The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 covers cabin tech basics and drivability very well, without going over the top. Its imperturbable handling is good, but doesn't generate much excitement, while its cabin tech gets the job done without many frills.
The C300 is available in Sport and Luxury trims, distinguished by very different grilles. The Sport model gets the big badge in the center of the grille, while the Luxury model gets a hood ornament.
The 3-liter V-6, with 228 horsepower, isn't over-powered, but it works well in the C300. We found acceleration in every day driving circumstances more than adequate.
The C300 uses some nice design features to make it stand out amongst small sedans. It has the sweeping contour along the side and a hood that juts up, suggesting some brawn. The front comes down at a fairly steep angle.
Steering is very responsive in the C300, and the multifunction steering wheel gives easy control over car audio choices. Most cabin tech functions can be controlled with voice command, activated with the voice button on the steering wheel.
The standard transmission on the C300 Sport is a six speed automatic, although it can be optioned up to the seven speed automatic. This six speed has a manual shift mode.
The disc load screen shows a number of logos, including Dolby Digital and Gracenote, a database of all CDs that applies the proper tags to any CD ripped to the hard drive.
