2027 Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV First Drive Review: Another Step in the Right Direction

• What's new: Mercedes' compact C-Class goes electric next year, boasting more than 400 miles of range with an estimated starting price around $55,000.
• Why it matters: This gives Mercedes-Benz a compelling foe for the upcoming BMW i3, not to mention the Tesla Model 3.
• Edmunds says: With its luxurious trimmings and excellent on-road manners, the C-Class is way more compelling than some frumpy ol' Tesla.

Expect more than 400 miles of range

The first electric C-Class headed our way is the C 400, equipped with a 94-kWh battery pack and two electric motors that provide all-wheel drive. This setup produces 483 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, allowing the C 400 to sprint to 60 mph in a Mercedes-estimated 3.9 seconds. From an acceleration standpoint, the C 400 should line up nicely with the upcoming BMW i3 50 xDrive and split the difference between the Tesla Model 3 Premium AWD and Performance.

Where the C 400 is likely to have the upper hand is in its outright driving range. Mercedes isn't quoting an official spec just yet, but I've heard rumors of the EPA number falling somewhere between 400 miles and 425 miles. This whomps the Model 3, which in its most efficient trim has a 363-mile EPA rating, though the BMW i3 might end up being the range champ on paper. I'm excited to see what the C 400 achieves in the real world, especially since Mercedes-Benz EVs have historically blown their EPA figures out of the water in the Edmunds EV Range Test.

Charging will be another of the C 400's strong suits. Mercedes quotes a max charging rate of 330 kW when it's plugged in, and upgraded regenerative braking technology can feed 300 kW of energy back into the battery during deceleration. This is all thanks to the C-Class' 800-volt vehicle architecture, which it shares with the new GLC.

Creature comforts and tech galore

Finland is gorgeous; I dig the mix of Scandinavian and Soviet architecture in and around Helsinki. There's plenty of time to enjoy it too, since the speed limits in this part of the world are borderline draconian, and Finland's penalty system can drain your bank account if you aren't careful. At a dull commuter pace, the C 400's easy-to-use adaptive cruise control is your friend, automatically executing lane changes should the car in front of you not accelerate when the speed limit mercifully increases. And when you don't need full power from the all-wheel-drive setup, the front motor decouples so the C 400 operates as efficiently as possible.

The drive out of Helsinki is a dynamic dearth, but it means I can sink into the C's comfy front seats, enjoy a heated massage, and fiddle with the sedan's kickin' Burmester 4D stereo, which you don't have to crank up super loud since the cabin is nicely insulated from wind and road noise. A standard glass roof gives the C 400 an open, airy feeling, but you'll definitely want to get the Sky Control option that allows you to turn the glass from clear to opaque on sunny days.

There's an interesting dichotomy to the C-Class' interior; I find it both elegant and overwhelming. On the one hand, there are only a few hard buttons on the console just below the dual wireless chargers, and everything is handsomely finished. But with the available 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen display, the C's multimedia tech reads like an IMAX screen, and not in a good way. That pillar-to-pillar display is tall and upright, and positioned too close to the driver and passenger. It makes the front of the C 400 feel cramped and claustrophobic. Oh, and Mercedes, plastic air vents? Really?

Don't get me wrong, the MB.OS operating system housed within the Hyperscreen is a powerhouse of functionality, with an integrated AI assistant for vehicle commands and online search. Google Maps fire up quickly and work well, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integrate seamlessly. The touchscreen responds quickly to your swipes and pokes, though the Hyperscreen will surely just become a mess of greasy fingerprint smudges after your first week of ownership.

In a weird contrast, I honestly find the back seats of this compact sedan to be more relaxing. You don't get the same in-your-face onslaught of tech, and it's easy to see out of the side windows. A 6-foot-tall adult spent time in the back seat of the C 400 during my drive and didn't once complain about legroom. Trunk space is also perfectly adequate for a car the size of a C-Class, and there's a small frunk for backpacks or grocery bags as well.

Sharper handling than you might expect

I'm finally able to hustle the C 400 a bit at Premier Park, a driver training and event facility in Porvoo, east of Helsinki. Here, I'm in a car equipped with the optional Airmatic air suspension, 21-inch wheels and 4.5-degree rear axle steering — a technology that can turn the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts to virtually shorten the 116.6-inch wheelbase. And I gotta say, I'm pleasantly surprised.

Beyond just being quick, the C 400 whips around a tight handling course with confidence, perfectly balancing comfort and composure. The underlying technology used in the C-Class is the same as what Mercedes introduced in the new S-Class, with dampers that automatically adjust based on road conditions, and software that can send data about things like bumps and potholes to the cloud. This way, your C-Class remembers that nasty dip in the road on your drive to work and makes this data available for other Mercedes cars — like the GLE and GLS SUVs — to promote smoother rides for all. How helpful.

The C 400 sits slightly lower to the ground than its SUV counterpart, the electric GLC 400. Mercedes says this alone reduces body roll by 11%, but the C's suspension is also slightly stiffer, for 20% fewer body motions overall. This means the C 400 doesn't porpoise and dive under acceleration and braking, and throwing the sedan into a hairpin turn won't cause you to slide around in your seat. There are Comfort and Sport driving modes, the latter of which improves throttle response and adds weight to the steering, but the delta between them could stand to be a bit larger. In practice, these settings feel way too similar to me.

Verdict: The C-Class is a compelling electric sedan

Following the C 400, Mercedes-Benz will introduce a single-motor C-Class EV with rear-wheel drive. Don't worry, gas-powered Cs will come down the pipeline in due time. The current internal-combustion-engine C-Class still has a few years left in it, so the two Cs will be sold concurrently for a bit following the EV's arrival in dealers in the first half of 2027. Admittedly, I prefer the look of the current C-Class; the EV's bold, illuminated grille is a step too far for me. But maybe I'll change my mind once I start seeing them on the road side by side.

EV adoption continues to ebb and flow in the U.S. thanks to our ever-changing geopolitical dumpster fire. But Mercedes-Benz isn't hedging its bets, and the C 400 is proof that the company will continue to evolve and advance in the electric car space. More than any of the EQ-badged EVs that came before it, the C-Class is truly an electric Merc for the masses.