Mercedes C-Class review

Even tall adults are unlikely to have any issues with space in the front of the C-Class; there’s good leg room and plenty of head room, even in cars equipped with the optional panoramic glass roof.

However, the space on offer is nothing compared with that of some of the bigger, less premium rivals, such as the Passat and Superb.

There are wide storage pockets in both doors, along with a decent-sized covered area at the bottom of the dashboard and a cubby beneath the central armrest.

There are three seats in the back of the C-Class, but three adults sitting in them won’t thank you on a long journey, because the interior is fairly narrow and the large central floor tunnel pinches foot space from the middle passenger.

Two six-footers should be reasonably comfortable, though, because leg room is decent enough. However, the BMW 3 Series is roomier for rear occupants, while the Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat give your passenger far more room to stretch out in.

There’s not much scope for seating flexibility in an executive saloon, but the C-Class does have 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats. These offer great flexibility when it comes to carrying lots of luggage and people at the same time than the 60/40 split rear seats you get in some rivals.

In terms of outright boot space, the C-Class lags behind both the 3 Series and A4, let alone the Superb, Passat and Tesla Model 3. However, you'll still comfortably be able to squeeze in a few carry-on suitcases or a set of golf clubs.

However, it's worth noting that the plug-in hybrid C300 e and C300 de models have significantly smaller boots than regular petrol and diesel versions. The shallow load bay of these versions makes them less well-suited to family life.