comes with a comprehensive three-year, unlimited mileage warranty from the manufacturer, along with three years roadside assistance. Compared with the 10-year package offered by Lexus, Mercedes’s warranty is off the pace, but it’s on par with its other rivals.
Reliability
- Good quality
- No recalls
- Some squeaks
Mercedes has a bit of an up and down reputation for reliability. Quality really tailed off in the Noughties, however in more recent times things have been looking up. Saying that, one of our test cars did have a squeak coming from the dashboard.
This C-Class has not been subject to any recalls, which is relatively rare among a new and complex car. We have no owners reviews of this latest model yet, but buyers were overwhelmingly positive about the old model.
Ongoing running costs
| Road tax | £590 - £600 |
|---|---|
| Insurance group | 33 - 45 |
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