2016 Mercedes-Benz C350e Plug-In Hybrid

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Mercedes C350 plug-in hybrid review

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Hybrid C-Class offers a compelling mix of power and fuel efficiency

 

Fuel economy test conditions give plug-in hybrids an unfair advantage in the company car taxation game, but used in the right way, the Mercedes C 350 Plug-in can be very cheap to run. It delivers a sharp turn of pace, too, and excels at being a refined, luxurious cruiser. Just look closely at how you’re likely to use it. It’s £3,465 more expensive than a C 250 BlueTEC diesel, which will prove more economical if you plan on covering longer distances.

Pure electric cars aside, plug-in hybrids are the most economical and tax-efficient vehicles money can buy. They’re still expensive next to petrol and diesel-powered alternatives, but with Mercedes planning to launch 10 by 2017, you can expect prices to tumble. 

So, it’s up to early adopters to take the plunge, but fortunately, much of the C 350 Plug-in will feel familiar. Based on the C-Class saloon, it’s pretty much a no-compromise vehicle, although under the skin, the space for the 100kg lithium-ion battery pack cuts boot capacity to 335 litres in the saloon and 350 litres in the Estate (from 480 and 490 respectively). 

Both versions are also fitted with air-suspension to cope with the demands of the extra 200kg that the entire system adds to the kerbweight. 

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Climb inside, and it’s business as usual. Last year’s new C-Class was a big improvement on its predecessor, and the plug-in hybrid uses exactly the same materials, plus fit and finish is excellent. 

The cars will be supplied in Exclusive or Avantgarde trim, so they’re well up the C-Class pecking order, with the addition of an air-con system that will pre-heat or cool the car thanks to its independent electrical power. The only hint of the state-of-the-art plug-in drivetrain is a small eco meter in the bottom of the instrument binnacle and the energy flow screen on the central tablet. 

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Under the skin, the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine’s 208bhp is augmented by an 80bhp electric motor that sits between the main unit and the transmission and can be clutched in and out. Total system power is 275bhp with a mighty 600Nm of torque, which is enough to give this 1.75-tonne car a 155mph top speed and a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds.

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That’s highly respectable for a sports saloon (the new C 450 AMG Sport is only one second quicker), and when you want to save the planet in E-mode, the electric motor and batteries deliver a 19.2-mile range at speeds up to 80mph. 

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There are two main driving modes for the C 350. Hybrid mixes electric-only driving with electric boosting (petrol and electric motors together) and brake energy recuperation to give maximum economy. E-mode uses battery power alone for a limited range, plus you can select E-save mode, where the electric charge is saved for later in the journey; there’s also Charge, in which the petrol engine drives the car and recharges the battery simultaneously. 

Put your foot down, and this big Mercedes sprints forward as the electric motor pushes its big torque into the system at very low revs. The charge tails off a bit at higher speeds, but this is still a swift saloon. The ride is slightly better than the standard C-Class’, although that extra 100kg in the tail makes the car bob over regular bumps, while changes of direction are a tad less immediate. 

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The drive systems offer a choice of Economy, Comfort, Sport and Sport+, which do pretty much what their names suggest. In Economy, the car will disengage the drivetrain and coast when conditions allow. The stiff suspension of Sport+ is a bit too much, though, so we preferred Comfort mode. 

Brake energy recuperation is most noticeable in the two sport modes, where the initial regeneration braking isn’t particularly well blended with the actual friction from pads on discs. 

Again, Comfort is the best setting for braking, as it’s more linear and the pedal feels more progressive, although at about 4mph, where the regeneration braking switches, it becomes jerky again.

Key specs

• Price: £37,820
• Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo plus electric motor, 275bhp
• Transmission: Seven-speed auto, rear-wheel drive

• 0-62mph/top speed: 5.9 secs/155mph
• Economy/CO2: 134.5mpg/48g/km
• On sale: May