Like the basic Led Zeppelin music, we’re over the hills and much away — actually within the foothills of the Himalayas. And we’re right here to speak about an equally lofty automobile within the Mercedes Benz portfolio.
No, we’re not speaking in regards to the S-class. In reality, we’re speaking in regards to the child S-class. Or as most individuals name it – the C-Class. Since 1982, the C-Class has turn into a really massive cog within the nice Mercedes Benz wheel. It serves as a gateway for many individuals to the premium model. And over 5 generations, the C-Class has turn into certainly one of its icons. As Siddharth additionally put it in his evaluate, issues have turn into sportier and edgier. But that is not why it’s referred to as the child Benz. It would not share the powertrain of the S-Class, it would not appear to be an S-Class and undoubtedly, it isn’t as massive as an S-Class. So why is it referred to as the Baby S-Class, as a result of the know-how that underpins it’s derived from the S-class?
The new-gen C-Class will get an 11.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Perhaps the largest telltale signal that issues have been borrowed from the S-Class is the presence of the magnificent 11.9-inch central infotainment display screen which is at an angle. This display screen is starkly much like the S-Class and an enormous improve from the horizontal screens that Mercedes has offered prior to now that are nonetheless a part of many different autos in its portfolio. This display screen is beautiful in any manner one seems at it – nice colours, tremendous responsive and only a massive large canvas.
It has wirelsss Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Perhaps, the one subject can be that it’s a ginormous fingerprint magnet. This display screen is house to the MBUX 7 – or in different phrases the innovative model of the Mercedes consumer expertise that has already been seen within the S-Class and the Maybach. It is typified by a litany of tech options like V2X connectivity the place the automobile is embedded with the cloud and in actual time shares visitors information and contextual data across the environment. It will get wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and maps by Here. These maps are respectable and supply contextual data as properly, however when in comparison with Google Maps, they don’t seem to be as dependable. This is one thing we skilled first hand in Mussoorie as typically it gave flawed instructions. Mercedes has additionally developed its personal App platform and speech recognition is a large deal on this automobile utilizing voice instructions nearly something will be completed.
The C-Class turns into the third automobile to get MBUX NTG 7
But nearly as good as MBUX is, it comes with its personal set of follies. For instance, as a result of it’s so feature-rich the design of those icons just isn’t fashionable in any respect. These icons remind you of Windows Media Player from Windows Vista. That was in 2006 and right here Mercedes is speaking in regards to the metaverse. But I need to admit it really works fairly good as these are giant touchpoints as there aren’t many buttons out right here that is the most effective you are able to do. Then, there are a number of steps concerned in every little thing. Basically, a number of faucets are concerned. Heck if you wish to open the sunroof, it’s a must to swipe like this nonetheless it isn’t a seamless expertise. Even the quantity rocker .. properly there is no such thing as a rocker, it’s a slider. It just isn’t intuitive I imagine, however nonetheless, it’s there.
The Mercedes Me app is the gateway for related automobile tech on the brand new C-Class
The C-Class will get prodigious related automobile chops because of the Mercedes Me app. The Mercedes Me app is sort of slick – it helps a number of profiles which gives loads of personalization options. For instance, it’ll modify the seats in response to your peak, it’ll keep in mind these settings other than serving to you how one can tune the sound of the Burmester sound system, the ambient lighting and whatnot. Of course, that is additionally a related automobile which suggests it helps driver telematics, and geofencing and in addition helps distant automobile unlock – principally commonplace staples of a related automobile stack. What was spectacular was that regardless of poor connectivity, we confronted very low latency and all these options largely labored up within the hills. The performance of Mercedes Me additionally ties in with speech recognition which additionally parses some information off the cloud – and it was largely working if it understood your accent.
