Base price: $25,615
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-drive; 3-door 5-passenger sedan
Interior volume, F/R/cargo (cu ft) 49/36/10
Wheelbase 106.9 in
Length/width/height 171.0/68.0/55.4 in
Turning circle 35.3 ft
Curb weight 3300 lb
EPA city/hwy mpg 19–21/28–29
Fuel-tank capacity/range 16.2 gal/308–340 mi
Passive restraints driver and passenger front, side, and head airbags; rear side and head airbags
POWERTRAIN
supercharged and intercooled 1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-in-line, 189 hp; 6-sp man, 5-sp auto
SUSPENSION
F ind, struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
R ind, multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
F/R vented disc/disc
ABS standard
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MERCEDES-BENZ C230
Luxury hatchback may seem like an oxymoron but not to Mercedes-Benz. Last year it spun off this hatch from its C-class platform and priced it well below luxury levels, though it’s is still more expensive than, say, the Mini or Civic Si. Of course, Mercedes doesn’t refer to it as a hatch, calling it a “sports coupe.” Whatever, it’s a hatch to us. Nor do we find much sport in it; on the road, like most Mercedes, it feels heavy, and its handling is more composed than frisky. The C230’s interior has a dash of sporty feel, though it’s the only Mercedes in America with standard cloth seats. For 2003 a new 189-hp, 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine replaces the previous 192-hp unit. Although the new engine has fewer horses, it has more torque and better fuel economy. With the new engine this car should be called C180. Instead, it’s still C230 but with a 1.8 badge added.
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