A non PH Mercedes C200 eq boost
Discussion
I thought I’d write a bit about my first experience with a hybrid all be it a “mild hybrid” (so not a proper one and a bit of a cheat).
Firstly a little about me as it might be relevant to why I think this is relevant. Middle aged, wife, young child, no hobbies and work 6 miles away. You could argue I should really ride a bike (maybe it would help with the middle aged spread) and use the wife’s car for family outings.
But weak excuse time... work expects me to be able to travel/entertain in a presentable manner and being compliant when someone pays you a decent wage is always better. Plus I like cars and the mild hybrid thing interests me. There is no doubt in my mind hybrid is the sticking plaster till they make other stuff a more realistic proposition, I’m definitely a candidate for all electric, but I need them to represent better value before I participate.
I had an A45 that had just gone back:
Not everyone’s favourite car or colour combination but I liked it. Sadly only 9,000 miles in 2 years, I should probably hand back some sort of membership card or something. I should say not only was it complete overkill for the 12 miles of daily urban commuting but it was frustrating. Nowhere to drive quickly and every journey a jiggly one but boy was exciting when you could use it. Maybe a little too good, I found myself at ridiculous speeds and no evidence of the car struggling.
So that went back yesterday after I reached the decision it wasn’t the right tool for the job.
Now the annoying bit it’s replacement that was ordered in July for delivery end of September, was delayed to the 4th October, then to the 17th and now there is no date (production hold or something). The cynic in me says it might be connected to WLTP or something, whatever it is the car industry seems not to be coping these days.
So I am driving this till it’s ready:
This is my honeymoon car, driven to Canne down route Napoleon, fantastic times were had and my pride and joy.
Firstly a little about me as it might be relevant to why I think this is relevant. Middle aged, wife, young child, no hobbies and work 6 miles away. You could argue I should really ride a bike (maybe it would help with the middle aged spread) and use the wife’s car for family outings.
But weak excuse time... work expects me to be able to travel/entertain in a presentable manner and being compliant when someone pays you a decent wage is always better. Plus I like cars and the mild hybrid thing interests me. There is no doubt in my mind hybrid is the sticking plaster till they make other stuff a more realistic proposition, I’m definitely a candidate for all electric, but I need them to represent better value before I participate.
I had an A45 that had just gone back:
Not everyone’s favourite car or colour combination but I liked it. Sadly only 9,000 miles in 2 years, I should probably hand back some sort of membership card or something. I should say not only was it complete overkill for the 12 miles of daily urban commuting but it was frustrating. Nowhere to drive quickly and every journey a jiggly one but boy was exciting when you could use it. Maybe a little too good, I found myself at ridiculous speeds and no evidence of the car struggling.
So that went back yesterday after I reached the decision it wasn’t the right tool for the job.
Now the annoying bit it’s replacement that was ordered in July for delivery end of September, was delayed to the 4th October, then to the 17th and now there is no date (production hold or something). The cynic in me says it might be connected to WLTP or something, whatever it is the car industry seems not to be coping these days.
So I am driving this till it’s ready:
This is my honeymoon car, driven to Canne down route Napoleon, fantastic times were had and my pride and joy.
After a couple of weeks driving the MX5 on these wonderful tyres:
Marangoni Verso it has become apparent these are not fun in any conditions but dry. You learn to drive with what you have but it was a little unbearable the last 2 weeks especially when it rained.
More importantly my life has been spared as this turned up today:
Maybe another colour combo that is not to everyone’s taste but I like it.
First impressions have left me amazed. A 1.5 litre engine in a big old cabriolet and it wafts along at a comfy old lick. The 48v system never really makes itself known but pulling away from the line just got a whole lot less frustrating. The A45 would sit there think about it as you pressed the accelerator more and more then it would launch you in the direction you were pointing as it caught up. The amount of times I had to brake having just entered a roundabout. 2 years and I never did really master it. No such dramas here though.
I’m going out for a drive and to do some shopping so will write more thoughts later. But one thing that is clear this car does not at any point pretend or have the ability to be sporty. It can build up a decent speed but in its own time and to be honest you sit in a lovely cabin and ask yourself what’s the rush.
So far I love it.
Marangoni Verso it has become apparent these are not fun in any conditions but dry. You learn to drive with what you have but it was a little unbearable the last 2 weeks especially when it rained.
More importantly my life has been spared as this turned up today:
Maybe another colour combo that is not to everyone’s taste but I like it.
First impressions have left me amazed. A 1.5 litre engine in a big old cabriolet and it wafts along at a comfy old lick. The 48v system never really makes itself known but pulling away from the line just got a whole lot less frustrating. The A45 would sit there think about it as you pressed the accelerator more and more then it would launch you in the direction you were pointing as it caught up. The amount of times I had to brake having just entered a roundabout. 2 years and I never did really master it. No such dramas here though.
I’m going out for a drive and to do some shopping so will write more thoughts later. But one thing that is clear this car does not at any point pretend or have the ability to be sporty. It can build up a decent speed but in its own time and to be honest you sit in a lovely cabin and ask yourself what’s the rush.
So far I love it.