The digital infotainment show will be personalized with themes
As talked about earlier than, Mercedes talks a giant sport about voice instructions – which is a little bit of a hit and miss affair. What actually irks me is the truth that voice can be used as a type of biometrics. You can unlock the automobile by simply utilizing your voice and if it would not acknowledge it, then it’s a must to fall again to the fingerprint scanner which admittedly works very nice, similar to any smartphone. But this ought to be extra buttoned in, it ought to really feel extra like what you get on an iPhone with Siri or with the Google Assistant on an Android cellphone. But it’s clearly not there, however the hope is in time it’ll get there and it’ll perceive the accent extra precisely. Then all of the hoopla across the V2X know-how – would not make sense for the Indian client as a result of a) we aren’t but a 5G market. This know-how wants the hyperfast latency-free connectivity of 5G to work optimally. That could occur quickly if India will get 5G subsequent 12 months. From that facet it’s future-ready however nonetheless, solely S-Class or Maybach get the identical capabilities and clearly, there aren’t a lot of these automobiles on the highway and even this automobile just isn’t going to promote within the tens of millions in India. So it might not have that a lot of relevance however certainly it’s a good function; The automobile might be extra built-in with the infrastructure – the roads, fellow Mercedes automobiles, the cloud, different devices and all the data might be introduced contextually and be up to date within the automobile in real-time.
There is a wi-fi charger that is fairly inconveniently positioned with three sort C ports all on the entrance row
Mercedes has additionally amped up the ADAS functionality for the C-Class. It comes with an assortment of cameras and sensors that each one present spatial consciousness whilst you’re driving. Considering we have been on the tight and twisting winding roads of Mussoorie, and the automobile by Indian requirements continues to be fairly giant, we managed to drive it with out a lot of a hitch because the indicator on the infotainment show exhibits with clear graphics if something is across the automobile – be it a 2 wheeler, a pedestrian, a automobile or perhaps a cow. This system, nevertheless, is sort of delicate, which is sort of regular. There are automated emergency brakes as properly which come very helpful whilst you’re driving on the freeway. There are assistive indicators for overspeeding as properly and the automobile has a classy ESC system. It additionally will get a classy parking digicam that has dynamic gridlines and in addition it helps out with voice-guided directions. There can be a wi-fi charger that is fairly inconveniently positioned, alongside three USB sort C ports – one close to the cigarette lighter, two contained in the cupboard space within the entrance row armrest. Mind you, contemplating that is the child S-Class, there’s nothing on the again row – not even within the armrest. This is a giant miss for my part.
The Burmester sound system is spectacular, however I’ve heard higher techniques
More items right here. The C300D variant which we’re driving will get a Burmester sound system that has been impressed by the S-Class. It has 15 audio system and over 700 watts of energy. That is staggering. On high of this, it will get 3D audio as properly. Now the sound signature is sort of impartial however you possibly can simply dial in your sound to your coronary heart’s content material and the sound system will actually sing. At the identical time, it isn’t the best possible. 3D audio is a bit gimmicky, it provides a bit extra taste to the encompass setup however largely opens up songs which have gotten a really bassy vibe and lack a little bit of element within the mid-range and treble. That’s a pleasant factor to have. Overall it’s a fairly good system to have and it’s superior to the one there on the C200 and the C200D The C200 notably solely will get a 4 speaker setup which is simply stunning for a automobile of its value level.
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There just isn’t even an iota of doubt that the brand new C-Class builds upon the lineage of the enduring W201 from 1982. It additionally lives as much as the billing of being the child S-Class as a lot of the tech it will get is principally from the S-Class – be it the ADAS, the related automobile suite, the sound system, the infotainment show – it’s all derived from what most individuals name the most effective automobile on the earth and that’s NEVER A BAD THING! That being mentioned, one factor is evident, this can be a driver’s automobile, so whereas there’s quite a lot of tech that has been borrowed from the S-Class, it’s all within the entrance row, however there are slim pickings within the again row – simply hold that in thoughts earlier than shopping for this. The new C-Class begins at Rs 55 Lakh ex-showroom for the C200 and goes all the best way to Rs 61 Lakh for the C300D which is the automobile I examined for this tech evaluate.
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With inputs from NDTV
