    2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Click image to enlarge |
Styling-wise, all 2012 C-Class sedans receive a modest makeover that you might miss if you don’t look twice. In Canada, sporty AMG bodywork is standard on the C300 and C350, and optional on the C250. The new styling includes a revised front bumper design, a new lightweight aluminum hood and front fenders, new headlight covers and standard active bi-xenon headlights, and new LED turn signals and daytime running lights. As well, there’s a new selection of alloy wheel designs: AMG alloy wheels are standard on the C350 and optional on the C300, but not available on the C250. At the rear are new LED taillights, and a new rear bumper with a black diffuser and single or dual tailpipes, depending on the model.
Inside the 2012 C-Class sedan is a new instrument panel similar to the larger E-Class sedan’s: it includes a redesigned three-gauge instrument cluster with a new colour information display inside the large central speedometer; an improved telematics and navigation system with a fixed screen (available in two sizes) with a hood to reduce glare – it replaces the current pop-up screen; new dash plastics with richer surface grain and a thick band of wood, aluminum or carbon fibre trim that extends across the dash; new round air vents with aluminum trim near the doors that replace the previous square air vents; new trapezoidal centre air vents; new audio system controls with larger buttons; and a row of buttons for the seat heaters and hazard lights now made of attractive aluminum. In addition, there’s a redesigned steering wheel with new audio and cruise buttons on the spokes, and a new flat-bottom steering wheel on C300, C350 and C63 models.
The 2012 C-Class will be available with many of Mercedes’ new driver assistance technologies presently available on higher-priced models. Using radar, cameras and sensors, these visual, audible and sensory alarms warn the driver if they are drifting over the line (Lane Keeping Assist), moving into the path of another car in the driver’s blind spot (Blind Spot Assist), or falling asleep at the wheel (Attention Assist). Front and rear parking sensors alert the driver to obstacles in front and behind the vehicle when parking and provide visual and audible instructions that guide the driver when parallel parking (Parktronic with Parking Guidance).
Some Mercedes driver assistance features actively intervene to prevent an imminent collision (Distronic Plus, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist) but it’s not clear yet whether any of these will be available in Canadian C-Class models. A Mercedes’ feature we’d like to see is Adaptive Highbeam Assist which automatically lowers the high beams when approaching another car at night, and raises them again after the car has passed.
