Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet review

With swanky-looking trims and man-made or genuine leather, the C-Class Cabriolet’s interior looks and feels more special than an equivalent BMW 4 Series Convertible’s, even if it doesn’t impart the robust integrity of an Audi A5 Cabriolet. And the optional 13-speaker Burmester surround sound system is one of the best stereos on the market.

Every car comes with at least part-electric front seats – including lumbar adjustment and memory recall – and steering column adjustment to help you find a well-fitting driving position. All the controls are also easy to reach and the 10.25in infotainment screen, with sat-nav included, is mounted usefully high up on the dashboard. Unfortunately, it isn’t as intuitive as BMW’s iDrive system.

With the roof down, there’s very little buffeting in the interior and, with it up, the fabric lining does a great job of shutting out unwanted road noise. You get some wind flutter at 70mph from around the door mirrors, but it's not overbearing.

All C-Class Cabriolets have Mercedes’ clever Airscarf system. This places air vents just beneath the headrests to blow warm air onto your neck. With heated seats also standard, you can enjoy going topless all year round.