New Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs Audi A4 diesel comparison review

Mercedes-Benz and Audi have put themselves in a tough spot. Till about a year ago, an A4 or a C-Class (the previous generation car) were entry level luxury sedans for the two marques but with the introduction of the A3 and CLA, the A4 and the new C-Class have had to raise their game. There is not much Audi can do till the next generation A4 is introduced later this year besides offering it with more kit than the A3 but Mercedes-Benz has it well planned out with the new C-Class.

The C-Class is bigger, more luxurious than ever before and drives well enough to not be a categorized as just a chauffeur driven car. The Audi A4 then has a big challenge on its hands… It is well established no doubt but the C-Class in its latest avatar is a car no luxury car buyer can ignore. So should you go for the Tri-star from Stuttgart or the four rings from Ingolstadt? Find out here…

Design and Styling

Two car designs in the same segment with completely different appeals is a good choice for car buyers and with the C-Class and A4, you get exactly that. The C-Class has flowing lines, smooth edges and a slippery silhouette. It looks like a scaled down S-Class and a lot of buyers in this segment will like that. The pronounced nose under the bulging bonnet, brilliantly detailed headlights, wide haunches and attractive taillamps are at their cohesive best. The CLA may be a flashy car but the C-Class with its premium positioning, has to age better and its classy lines indicate a longer tenure. 

The Audi A4 on the other hand is fairly knife edged to the C’s pottery finesse. The wedge shaped headlights have a set of bold LEDs, a larger one piece trapezoidal grille takes centre stage and with this S-line pack, the A4 looks edgier with its sharper bumpers. The A4 after all these years still looks attractive but place the two side by side and the C-Class clearly stands out. It is the fresher of the two cars and a more mature design for a segment that has moved a notch above.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.5_rating

Audi A4: Rating_4.0_rating

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Interior and Space

Audi has built a reputation over the years for delivering some very handsome interiors but the new C-Class hits the A4 out of the park with its interior design. There is a certain joy in just sitting and ogling at the detailing in the C-Class. The design of the Burmester speakers or clicking tone of the air-con vents as you turn them from end to end, the uplifting nature of the aluminium inserts or the softness of the leather, the C-Class oozes quality in every aspect. Audi has to contend with the fact that the new A4 is less than a year away and the real fight between the two for luxurious supremacy begins then. 

In terms of space, there’s little to give or take between the two. The C-Class has a shorter front overhang which liberates a bit more space in the cabin. It has about 30mm more between the wheels giving the occupants more wiggle room but space on the inside isn’t a make or break deal vis-à-vis the Audi. Elbow room, shoulder room or even head room are near identical. Even the boot space in the two is an exact 480 litres but the Audi has a more usable boot as a large space saver is strapped in the C-Class occupying quite a bit of space. For rear passengers, the C-Class frees up more legroom due to its scooped out front seatbacks. 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.5_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.5_rating

Features and Equipment

On the equipment front, the C-Class again outshines the A4. In addition to the regular set of safety and infotainment features that are standard on both cars, in top trim, you get paddle shifters, push button start stop, driver and passenger electrically adjustable seats with memory and a navigation system over the Audi. The C-Class gets a better display screen too which compared to its predecessor is a marked improvement. It is larger than the A4 screen and has a richer display. The A4 may not be as well kitted as the new C-Class but isn’t short on equipment, especially for a car towards the end of its life cycle. 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.5_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.5_rating

Engines and performance

The cars we have here are the 4-cylinder diesels. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is in C220 CDI guise, which sports the familiar 2.1-litre mill developing 170PS of peak power and 400Nm of peak torque. The Audi A4 with its new 35 TDI nomenclature packs the 2.0-litre 177PS/380Nm engine under its hood. The Audi gets a 7-speed CVT gearbox sending power to the front wheels and the Mercedes gets its standardized 7-speed torque converter powering the rear wheels. The CVT unit in the Audi is smooth and responsive and keeps you in the powerband. The dual clutch unit in the C-Class is better than its predecessor but still a bit slow. The shift paddles help though to stay in the right gear at all times. Both cars offer a set of driving modes that alter response times and steering weight. Toggling between Comfort and Sport is ideal to give a good mix of performance and efficiency.

