2015 Mercedes-Benz C 220 CDI review, test drive

Should I buy one?

Even as the gap between petrol and diesel fuel prices shrinks with each passing month, when it comes to buying new cars – even in the luxury segments – the tide hasn’t fully turned in favour of petrol yet. Diesel is still the pick for most buyers, and in that light, it’s not hard to see why Mercedes has launched this version of the C-class so soon after the petrol car. The thing is, this car is still a Completely Built Up (CBU) unit or an import and that has made it more expensive than its locally assembled contemporaries from BMW and Audi. At Rs 42.9 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi, for this Avantgarde trim, it's really pushing this segment's pricing into new territory. Factor in the high registration charges levied on CBU imports in some states and the differential in on-road prices vis-a-vis the 3-series and A4 is likely to be even more significant.

Considering the high price, Mercedes has made sure it’s packed with equipment, and then there’s the fact that, in this spec, the interiors deliver a sense of luxury that none of its current rivals can match. If you loved the new C-class – and there are many reasons to – but simply had to have the diesel version, your wait has just ended. If you do think this is a bit too pricey, however, you’ll just have to hold out until later in the year when local assembly commences, but if the petrol car's new CKD pricing is anything to go by, the price won't go down by all that much.