I had to drive a used 200_ C270 CDI T-Modell to Landshut. This C-Class was still a pre-facelift model so that meant cheaper interior materials and a not so sporty drive.
But the engine under the hood meant that it would be a pretty fun car to drive.
The exterior was colored in Brilliantsilber and the car was an Elegance trim level spec model: still better than Classic. On the inside, the interior was what you expected.
It wasnt as bad as the original W203 C-Class, but the materials used, both wood and plastics, were still sub-par to the ones used on the facelifted W203 C-Class. Interior space was so-so.
I had to drive a used 200_ C270 CDI T-Modell to Landshut. This C-Class was still a pre-facelift model so that meant cheaper interior materials and a not so sporty drive. But the engine under the hood meant that it would be a pretty fun car to drive.
The exterior was colored in Brilliantsilber and the car was an Elegance trim level spec model: still better than Classic. On the inside, the interior was what you expected.
It wasnt as bad as the original W203 C-Class, but the materials used, both wood and plastics, were still sub-par to the ones used on the facelifted W203 C-Class. Interior space was so-so.
Initial impressions of the car were actually quite positive. It drove smoothly. That meant it was comfortable and the steering and handling qualities were decent.
In fact, the steering feel was a little heavier than usual, but not as responsive as in the facelifted models.
You could drive sporty and the steering and suspension were reasonably capable of taking this sort of driving. But still, not match for the newly improved C-Class.
The steering feel here wasnt as sporty as it initially felt. It did ok in almost all situations, but in tight curves, it was too vague and slow acting. Again: no comparison with the newly improved C-Class.
The 2.7-l 5-cylinder inline engine was the real joy of the car. At 177-horsepower and 370 Nm (273 lb/ft), it was pretty peppy and pulled strongly.
Before the C320 CDI came along, this was the top-of-the-line C-Class diesel (excluding the AMG-tuned C30 CDI AMG). Needless to say, it pulled nicely and powerfully in the C270 CDI.
The 5-cylinder diesel was a little loud though. This had always been a weakness of C270 CDI. The same engine wasnt as loud in the E270 CDI in my experience.
On the inside however, the diesel noise was reasonably isolated, but still audible. Vibrations could be felt, but in very small amounts. In the new C320 CDI, you dont hear or feel a thing.
With that much power under the hood, overtaking was a joy and piece of cake. Midrange power was generously quick and a kickdown produced impressive acceleration.
There was enough torque to shove you back in the seats. The engine was a loud when you pushed it though. A dieselish noise could be heard when you pressed the accelerator.
Other than that, it was nice and torquey. A shame I had to drive back a B170 Autotronic, that thing was a slug!
The 5-speed automatic transmission was smooth as always. I engaged 2nd and 3rd gear manually and hammered the car. Nice acceleration was the result. Lovely.
The drive to Landshut was enjoyable in this car. It was very comfortable suspension wise. The seats were a bit hard for my tastes, especially after I was close to Landshut after around 50 minutes of driving.
Only the cheap materials of the interior really bothered me. I couldnt stare at them anymore because they hurt my eyes! :p] Thankfully, this has been addressed in the facelifted C-Class.
Overall, it was not a bad car, but I wasnt too impressed with the interior. I could live with the decent handling capabilities of the car, but the interior was too shabby looking for MB standards, especially now that theyre coming out with such beautiful quality interiors.
Performance wise, the C270 CDI is pretty quick and still fuel-efficient. But I am sure glad that the awesome C320 CDI replaced it
