Let's get one thing clear. For sheer impress-the-neighbors fun, this is the car to get. "Ooh, what a pretty car," they'll gush. Take it to the wedding of that friend you never particularly liked but were always jealous of. You'll get attention. They'll think you're successful and wealthy.

And you better be. The base price of the redesigned baby Benz tops the fully-loaded price of some of the others in the test. And if you're yearning for a properly equipped luxury car, prepare to take out a second mortgage.

It's not that you're getting ripped off. In fact, the C320 is a fine automobile; we'd be proud to own one. Let's start with the engine. Mercedes has always excelled in providing a pin-you-to-the-seat sense of thrust, and the 3.2-liter V6 is no exception. While the 215 ponies aren't terribly energetic, low-end torque is plentiful; its 0-to-60-mph acceleration time of 7 seconds is bested only by the BMW and Acura.

Left to its own devices, Mercedes' five-speed transmission mostly works as it should, with quick, decisive upshifts and slightly lethargic downshifts. When you try to select gears on your own (no mean task given the side-to-side movement of the transmission shifter when placed in TouchShift mode, which is less intuitive than up and down motion; this also facilitates an inadvertent slip into neutral, as was stated by one of our drivers), upshifts are delayed and there's no rev limiter monitoring downshifts; one driver complained that he was able to lock the rear wheels at one point. Furthermore, the manual-mode gear indicator on the dash is far away from the tachometer and small; shift points are more readily determined by engine noise. Not that that's a bad thing, given its pleasing roar. It's just better to let the tranny do the thinking for you.

Unfortunately, our model wasn't equipped with the sport package. We had previously tested one so equipped and were pleasantly surprised by its athletic capability. While our test car behaved itself well under most driving circumstances, when performance was demanded, it only halfheartedly delivered. The front end bobbed excessively over undulations on the freeway and wallowed after bumps and holes, unduly upsetting the chassis. Otherwise, the Benz possessed that Mercedes feeling of heft and composedness in the twisties that doesn't necessarily translate into sportiness, and provided a solid, quiet, serene ride overall. Most drivers whose commutes don't include flying down the side of a mountain will find little to nitpick.

Our editors lauded the four-wheel disc brakes, which stopped the car with authority and exhibited no fade even after intense use. The rack-and-pinion steering is a vast improvement over the previous C-Class' recirculating ball configuration. While it lacks the pure road feel of the Lexus or BMW, it's nicely weighted and linear, and its small turning circle of 35.3 feet allows for graceful three-point turns on narrow roads.

While there were neither rattles nor squeaks from anywhere in the car, our eagle-eyed editors picked out several build-quality flaws. One of the vents' on/off switches was falling into the dash, the airbag cover was misaligned, as were the boot lid and hood. A B-pillar trim piece was loose, and the gaps between the dash and the doors were different for the driver and passenger sides. But mostly, we were peeved at the lack of a CD player in this $40,000-plus car and wondered at the audacity of the Germans, who could get away with such an omission. "This is a Mercedes?" wondered some of our evaluators, which bespeaks the high standards that Mercedes has established. This particular car disappointed us, but we're hoping that it was an anomaly, rather than a harbinger of DaimlerChrysler cost-cutting.

You wouldn't think so by most of the interior materials, with lovely real wood trim, soft leather, expensive-feeling felt for the headliner and a minimum of hard plastics. Some of the switchgear didn't live up to expectations, namely the headlight switch, overhead lights and vent and window controls that don't move with as much fluidity as one might hope in the most expensive car of the test. Otherwise, the climate controls and stereo buttons are easy to use, if a bit daunting initially.

For a car with petite exterior dimensions, it has quite a large trunk, but the opening is rather small. It had the advantage of being the only trunk that pops up once the latch is released, so that if your hands are full of grocery bags you don't have to bother to put them down to access the trunk. Although the bootlid is supported by hinges, they disappear into their own niches, so there's no chance of crushing your things. Plus, there are sizeable bins to store smaller items you don't want rolling around the trunk. Our test car had both a 60/40 split seat, as well as a ski pass-through.

The rear seat has an automatic locking seatbelt for easy installation of the baby seat. While the handle fit is a bit tight, there is little side-to-side movement. MB also has a special child-seat sensing system for the front passenger side that keeps the airbag from deploying when used with a BabySmart child seat available from the dealer, but unless you absolutely must put your child in that seat, we recommend that you keep them in the rear. You'll be sure to hear grousing from adult rear seat occupants; only the Lexus has less legroom than the Mercedes' 33 inches.

