A pair that needs little to no introduction and has been battling each other for nearly five decades. The BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class go way back and have been bitter-sweet rivals since the day they crossed paths. The cars we have here today are the all-new BMW 3 Series Ld which is essentially the 3 series with an extended wheelbase and a mid-cycle facelift. Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is brand new from the ground up and really ups the ante in this segment. Since their bitter rivalry began, they've grown both in terms of performance and stature, and so have their price tags. They've both been spec'd in a rather interesting fashion which makes this comparison even tricker than I'd imagined initially. But without further delay, let's dive into these diesel-performance sedans and see how well they stack up against one another.
Verdict
Both of these vehicles represent the pinnacle of what used to be entry-level sedans. Now they both cost as much as models that sat above them, and both are similar in size too. The BMW 3 Series is an excellent package for the money, and its practicality is unrivalled in this segment. It has excellent build quality and more than adequate performance to keep you entertained.
However, the Mercedes-Benz C 300d has gone on to prove why it's worth the extra money. Sure, it may be down on practicality, but it makes up for it with more flamboyance and elegance. It's got a better motor, a better interior and even better creature comforts. At the end of the day, if your purchase is practical, then the BMW should suffice, but if your taste is as extravagant as the style of the Mercedes, then look no further, for the C 300d is the winner in my eyes.
BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine
The BMW 3 Series feels incredibly sedate and easy to drive. It does everything you ask of it without a fuss and even gives you great mileage while you do so. I saw fuel efficiency figures go as high as 18 km/l, which is pretty cool for a vehicle of this size. The BMW is down on power compared to the Mercedes, but it holds its own just fine. Given that this will spend most of its time inside the city, the power figures seem more than adequate, especially considering the great mileage that comes with it.
The NVH levels, too, remain quite well contained until you get to a bump, but more on that later. The 8-speed gearbox does a fantastic job shifting and even gives you a gentle kick each time you slide the gearbox in sport mode, which is quite fun. The brakes, too, feel a lot more responsive and far better on the BMW, giving you feedback each time you step on them. In its diesel guise, the BMW 3 Series is more on the tamer end of the spectrum and holds its own quite well despite being down on power and torque.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The C 300d feels much more exciting to drive from the moment you let go of the brake. It lunges forward with a lot more vigour and has a terrific soundtrack to go with it. I can't remember the last time I drove a diesel car that sounded this good! It lives up to its higher power figures without a doubt and accelerates in a manner that will surely catch you by surprise. The higher performance comes at the cost of fuel efficiency, and I saw figures go up as high as 14 km/l. I rarely drove the C 300d sedately, though, as the motor really enjoys letting loose and quite rightly justifies its AMG bodywork to a certain degree.
The brake feedback could be slightly better as it leaves you wanting more, but I wonder if your chauffeur would ever notice. The 9-speed gearbox works great in tandem with the engine and always knows what gear it needs to be in. The Mercedes-Benz C 300d outperforms the BMW 3 Series in a remarkable fashion and makes the driving experience seem so special.
Ride & Handling
BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine
The 3 Series rides quite well for the most part and even handles rather well despite its gain in length. However, the ride quality needs to be improved compared to the Mercedes-Benz. Go over some bumps and undulations, and some sharper ones tend to spill into the cabin, leaving you with large thuds to ruin your peaceful ambience. The overall handling is good, and the steering has good feedback, making this car quite a fun package around your favourite twisty road. It's the practicality of the BMW that really excels. The higher ground clearance makes driving this long car a breeze in the city, and even with all seats filled, I never once had to crawl over a speed breaker, which is commendable.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
What bothers me the most is the lower ground clearance on the C 300d. Aesthetically, it may appear more menacing, but it does so at the cost of practicality. Even when alone, I had to drive sideways over most speed breakers, and that only gets exaggerated once you start bringing in passengers. I wonder if this would be a problem if your drive is mainly limited to highways, but inside the city, this can be a huge pain and ruin the driving experience to a certain degree. The overall ride and handling are well done. The suspension seems quite plush, and rarely do thuds creep into the cabin. The handling too on the Mercedes-Benz is surprisingly good for a luxury sedan. It eagerly darts in and out of corners and will happily indulge in drifting and sliding if you let it. All in all, the Mercedes-Benz nails the ride and handling balance too the same way it did the design and the interior.
BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine
The 3 Series rides quite well for the most part and even handles rather well despite its gain in length. However, the ride quality needs to be improved compared to the Mercedes-Benz. Go over some bumps and undulations, and some sharper ones tend to spill into the cabin, leaving you with large thuds to ruin your peaceful ambience. The overall handling is good, and the steering has good feedback, making this car quite a fun package around your favourite twisty road. It's the practicality of the BMW that really excels. The higher ground clearance makes driving this long car a breeze in the city, and even with all seats filled, I never once had to crawl over a speed breaker, which is commendable.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
What bothers me the most is the lower ground clearance on the C 300d. Aesthetically, it may appear more menacing, but it does so at the cost of practicality. Even when alone, I had to drive sideways over most speed breakers, and that only gets exaggerated once you start bringing in passengers. I wonder if this would be a problem if your drive is mainly limited to highways, but inside the city, this can be a huge pain and ruin the driving experience to a certain degree. The overall ride and handling are well done. The suspension seems quite plush, and rarely do thuds creep into the cabin. The handling too on the Mercedes-Benz is surprisingly good for a luxury sedan. It eagerly darts in and out of corners and will happily indulge in drifting and sliding if you let it. All in all, the Mercedes-Benz nails the ride and handling balance too the same way it did the design and the interior.
Comfort & Convenience
BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine
The BMW 3 Series is clearly the more practical one, and it only adds to it with two new features. The first one is the incredible park assist that memorize your last steering inputs before you park and then will play them back in reverse, so ingress and egress into a tight parking spot becomes as easy as possible. Second, on the list is the inclusion of a digital key. BMW allows you to pair up to 5 different electronic devices (Phones & Smart Watches) that you can use as a key in case you forget your key or choose not to carry it. The BMW has a much higher boot capacity but won't let you drop down the rear seats for added room.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C 300d doesn't have any fancy gadgets to aid comfort or convenience; it's a tad too old-school like that. Hell, it doesn't even have a dedicated storage space for its spare wheel, and it just sits in the boot as something you can choose to sacrifice in case you want additional space. It has reliable features that do an excellent job of aiding your daily driving. For instance, it's got a 360-degree surround view camera to aid parking, and that's as far as its cool features go. Mercedes could have added some cool features to jazz up this package, but they were busy spending their money on all the other cool things I highlighted earlier, and I can't criticise money well spent.
BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine
The 3 Series remains true to the original design and adds a bit of spit and polish with the facelift this year. The M Sport kit certainly adds a lot of flavour and aggression to the overall design, and it all comes together exceptionally well in BMW's signature shade of blue. The 3 Series also looks taller, longer, and broader, adding to its road presence. I love the new design for the 18-inch five-spoke wheels, which looks similar to what you'd once find on the BMW M6 GranCoupe. It's lovely to see it trickle down the 3 Series and makes the overall design appear more upmarket than before.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Like the BMW, Mercedes-Benz has dressed the C-Class with its performance house drapes, and the AMG bodywork looks way more aggressive than the M-Sport on the BMW. It looks low and menacing and has an outstanding balance between curvy and angular. The C-Class looks sporty and dapper but looks luxurious on the inside. I find myself charmed with the C-Class more than the BMW, but as they say, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class may have shorter dimensions, but that doesn't make it any less menacing. I'm not a massive fan of the fake exhausts, but most owners won't care. The C-Class also showcases a set of 18-inch five-spoke wheels but with a polarising design that may or may not be up to everyone's taste.
BMW 320Ld M Sport
Engine - 1995 cc, Inline 4 Cylinders
Power - 188 bhp @ 4000 rpm
Torque - 400 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Gearbox - 8-speed
Boot Capacity - 480 litres
Price - 59.5 lakh (Ex-showroom Mumbai)
Mercedes-Benz C 300d
Engine - 1993 cc, Inline 4 Cylinders
Power - 261 bhp @ 4200 rpm
Torque - 550 Nm @ 1800 rpm
Gearbox - 9-speed
Boot Capacity - 430 litres
Price - 63 lakh (Ex-showroom Mumbai)
