2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E | Hybrid Car Review

Hybrid sedans are not new to Mercedes-Benz, we have tested them in the past and loved them. As far back as 2014, we tested the Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID which just blew the socks off the competition. It worked just like we wanted a hybrid to work. 

Fast forward to 2022, and we have the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz hybrids crossed with their EQ technology, which has delivered to us the all-new Mercedes-Benz C 350 E Hybrid.

More recently Fred reviewed the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C200, enjoying it so much that he gave it 7.9 out of 10. The base model of the range does not come with a hybrid option like the C 350 E. I spent a week behind the wheel of this eco sedan to experience the ongoing development of their EQ products and hybrid technology to see if we still love the hybrids they offer. 

What We Like and Dislike About The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E

What’s In The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E Range?

The C Class sedan range comes in three options for New Zealand. The base model is the C200 sedan (RRP $87,800), the next model is the C 300 sedan (RRP $105,000) and the top-spec and only hybrid model is the C 350 E sedan (RRP $111,200). 

There are minimal visual differences between the models, the front and rear bumper are more simplistic on the C200, while they are more aggressive and sculpted on the C300 and C350e. 

2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E Standard Equipment Highlights

• AMG Line interior 
• AMG floor mats 
• (excl. Edition C) Illuminated front door sill panels with “Mercedes-Benz” lettering
• Ambient lighting 
• Metal-weave trim with Centre console in high-gloss black
• Keyless start function
• ARTICO upholstery with Roof liner in black
• Multifunction sports steering wheel in nappa leather
• Automatically dimming rear-view mirror 
• Sports seats 
• Dashboard upper & beltlines in black ARTICO 
• Stowage Space package
• Electrically adjustable front seats with 4-way lumbar support 
• THERMATIC dual-zone climate control
• 18-inch AMG 5-Spoke Alloy Wheels
• DYNAMIC SELECT with four different driving modes: ECO, Comfort, Sport and Individual
• 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission
• ECO start/stop function
• AMG Line exterior 
• Exterior mirrors electrically adjustable, electrically folding and heated
• Adaptive Highbeam Assist 
• Fuel tank with a capacity of 66 litres
• AGILITY CONTROL suspension, lowered 
• KEYLESS-GO with keyless entry & automatic powered boot closing
• Ambient lighting with projection of brand logo
• LED headlamps with Headlamp Assist
• MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) Infotainment
• MBUX Navigation Premium 
• Advanced Connectivity Plus Package 
• Central display with 11.9” screen diagonal 
• Navigation – Live traffic, parked vehicle locator, on & off street parking
• DAB+ Digital Radio Tuner
• Safety and Service – vehicle tracking, emergency call, maintenance management and tele-diagnostics
• Driver display, 12.3″ LCD colour display with a resolution of 2,400 x 900 pixels 
• Comfort – Vehicle status, remote door locking/unlocking, geofencing, speed fencing, valet parking
• Digital owners’ manual & digital handover for vehicle key
• Fingerprint scanner
• Smartphone integration Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™
• 360° camera 
• Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) with acceleration skid control (ASR) 
• Active bonnet 
• Lane Tracking package comprising Active Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist 
• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
• Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC ultrasonic sensors (front and rear)
• MOExtended run-flat tyres 
• ADAPTIVE BRAKE with HOLD function, brake drying function and Hill Start Assist 
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Brake Assist System (BAS) Safety vest for driver 
• ASSYST maintenance interval indicator Speed Limit Assist 
• ATTENTION ASSIST Tyre pressure loss warning system 
• Windscreen wipers with rain sensor and 1-touch wipe function
• Driving Assistance package PLUS, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Brake Assist with Cross-traffic function, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, Active Emergency Stop Assist, Active Lane Change Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Steering Assist, Active Stop-and-Go Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Extended automatic restart function on motorways, 
• PRE-SAFE® Impulse Side, Route-based speed adaptation & Traffic Sign Assist
• Alternating current charging system (AC charging) with Charging Socket
• Charging cable for the domestic socket, 8 m, straight 
• Comfort Suspension with Self-levelling suspension (rear) Dark-tinted privacy glass from B-pillar to rear Acoustic ambient protection for pedestrians & cyclists

Our Review Vehicle’s Optional Equipment

• Panoramic sliding sunroof – $3799.60
• Anthracite line structure lime wood trim – $699.20

Including the optional equipment, our review car’s retail price is $115,698.05

For a full list of specs and options available for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E Sedan, jump on over to the Mercedes-Benz New Zealand website

How Does The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E Compare To Its Competition?