Thank you, the photos don’t do it justice.
181 bhp with 17 bhp from the electric motor. It doesn’t sound a lot these days especially for something that’s probably quite heavy, but 0-60 comes in just under 8 seconds which is respectable for urban driving.
My old 98 328 Msport was about the same and that was considered plenty in the day.
The cabin with the new widescreen “tablet” thing works a hell of a lot better now visually and all the dials are virtual with a bunch load of technology, it makes it a very comfy place to sit.
181 bhp with 17 bhp from the electric motor. It doesn’t sound a lot these days especially for something that’s probably quite heavy, but 0-60 comes in just under 8 seconds which is respectable for urban driving.
My old 98 328 Msport was about the same and that was considered plenty in the day.
The cabin with the new widescreen “tablet” thing works a hell of a lot better now visually and all the dials are virtual with a bunch load of technology, it makes it a very comfy place to sit.
Edited by Moonpie21 on Thursday 25th October 14:44
Moonpie21 said:
Thank you, the photos don’t do it justice.
181 bhp with 17 bhp from the electric motor. It doesn’t sound a lot these days especially for something that’s probably quite heavy, but 0-60 comes in just under 8 seconds which is respectable for urban driving.
My old 98 328 Msport was about the same and that was considered plenty in the day.
The cabin with the new widescreen “tablet” thing works a hell of a lot better now visually and all the dials are virtual with a bunch load of technology, it makes it a very comfy place to sit.
That's not bad to be honest, I'm sure its swift enough.181 bhp with 17 bhp from the electric motor. It doesn’t sound a lot these days especially for something that’s probably quite heavy, but 0-60 comes in just under 8 seconds which is respectable for urban driving.
My old 98 328 Msport was about the same and that was considered plenty in the day.
The cabin with the new widescreen “tablet” thing works a hell of a lot better now visually and all the dials are virtual with a bunch load of technology, it makes it a very comfy place to sit.
The widescreen tablet looks infinitely better than the small one with the huge bezel that came in the pre-facelift.
They reckon it’s 44.1 mpg which of course is a WLTP figure so I am guessing more realistic? The C220d does 58.9 mpg apparently.
I will keep an eye on it and see what I get.
I doubt it would come anywhere near a diesel on a long journey, but it might give it a run for its money on lots of short stop start ones. As a plus point it doesn’t have the current stigma a diesel has and I can tell everyone it’s hybrid (water and bunnies come out of the exhaust pipe honest).
I will keep an eye on it and see what I get.
I doubt it would come anywhere near a diesel on a long journey, but it might give it a run for its money on lots of short stop start ones. As a plus point it doesn’t have the current stigma a diesel has and I can tell everyone it’s hybrid (water and bunnies come out of the exhaust pipe honest).
Lovely car.
Having one on hire whilst my Jag is repaired has certainly piqued my interest in these cars, the one I'm currently running is a C200 saloon (2.0, petrol, auto, mild hybrid).
Currently really enjoying the use, and I'm getting 42mpg average. Tiny fuel tank is a pain in the backside, though. £45 from empty.
ETA photo.
Having one on hire whilst my Jag is repaired has certainly piqued my interest in these cars, the one I'm currently running is a C200 saloon (2.0, petrol, auto, mild hybrid).
Currently really enjoying the use, and I'm getting 42mpg average. Tiny fuel tank is a pain in the backside, though. £45 from empty.
ETA photo.
Edited by cmvtec on Friday 26th October 11:00
A few thoughts from today.
The car seems quite big, but can be best described as cosy inside. Will fit four adults in some sort of comfort. The length surprised me 4,686mm I’m not sure if this is long but supermarket parking spaces seemed shorter than normal.
The boot access is challenging, a high lip, narrow opening and with the roof down really shallow, maybe 30cm if you are lucky, with it up probably just under double that. The fold away crate they give you is amazing... how did I ever live without one before. Took a pretty big water melon and some other bits and pieces, giving me a strange peace of mind as I wallowed through the corners. I reckon the boot is good for one big suitcase, but it is probably worth investing in some squishy bags.
The doors are long, which is to be expected I suppose, but it’ll be interesting to see where I park, narrow spaces won’t be fun.
Inside I plumped for the premium pack and luckily so before they changed it. So I still get the virtual cockpit thing which is really nice. All controled from the right hand side steering wheel buttons much better than the previous steering wheel, more intuitive. There is a lovely swipe button type thing which let’s you customise the dials, see the trip, navigation, media and all sorts. Then some buttons for cruise control. Similarly there are the same buttons on the left side but they do the centre screen. Touch button for all the menu stuff and then volume and phone controls on the others. I got the command system so bigger screen and more stuff I will never use. The software itself is so much better than I had in the A45, better graphics, better thought out, more functional, just better.
Everything inside seems really well screwed together. I saw earlier reviews about flimsy bits, not that I have noticed. Everything is nicely damped, soft touch and well, good quality. Saying that though the seatbelt butler thing looks like it could break easily.
Seats are lovely and comfy, plenty of adjustment and support. The airscarf system is amazing. It wasn’t a warm day today but roof down windows up and that on, it was a pleasure to be out in the fresh air. Hood was down all day apart from noise experimentation.
