2009 Mercedes Benz C300 4Matic

I, too, really like the overall styling of the new C-class, and I'm impressed by how it drives. Of course, nearly $47,000 is a lot of money for a base-engine C300, but this car is loaded with some $10K in options, including a gigantic sunroof, M-B's excellent Comand navigation/entertainment system, satellite radio, and more. Plus, it has the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. All that stuff adds weight, however, and I think this is the slowest new Mercedes I've ever driven, aside from perhaps a G-wagen. The transmission's Sport mode keeps the car on its toes a bit more, but the shifts are still a bit sluggish. I wouldn't choose bright red (sorry, "Mars red") for a German sedan as reserved as this, either. Rusty Blackwell, Copy Editor