Mercedes C220 CDI Blue Efficiency Saloon - What is it?

The C-Class has just been given what Mercedes says is ‘one of the most significant face-lifts in the company’s history’.

Forget the 2000 new parts and the swanky new interior – there’s another aspect of the overhaul that’ll worry Audi and BMW a lot more – its vastly improved CO2 emissions.

The C-Class has always trailed its major rivals on that score, which meant higher tax bills for those who chose it as their company car. Now, though, emissions have improved across the range, and our favourite version, the C220 CDI is the cleanest car of the bunch.

Choose the right version, and you’ll pay company car tax on just 13% of its value. Not only is that the lowest banding possible for a diesel car, but it’s also the same rate you pay on the cleanest versions of the A4 and 3 Series. Looks like the C-Class is about to become a lot more popular, then.

What’s it like to drive?
On the road, you won’t notice much difference between the new C-Class and the previous one. That’s no bad thing, though. Sure, the soft suspension and numb steering mean the C-Class isn’t the sportiest car in the class, but no competitor can match it for ride comfort. Sport models get firmer suspension to make them sharper in the bends, but the ride suffers as a result. We prefer the more cosseting nature of the standard set-up.

The C-Class is quiet as well as comfortable, too, thanks to effective isolation of wind- and road noise. The 168bhp 2.1-litre engine gets grumbly when you push it, but the broad spread of power means you’ll rarely have to.