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Why the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is Drive’s Car of the Year.
Everyone wants more for less these days and that premise is the key to the success of Drive's Car of the Year for 2011, the Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI.
The family-size Benz has more torque, or pulling power, than a lot of petrol-guzzling V8s, yet uses less fuel than the average city runabout. The secret to this impressive balancing act is the diesel engine.
Diesel has a working-class reputation in Australia, where it is more likely to power utes and trucks than luxury limousines. In contrast, European car buyers have long warmed to the fuel, albeit spurred on by generous government subsidies.
The winners in pictures
2011 Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz’s C250 CDI is everything a modern luxury car should be: well appointed, dynamically capable and efficient.
If 2011's Car of the Year line-up is any guide, things are about to head that way Down Under. Of the seven contestants in our two luxury-car categories, only two were petrol-powered.
Both those cars, the 1-Series and 5-Series BMWs, are available with diesel options.
So, what makes diesel cars — and the Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI — winners?
For a start, the C250 CDI can accelerate from 0-100km/h in slightly more than seven seconds: similar to a six-cylinder petrol engine. On the freeway its rolling acceleration will match many V8s, which makes long-distance cruising and overtaking effortless.
That is impressive but when you add a claimed fuel-use average of 5.1litres per 100kilometres — less than the tiny petrol Volkswagen Polo — it is outstanding. The figures help explain why 20 of the 46 vehicles in this year's awards run on diesel.
Fuel economy and reduced carbon-dioxide emissions have become a priority for every car maker. Modern diesel engines, matched to the latest fuel-saving techno-trickery, are one of the easiest paths to greener motoring.
The Mercedes — and nine other finalists — use stop-start technology to improve fuel use in congested cities. When the car is stopped in traffic or at the lights, the engine switches off to save fuel. When traffic starts flowing again, the driver simply lifts off the brake and presses the accelerator pedal and the engine bursts back into life.
Experts say it has only to be turned off for half a second to provide a fuel-saving benefit. A midlife update to the C250 brought a seven-speed transmission and the extra two cogs help to lower fuel use.
But the C250 CDI is no one-trick pony. It delivers a balance between soaking up bumps and scything through corners, with steering that is well weighted and accurate.
A styling revamp has lifted what was a fairly formal cabin, while equipment upgrades — including bigger screens, internet connectivity and a high-quality digital readout in the instrument panel — have improved its appeal for tech-savvy buyers.
It also has one of the most comprehensive safety arsenals, which — depending on what you pay — includes nine airbags, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, drowsy-driver alerts, active cruise control and a crash-detection system that prepares the cabin for impact.
The Mercedes isn't perfect, though. The diesel engine is a bit rattly at low speed and not as refined as the rival four-cylinder turbo diesel Jaguar XF. The long list of expensive options put off some judges.
It wasn't a unanimous choice as Car of the Year. In its category, Luxury Car Under $80,000, two of the 11judges' votes went to BMW's premium hatch, the 1-Series, and two went to the Jaguar XF.
In the overall award, seven judges voted for the Mercedes, while three picked Ford's diesel Territory and one plumped for Ford's Focus. The other finalist and Drive's overall champion last year, Volkswagen's Polo, didn't get a vote in the final round despite its repeat win in the City Car class.
The flagging support for the Polo was not a huge surprise. Last year two judges voted for the 2009 champ, the Volkswagen Golf. Unlike other awards, Drive always pits the carry-over champion in each category against the newest challengers.
Theoretically, an overall winner could keep its crown for years, although, given the pace of change in the industry, it is unlikely.
Four carry-over champs were re-crowned this year – the Polo, Ford Mondeo, Megane RenaultSport 250 (Performance Under $60,000 and Honda Odyssey (People-Mover.
In the Small Car class, the Golf was ousted by the Ford Focus although it provoked spirited debate, with some judges arguing the Golf deserved to ask a premium over the Ford. In the end five judges voted for the Ford, two for the Golf and four for the Mazda3 SP20, which came to the party with a new fuel-sipping engine.
The newly combined Family Car class – a merger of medium and large cars – was the biggest segment, with six entrants. The vote was split between the Mondeo with six, the Skoda Superb with three and the Volkswagen Passat with two. The Mondeo's generous proportions, punchy turbocharged engine and impeccable road manners got it across the line.
The SUV Under $40,000 category came down to a fight between last year's winner, the Kia Sportage, and the quirky Skoda Yeti. Better road manners meant a 6-5 win for the Skoda.
The SUV Over $40,000 class was hotly contested, with all five vehicles earning votes. The Territory's roadholding ability and utility earned it the nod with four votes to the BMW X3's three, the Volkswagen Touareg's two and one each for the Volvo XC60 and Range Rover's Evoque.
The Land Rover Discovery was knocked from its four-wheel-drive perch by the Jeep Grand Cherokee on value grounds, while the Mazda BT-50 pipped its Ford Ranger twin for Best Ute by offering more for the money.
Value was also the key to the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet's narrow win over the Porsche Boxster for Best Convertible, while sheer grunt won the day for the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe in the Performance Over $60,000 category.
In the Best Luxury Car Over $80,000 class, Audi triumphed with its new A6, courtesy of a ripper diesel engine and beautifully appointed cabin.
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