![]() ![]() ![]() Even the paltry Ford Focus hatchback comes with a six-disc changer.Īnother cost cutter is the C230's back end, which was chopped seven inches shorter than the C-class sedan that costs $5,000 more. Worst of all, especially considering that the C230 is aimed at a younger crowd, it doesn't come with a standard CD player. It also retains some of the big Benzes' idiosyncrasies, like a door lock switch on the center console and power window switches low on the door. Leather seats, which still don't feel as supple as the cowhide on high-end models, add $1,410 to the price. So where did Mercedes cut corners? The most obvious answer is in the interior, where cheap-looking plastics cover the dash and manually adjusted cloth seats are standard. A total of eight air bags protect front- and rear-seat passengers - two front air bags, two side air curtains and four side air bags. Mercedes-Benz obviously had to cut some corners to keep the price so low, but it retains the vault-like feel and top-of-the-line safety features expected in a high-end hatchback. A slick six-speed manual gearbox is available to please purist drivers. Aggressive thrusts on the accelerator bring aggressive shifts that let the engine wind up, while more lethargic driving is met with earlier shifts that save fuel. A five-speed automatic, which adds $1,300 to the sticker price, is capable of monitoring the driver's habits and shifting accordingly. Two transmissions are offered, both of which lean toward the sporty side. A noisy, metallic clicking sound during acceleration seems very undignified for a car with such a luxurious nameplate. But if the engine's feel is French cuisine, its sound is more like Mickey D's. The 192-horsepower, supercharged four-cylinder engine sends plenty of force to the rear wheels, with power coming smooth and even throughout the rev range. ![]()
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