The C-Class is about 60kg heavier than the Audi yet manages to do the 0-100kmph sprint about 0.5-seconds faster. You can hit the ton in 7.4 seconds in the C while the A4 takes 7.9 seconds. The C-Class also has a higher top speed of 233kmph to 222kmph in the Audi. Better acceleration in the C-Class is down to the peak available torque at as low as 1400rpm. The Audi builds up its shove at a higher 1700rpm and that shows in its sprints. The A4 pulls back a punch here with its refinement levels. It has the quieter of the two engines at all times. Even with excellent insulation levels of the C-Class, the diesel engine is fairly audible. 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.0_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.5_rating

Ride and ease of driving

The pampering nature of the A4 and C-Class require them to ride well and our road surfaces are the perfect test for the ability to cosset their occupants as best possible. The Audi rides impressively at low speeds but so does the C-Class. It’s when you begin to pick up speeds that the C-Class proves its mettle over the A4. The C-Class showcases impressive poise at high speeds when the A4 tends to wallow a bit. The rear wheel driven C gets its weight distribution right, never feeling too light at the rear to lose confidence. 

The steering weighs up well and is fairly direct too. There’s no feedback from the electrically assisted unit but turn-ins are predictable and accurate. The various drive modes weigh up the steering well - we suggest Comfort in town and Sport on the highway. The A4 is also inert but the steering is tuned better for light city driving than anything with a bit of enthusiasm. The disconnect you feel at the wheel of the A4 makes it a lesser driver’s car. Visibility off the driver’s seat is excellent in the Audi though. The lower set dash gives a fairly commanding view of the road ahead for a sedan. The Merc’s layered dashboard with its multimedia screen jutting out makes you sit higher than you would.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.0_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.5_rating

Handling and braking

A well weighted and accurate steering coupled with well tuned spring rates at high speeds and near perfect front-rear weight distribution make the new C-Class a lot more able handler than the A4. The A4 has its weight biased towards the front and the steering doesn’t weigh up as well so driving it with finesse is unrewarding. The two cars aren’t made to tackle the twisties with the zest of a sportscar but with enough power on tap, you’d like to have your fun every once in a while. On these days, the C-Class is the more fun to drive. Both cars offer good levels of grip from the identical 225/50 R17 sized tyres and have enough bite in the brakes during heavy braking.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.0_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.5_rating

Price and Fuel Efficiency

Since the C-Class isn’t the entry level sedan in the Mercedes stable anymore, you can’t expect it to be priced in the range of its predecessor. Add to that the fact that the new car is still a CBU in India. Still the Rs 42.9 lakh (ex-showroom) for the C220 CDI in Avantgarde trim seems fairly steep. Local assembly of the diesel C-Class will start soon and that will drop prices by at least a couple of lakh rupees. The Audi A4 35 TDI in top technology pack trim with the S line package costs Rs 39.01 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. It is about Rs 4 lakh cheaper than the C-Class and that is quite a big margin. 

On the efficiency front, the Mercedes is more economical. The C220 CDI diesel returns 19.27kmpl under standard test conditions where the A4 35 TDI comes up with 17.11kmpl. 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_3.5_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.5_rating

Verdict

The C-Class is a big step up for Mercedes-Benz in this segment, it even looks like an S-Class! What the new C brings to the table in addition to its attractive styling is luxury, quality of materials and equipment and driving dynamics that are a notch above what you get in an A4. It is also better kitted than the Audi. But as things stand, a Rs 4 lakh premium for the Mercedes is quite high. While we recommend you go for the C-Class over the A4, we also suggest you wait for the CKD version of the C-Class for prices to drop. The next-gen A4 comes sometime in the second half of this year and we will revisit this rivalry to find out if the new A4 can better the C-Class. As things stand, the Mercedes C220 CDI is the pick in the segment.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Rating_4.0_rating

Audi A4: Rating_3.0_rating