Mercedes-Benz C-Class AMG

Mercedes-Benz C-Class AMG mixes a compact luxury sedan with AMG tuning, so it speaks to drivers who want the C-Class shape with a sharper chassis, stronger engines and a more aggressive road feel. By our assessment, the attraction is the blend of everyday Mercedes comfort with performance hardware and styling that looks and sounds more serious than the standard car. The downside is the usual one for this kind of badge-driven performance: stiffer ride, higher running costs and more attention needed from the driver. In practice it feels like a quick premium car that can still do normal commuting, but it is not trying to be soft or cheap to live with. It sits below the larger, pricier AMG models and above ordinary executive saloons in attitude. If the goal is a restrained luxury cruiser, this is the wrong corner of the range; if the goal is a compact fast Mercedes, the name says exactly where it aims.