As stated before, the Mercedes was the most expensive car in the test, and it didn't even have a CD player or the Sport package. What it offers is the cachet of driving a Benz. It's a solid, well-crafted (for the most part) car, and those hankering for a car with a three-pointed star on the hood won't be dissatisfied. However, it is simply not the best car in its class.

Second Opinions:
Road Test Editor John DiPietro says:
There's something about German cars that imparts a sense of solidity and confidence when driven hard, and the C320 is no exception. The Benz's V6 comes close to matching the Bimmer's sweet inline six in terms of refinement and provides a satisfying lunge forward when the throttle is stabbed. Pedal feel for the powerful brakes was a bit lacking, but once acclimated to was not a problem.

The steering feel, which is usually not as good as BMW's, was better than the 330i's. The C320's tiller had the heft and feedback that were absent in the BMW's overboosted unit. And I had to wonder if the optional and near $3,000 Sport package is worth considering — our car didn't have it, and the handling was excellent. The Benz dispatched the technical portion (read very twisty) of our test loop without breaking (or causing me to break) a sweat.

Driving the C320 down on my recommended list were various gripes, such as the cheap feel of some switchgear (for example, the exterior light knob) that had a brittle action when handled, the annoying method of shutting down the climate system (required repeatedly pressing the fan speed button), only one cupholder for the front occupants and the lack of a CD player. Looking at the big picture, these petty grievances don't exactly ruin one's enjoyment of the C320; in fact, I still picked it as my third personal choice. But for over $41,000, they're inexcusable lapses from a company known for engineering excellence.

Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig says:
I considered this car one of the few true sport sedans in the test. With only 215 horsepower, it wasn't exactly a neck-snapper, but together with its taut, predictable suspension and sharp steering, the C320 was capable of pushing the limits without feeling like it was always getting ahead of itself.

After I got past the rather unremarkable looks and eye-opening sticker price, I realized that the Mercedes turned in a solid performance that almost makes me think it's worth it. The suspension was unflappable in tight turns, able to be pushed hard and only gently gave in when its limits were reached. It wasn't anywhere near the IS 300 in terms of overall grip or feel, but its rear-wheel drive provided infinitely better feel than the large crop of front drivers on the test.

The engine jumped to life quickly, delivering more push than I expected from such an unremarkable horsepower rating. The automatic transmission was a sorely evident weak spot, delivering clunky shifts on occasion.

The interior certainly doesn't overwhelm you with style or luxury. The gauges are noticeably bland and many of the dashboard switches exhibit a hollow, plastic feel. The radio and climate control systems continue to puzzle me with their arcane methods of operation. The seats were comfortable for both cruising and high-speed high jinks and the rest of the interior materials were first rate, but for its price, I was expecting a little more.

For all the hoopla surrounding its introduction, the new C isn't that much better than its predecessor. The new styling is noticeably more modern, but in terms of driving dynamics and interior quality, not much progress was made. That being said, the C320 is still a fine car that can appease those looking for both a sport sedan and a luxury car all in one. It doesn't deliver the best example of either, but it's a nice compromise between the two — if you can afford it.

Associate Editor Erin Mahoney says:
There's something about the Mercedes that is distinctly different from the other vehicles in this test; I attribute it to the vehicle's sophisticated reputation. The automaker's dignified persona lends significance to the vehicle itself, but the Benz wasn't without its flaws.

For instance, the front seats, while easy to adjust to a comfortable driving position, felt a little too hard. And the backseats were very cramped, with virtually no under-seat foot room. Also, the climate controls were set too low in the center stack, and the stereo buttons were all bunched together in a confusing manner.

The 3.2-liter V6 offered copious, breath-catching power delivery, with consistent pull throughout the rev band. While the kick-in-the-seat-of-your-pants factor was exciting, I longed for a more progressive gas pedal; apply just a little pressure, and the vehicle jumps forward startlingly.

I appreciated the C320's heavily weighted steering, but would've liked more road feel through the rack. Nevertheless, the combination of heavy steering and a powerful engine lent a distinct pleasure to driving the Mercedes. While it didn't feel nearly as sprightly as the IS 300 or 330i, the C320 held an appeal all its own.

Stereo Evaluation - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320