The hybrid sedan market is not a big one these days, it’s more focused on SUVs or fully electric vehicles. This means that the C 350E is at the top of the price bracket over BMW and Lexus which have similar products. I would imagine that the BMW and Mercedes would be very similar, however, the Lexus IS is $17,000 cheaper than the BMW and $22,900 cheaper than the Mercedes. It would be worth a test to see if they stack up, or if Lexus are behind in their product offering.

All prices below exclude the refund or additional cost of the New Zealand Clean Car Programme.

Make/ Model	Engine	Power/ Torque kW/Nm	Seats	Fuel L/100km	Boot Space litres	Price (excl CCP)
Mercedes-Benz C350e	1.5-litre i4 turbo	150 (+95) / 320	5	1.5	455	$111,200
BMW 330e	2.0-litre i4 turbo	215 / NA	5	2.2	375	$105,900
Lexus IS 300h Limited	2.5-litre V6	164 / NA	5	5.7	450	$88,300

First Impressions Of The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E

My first impression of the new C 350 E was that it was a very well-presented car. It was clearly not a base-spec model with the AMG-style lines around the front bumper and intakes. The rear was a bit simpler, and closer to previous generations, with the twin rectangular exhausts being a big design feature.

The wheels were a bit off-putting for me. I was not sure if they were trying to be EV wheels with the solid inset or performance AMG wheels. Unlike many other cars, the inserts are plastic but on this car, it’s all-alloy, which may result in a very heavy wheel.

A peek inside showed that the new C-Class had received the latest spec level from the previous E and S class models, which gives it a very futuristic and upmarket style.

What’s The Interior Like In The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E?

The inside of the new C 350 E is a clear step in the right direction for Mercedes-Benz. It’s cleaner and more ergonomic than previous models. With fewer buttons on the dash and everything available via the central touch screen, the space feels less cluttered and more open inside the cabin.

The front seats are what we have come to expect from Mercedes, very comfy, and easy to adjust to find that perfect position. This even comes with the automatic seat position system seen previously in the S-Class. You just enter your height and away it goes. It did push the seat back a touch further than I would like, but it was pretty spot on. The only downside to the C-Class is that if you are over 6ft or 180cm you might start to find the cabin a bit cramped for space. 

The rear seats are of a similar design to the front ones but are a bit less sculpted to allow for 3 seating positions across the rear seat. Leg room is not bad, even for a taller person, oddly feeling less cramped in the back than it did in the front. The rear seats fold down in a 40/20/40 layout, allowing for larger / longer items to be carried in the boot space. 

Overall visibility from the driver’s seat is pretty good, with great visibility around the A-pillar for daily driving and great support from the 360-degree parking cameras for every situation.

The view out of the rear window is as you would expect of a normal sedan. 

The steering wheel has been upgraded to have the same haptic controls as all other new S Class and E Class Mercedes-Benz models. It’s a two-spoke design with a space between the spokes. I don’t like it myself, but it’s getting better with each generation.

The centre screen is a new portrait, a large high-resolution feature that is built into the dash. It has the standard Mercedes-Benz user interface, with the idea of trying to minimise buttons in the cabin for a cleaner look. From this screen, you can control everything from the aircon, phone, radio, navigation, media and vehicle settings. Under this is a Qi wireless charging pad that goes right up under the screen.

The boot space is ok, even though it has been reduced by the hybrid system. The boot floor is noticeably higher than regular sedans. It’s still 455 litres, down from 490 litres for modes without the hybrid features. There are two side compartments to help store smaller loose items in the boot.

This car also comes with two travel bags for the EV charging systems, one bag for the plug-in charger and the other for the high-voltage charging network. My only comment here would be that it would be great if the bags had some velcro or a way to secure them, to stop them sliding all around the boot.

What’s The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 350 E Like To Drive?

When Fred was testing the C200, he had major doubts about how well the 1.5-litre engine would handle that big car. Overall he was impressed; it is not a sporty setup, but it did the job well. The C350E has the same engine, however, it also has an additional 95kW from its electric hybrid motor. This should make a big difference, pushing the C-Class from the middle of the range to a sporty sedan. 