On that note it’s been ages since I was in a “quality” soft top. I have to say they are incredible, I’m not sure there is much noise difference compared to their fixed head equivalent certainly at urban speeds (<60mph).
The drivetrain continues to amaze me, that 48v system just seems to mitigate perfectly the small turbo engine in big car issue. Not big engine NA instant, but close. It makes the start stop seamless you don’t notice it doing its thing, best one I have ever experienced.
The regenerative braking is impressive too, I will certainly be challenging myself to use that rather than jamming on the breaks. It comes with a nice little scale that shows whether you are using or charging the EQ boost system.
I mentioned earlier wallows, it’s not that bad, but this isn’t a “drivers” car, if we are honest it’s probably for show offs, at best it’s just a nice way to enjoy leisurely open top motoring, that’s what I am telling myself anyway. Buy another car if you want to feel connected to the road.
Anyway enough musings for now.
The car seems quite big, but can be best described as cosy inside. Will fit four adults in some sort of comfort. The length surprised me 4,686mm I’m not sure if this is long but supermarket parking spaces seemed shorter than normal.
The boot access is challenging, a high lip, narrow opening and with the roof down really shallow, maybe 30cm if you are lucky, with it up probably just under double that. The fold away crate they give you is amazing... how did I ever live without one before. Took a pretty big water melon and some other bits and pieces, giving me a strange peace of mind as I wallowed through the corners. I reckon the boot is good for one big suitcase, but it is probably worth investing in some squishy bags.
The doors are long, which is to be expected I suppose, but it’ll be interesting to see where I park, narrow spaces won’t be fun.
Inside I plumped for the premium pack and luckily so before they changed it. So I still get the virtual cockpit thing which is really nice. All controled from the right hand side steering wheel buttons much better than the previous steering wheel, more intuitive. There is a lovely swipe button type thing which let’s you customise the dials, see the trip, navigation, media and all sorts. Then some buttons for cruise control. Similarly there are the same buttons on the left side but they do the centre screen. Touch button for all the menu stuff and then volume and phone controls on the others. I got the command system so bigger screen and more stuff I will never use. The software itself is so much better than I had in the A45, better graphics, better thought out, more functional, just better.
Everything inside seems really well screwed together. I saw earlier reviews about flimsy bits, not that I have noticed. Everything is nicely damped, soft touch and well, good quality. Saying that though the seatbelt butler thing looks like it could break easily.
Seats are lovely and comfy, plenty of adjustment and support. The airscarf system is amazing. It wasn’t a warm day today but roof down windows up and that on, it was a pleasure to be out in the fresh air. Hood was down all day apart from noise experimentation.
On that note it’s been ages since I was in a “quality” soft top. I have to say they are incredible, I’m not sure there is much noise difference compared to their fixed head equivalent certainly at urban speeds (<60mph).
The drivetrain continues to amaze me, that 48v system just seems to mitigate perfectly the small turbo engine in big car issue. Not big engine NA instant, but close. It makes the start stop seamless you don’t notice it doing its thing, best one I have ever experienced.
The regenerative braking is impressive too, I will certainly be challenging myself to use that rather than jamming on the breaks. It comes with a nice little scale that shows whether you are using or charging the EQ boost system.
I mentioned earlier wallows, it’s not that bad, but this isn’t a “drivers” car, if we are honest it’s probably for show offs, at best it’s just a nice way to enjoy leisurely open top motoring, that’s what I am telling myself anyway. Buy another car if you want to feel connected to the road.
Anyway enough musings for now.
Car looks great ! Well done !
I had older Mercedes for 16 years, a 1999 C200 Sport for 9 years and a 2003 C180k Avantgarde for 7 years until nearly 2 years ago i bought a brand new BMW 520d M-Sport.
Id be interested if you could update the MPG your getting once you've done a few tanks as i do similar mileage to you, my old cars i was getting about 25 mpg and the BMW I get about 38 mpg.
What does the engine sound like ? at tickover and when driving ?
I had older Mercedes for 16 years, a 1999 C200 Sport for 9 years and a 2003 C180k Avantgarde for 7 years until nearly 2 years ago i bought a brand new BMW 520d M-Sport.
Id be interested if you could update the MPG your getting once you've done a few tanks as i do similar mileage to you, my old cars i was getting about 25 mpg and the BMW I get about 38 mpg.
What does the engine sound like ? at tickover and when driving ?
Edited by Aletank on Friday 26th October 09:10
Engine noise in the cabin at low revs does not really intrude and encourages you to make leisurely progress. Accelerating enthusiastically and the noise is OK but it certainly makes itself known, not unpleasant just makes you think how unnecessary.
At tick over outside it’s not the best if i am honest. I think it sounds like a not very refined 4 pot, no worse than other cars, just doesn’t seem to suit it.
I will keep an eye on the mpg.
At tick over outside it’s not the best if i am honest. I think it sounds like a not very refined 4 pot, no worse than other cars, just doesn’t seem to suit it.
I will keep an eye on the mpg.
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