The Mercedes C350e was in production between 2015 and 2018 and is now a really competitive car in the used luxury car market. The C350e uses a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection engine paired with an electric motor in order to boost efficiency, performance, and eco-friendliness.
The design of the W205 C350e is more or less identical as with all the other W205 C-Class models which means that it looks sleek, classy, and desirable. The interior of the W205 has aged well which means that it still looks as good as it did the day it came out.
The C350e is also a decently reliable car, yet it does experience issues with the MAF sensor, the gearbox, camshaft adjuster solenoid, and the in-car electronics. All of these are relatively common, but they are not all that problematic which means fixing them is easy and cheap in most cases.
Value-wise, the C350e offers a lot considering that it now has depreciated quite a bit which makes it a really competitive car on the used hybrid luxury sedan market. The c350e is as practical as the regular C205, except for the cargo area which has been reduced in order to house the batteries.
Mercedes C350e – The powertrain
One of the main selling points of the Mercedes C350e is the powertrain because the C350e is a plug-in hybrid. The 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine offers 211hp and 258lb-ft of torque combined with the electric engine which makes it more powerful than most W205 C-Class models.
This engine is mated to a 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic transmission that is able to transfer the power to the ground without any issues. Thanks to the 4MATIC AWD system, the C350e is fast, stable, and efficient which makes this powertrain the sweet spot of the W205 lineup.
It’s also worth mentioning that Mercedes says that the C350e is able to return an impressive 112MPG thanks to the addition of the hybrid powertrain. The C350 emits less than 50 grams of CO2 per 100 kilometers which makes this a really eco-friendly powertrain as well.
It’s safe to say that the C350e combines the very best aspects of a hybrid powertrain. The C350e is powerful, efficient, quiet, and eco-friendly which means that it perfectly portrays the Mercedes luxury philosophy.
Mercedes C350e – Design and chassis
The W205 C350e follows more or less the same design trajectory as all the other W205 C-Class models which means that it looks stately, classy, and refined. Thanks to advanced Mercedes multi-beam LED headlights, the facia of the C350e looks as modern as modern cars get.
The interior of the C350e is fairly dependent on the level of equipment you go for, but even the moderately optioned-out models do look refined and modern. The interior quality may not be up to par with the Audi A4 or the BMW 3-series, but the design certainly is.
The chassis of the C350e has been strengthened to cope with the added weight of the batteries and the electric engine, but the overall driving character has stayed the same. The C350e prioritizes comfort, quietness, and ease of use.
Mercedes C350e – Reliability and common issues
The Mercedes C350e is a decently reliable car which means that it does not experience all too many issues if it’s maintained correctly. As such, the most common issues that tend to plague the C350e are associated with the Mass Airflow sensors, the camshaft adjuster solenoid, and the gearbox.
These need to be addressed as soon as possible if you want to avoid even costlier repairs down the line. Other issues that tend to plague the C350e are associated with faulty interior and exterior electronics, excessive vibrations while driving, and occasional timing issues.
Mercedes C350e – Value and practicality
You can get a decent C350 in the lower $20k mark while the best models tend to go for over $30k. It all depends on how well they are equipped, the mileage, and the overall condition. Later models tend to command higher prices, but you should have no issues with buying the earlier models as well as they are not all that different in reliability.
The C350e powertrain makes the car a lot more appealing due to better efficiency, more power, and eco-friendliness, but this comes at a cost because the cargo area has been greatly reduced to house the batteries. This means that the C350e is not as spacious as a regular C-Class.
FAQ Section
How safe is the Mercedes C350e?
The Mercedes C350e is a modern-day Mercedes luxury sedan which means that it is available with all the Mercedes safety bells and whistles. It is true that the C-Class platform, the W205, is a 5-star rated for crash readiness, but the overall levels of protection are associated with the equipment level.
This means that you ought to pay for increased levels of safety which is more or less the case with almost all modern-day Mercedes cars. All in all, safety is not something you should be worrying about while buying a Mercedes as all modern Mercedes cars are up to the task.
Should I buy the Mercedes C350e?
The Mercedes C350e is indeed a really promising car because it offers everything you’d expect from a modern-day compact luxury sedan. With such efficiency, smoothness, and power, the C350e powertrain is one of the best from its segment while the exterior and interior design are still holding up nicely.
As such, you should indeed consider buying the C350e if you are after a used compact luxury sedan. The BMW 3-Series hybrid might be a bit more fun to drive, but the C350e is more advanced and newer.
Are Mercedes hybrids worth it?
Mercedes makes some of the most competitive hybrids on the market, both because they offer increased levels of efficiency and because they are quiet, serene, and comfortable. Mercedes is making efforts to hybridize all of their newer cars with either mild-hybrid technology or as full-on hybrids.
This means that these are some of the best hybrids on the market as Mercedes is known for class-leading engineering. It’s safe to say that Mercedes hybrids are indeed worth it, especially on the used car market.
