Mercedes-Benz Updates C-Class For 2019

If you stare at the exterior of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, you'd be hard pressed to find any major changes. There are new LED headlights and taillights, the front and rear bumpers have an updated design, and new 17-inch five-spoke wheels have been added to the vehicle. Where the 2019 C-Class really differentiates itself from previous models is on the
tech front.

On the inside, the compact sedan can now be fitted with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as an option that's taken straight out of the S-Class. The massive screen replaces the regular 5.5-inch information display. As far as infotainment screens go, a seven-inch unit is standard, while a 10.25-inch display is an option.

Other interior changes include a new leather-wrapped steering wheel, which features touch control buttons that can control both the instrument cluster and the infotainment display. Mercedes has still stuck with the scroll wheel and touch pad on the center console, though. Owners can also control the infotainment system via voice commands.

Safety wise, the new C-Class is in another league than the previous model. The compact vehicle gets semi-autonomous driving capabilities from the larger E-Class. Thanks to new cameras and radars from its larger sibling, the 2019 C-Class comes with Active Distance Assist Distronic. The system performs similarly to adaptive cruise control, but can also handle steering inputs. It does so by utilizing the map data that's used by the navigation system to anticipate tool booths, corners, and intersections. When it recognizes an obstacle, the new C-Class can slow down on its own to prepare for them.

Active blind-spot assist that can apply the vehicle's brakes to avoid a collision is another attribute on the new C-Class' list of active safety features, as is active lane assist, and an evasive steering assist system. Active lane assist will steer the vehicle into a lane without steering input from the driver, while the evasive steering assist system adds torque to the wheel during an emergency maneuver.

The last set of changes for the 2019 model year have been made under the hood. The C300 and C300 4Matic models get an upgraded 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with more power. Horsepower is rated at 255 hp, up from 241 hp. Torque remains the same at 273 pound-feet. The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The 2019 C-Class will make its debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and will go on sale towards the end of 2018. Pricing will probably come out closer to when the car goes on sale.