The C350E is one of those hybrids that would rather not shout it to the world. If you didn’t know it was a hybrid, there is a high possibility you would never guess it. That’s also reflected inside the cabin and in how the car drives and feels. It drives just like any normal sedan, with no weird petrol or hybrid mode, just a straightforward power delivery. The same goes for the hybrid side of things, it’s not trying to showcase it’s a hybrid, just a normal car that’s super efficient. Ever since I tested the E 300 hybrid back in 2014, I have always loved how Mercedes-Benz handles the engine hybrid usage. It’s more in the hands/foot of the driver than the onboard computers. But the EQ system lets you decide if you want to use just the engine, electric motor or both, in the same way you control the RPM of a normal engine via the dash. 

The handling characteristics of the car have improved over the C200, mainly due to the additional weight, which is normally a bad thing. But add the electric motor and you start to have a more powerful car with a lower centre of gravity, which generally equals fun to drive.

The added benefit of having a hybrid model over just an ICE-only vehicle is that the batteries also aid in reducing the sound level in the cabin. This knock-on effect enables the cabin noise to be lower than a normal ICE version, even when both systems are being used in conjunction. The road noise has also been reduced, which is a combination of the alloy design and tyre selection, specific to EV or hybrid vehicles.

Like most cars these days, you have a selection of drive modes, these modes can be accessed via the steering wheel button, a button below the central screen or within the car settings menus. The modes available to the driver are Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual. In most cars there is a fairly noticeable difference between the three main modes. I wouldn’t really notice the change between eco and comfort, so much so that I just left it in comfort for the majority of the review. Sport did have a noticeable change, which is due to the engine and hybrid system switching from balancing out the load and what’s the most efficient, to using both at the same time to give you the most power. This made the C350E a rather sporty little number, almost making it feel like a smaller hot hatch. Once I was on my favourite test section, I really enjoyed the feeling behind the wheel, not what I expected from a midsize hybrid sedan at all.

The C350E came with an impressive array of standard driver assistance features. This package is called the Driving Assistance package PLUS. Within this package you get the following:

• Active Blind Spot Assist
• Active Brake Assist with Cross-traffic function
• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
• Active Emergency Stop Assist
• Active Lane Change Assist
• Active Lane Keeping Assist
• Active Steering Assist
• Active Stop-and-Go Assist
• Evasive Steering Assist
• Extended automatic restart function on motorways, 

It’s a bit of a daunting list of options and safety features, all of which are running all of the time. But I must say Mercedes-Benz are among the best at having these assistance and safety features to be less intrusive during regular daily driving. They are purely there to assist, not to take over.  

After spending a week in the driver’s seat and covering over 600km, I found that the C350E is a very efficient beast. The advertised always seems to be hard to reach in these cars, Mercedes-Benz state that its combined fuel consumption is 1.5L per 100km. I was able to get 3.0L per 100km, which is pretty damn good, more so when I think about the sports side of my road tests. I could have seen a lower number if the focus was purely on efficient driving. 

2022 Mercedes-Benz C 3550 E Sedan – Specifications

Vehicle Type	Hybrid Sedan
Starting Price	$111,200 (excl CCP)
Price as Tested	$115,698.05 (excl CCP)
Engine	1.5L turbocharged inline 4 petrol
Power, Torque kW/Nm	150 (+95) / 320
Transmission	9G-TRONIC automatic transmission
Spare Wheel	Space saver
Kerb Weight, Kg	1,600
Length x Width x Height mm	4686 x 2020 x 1444
Boot Space / Cargo Capacity, Litres (seats up/seats down)	455
Fuel tank capacity, litres	50
Fuel Economy, L/100km	Advertised Spec – Combined – 1.5 Real-World Test – Combined – 3.0 Low Usage: 0-6 / Medium Usage 6-12 / High Usage 12+
Towing Capacity Kg, unbraked/braked	750 / 1600
Turning circle metres	11.2 Small: 6-10m / Medium 10-12m / Large 12m+
Warranty	5-year warranty / 200,000km
Safety information	ANCAP Rating – 5 stars – Link Rightcar.govt.nz – 5 Stars – PJF58

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