2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 review: Australian first drive

The winds of change are blowing hard in the land of the fast Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Where the modus operandi was once ‘big engine, big noise and big personality’ the boffins inside Merc’s go-fast division are now following a very different formula.

Small, highly strung engines shot through with electricity are the new calling card and while the flagship AMG C63 S E Performance might best embody this fresh philosophy, exactly the same approach applies here, with the all-new Mercedes-AMG C43 which has just arrived in Australia.

Like the C63, the C43 unceremoniously ditches a larger engine for a small one (3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 in favour of AMG’s M139 2.0-litre four pot) and the electric innovation at play here is a new electrified turbocharger that, AMG says, banishes any form of turbo lag.

It’s a tricky pice of tech that wedges an electric motor onto the shaft between compressor and turbine wheels but while it works well, the downside to all this added complexity is a sharp spike in price.

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The C43 now starts at $134,900 – which doesn’t only make it $20,000 pricier than the old C43 but a whopping $30,000 more than rivals like the Audi S4 and the very good BMW M340i xDrive, which is actually quicker, drinks less fuel and majors on driver involvement. So is a more advanced, more steely eyed and more expensive C43 a better sports sedan? Or has AMG over-complicated a successful formula?

JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How safe is it?
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much it is and what do you get?

To help justify its richer price tag, the new C43 is bristling with a long list of advanced chassis hardware and standard equipment.

Aside from the sparkling new powertrain, which we’ll explain in detail in a minute, every C43 is all-wheel drive and features an AMG-specific fixed torque split of 31:69 front-to-rear.

There’s also four-wheel steering, which can turn the rear wheels by up to 2.5 degrees to improve low-speed agility and high-speed stability, and the suspension now includes three-stage AMG Ride Control adaptive damping.

A sports exhaust is also standard and the good news on that front is that unlike Euro-spec cars which are fitted with sound-strangling petrol particulate filters, Aussie C43s can breathe more freely and sound considerably louder.

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With Race Start dialled up, this new C43 can hit 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds.

A new nine-speed automatic gearbox also features and it’s not only lighter and faster, but it’s fitted with a wet start-off clutch instead of a conventional torque converter, which brings launch control. Incidentally, with Race Start dialled up, this new C43 can hit 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds.

Aussie cars roll on 20-inch alloys as standard (smaller 18s and 19s are available in Europe) and lurking behind those big wheels is an uprated steel braking system. Front discs measure 370mm and are clamped by four-piston callipers, while the rear discs are 320mm with single piston callipers. Tyres are staggered and measure 245/35 ZR 20s up front and 265/30 ZR 20s out back.

Now, the engine. The core unit is the same, hand-built M139 2.0-litre engine that powers the Mercedes-AMG A45 hyper hatch only it’s mounted longitudinally in the C43’s engine bay rather than east-west.

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The turbo bolted to it is supplied by Garret, and it’s built around a similar ‘split’ design to the turbo found on Lewis Hamilton’s F1 car.

A small 6kW brushless electric motor is mounted on the shaft between the compressor and turbine wheels and because it’s powered by the C43’s 48V mild-hybrid system, it can spin up the turbo instantly. No waiting for the revs to rise and exhaust gases to build.

Total outputs are rated at 300kW and 500Nm (a belt-driven starter generator can also inject an additional 10kW in certain situations) and AMG has injected a decent helping of character into the sportier drive modes where you’ll notice extra pops and bangs from the exhaust and more assertive shifts from the 9-speed ’box.

Oh, a final point to make: this time around the C43 will be offered solely as a sedan. The coupe and cabriolet versions that were available in the previous generation are being dropped and will instead morph into a new model, likely to be badged as the CLE, that will sit between the C- and E-Class for size and price.

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How do rivals compare on value?

This section makes tough reading for the C43.

Not only is it substantially pricier than before, but next to its closest rivals in the Audi S4 and BMW M340i, the C43 is a significant $30,000 more expensive.

Worse, the Mercedes doesn’t hold an obvious advantages on paper.

MINI MATCH-UP

Both the Audi and BMW have larger 3.0-litre six-cylinder engines, and while they might be down slightly in the power stakes (260kW for the S4 and 285kW for the 340i plays 300kW in the C43), they offer an identical amount of torque at 500Nm.

The Audi’s 0-100km/h time is only a tenth slower than the C43, too, and the BMW is actually two tenths quicker to three figures than the Mercedes at 4.4 seconds.

Both rivals also drink less fuel on the official combined cycle, which puts a slight dent in the C43’s argument on the benefits of downsizing.

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The BMW’s straight six engine is an absolute peach, too, and although we’re yet to do a direct comparison between the C43 and M340i, we’d wager the BMW might have the edge for outright dynamics and driver appeal.

Where the C43 shoulders its way to the front of the pack is for interior presentation. Its screen-heavy dash and richly trimmed cabin feel modern and more luxurious and Mercedes will also likely point to the high-tech nature of the C43’s powertrain and chassis hardware as key reasons for its higher price tag, but on paper at least, the C43 is a tough sell when you judge it solely on value.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

Like all new versions of the W206 C-Class, the new C43’s cabin majors on wow factor.

Aussie cars score digital dials and a head-up display as standard and the 11.9-inch portrait centre screen is enormous and impressive.

The graphics, response and usability of the infotainment is excellent, too, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Connectivity-wise, there’s a wireless charging pad for your phone and four USB-C ports in the front of the cabin.

As for AMG-specific touches, the C43 gains a flat-bottom steering wheel trimmed in Nappa leather, complete with aluminium shift paddles. The wheel also includes twin rotary-like dials that hang below both spokes so you can easily cycle though the many drive modes and individual settings for the exhaust, dampers and gearbox.

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Sportier and more heavily bolstered leather seats also feature as standard, but they can be upgraded even further as part of a $5200 Performance Ergonomic Package.

The pack adds AMG Performance seats with red stitching and also brings AMG Track Pace which is on onboard data logger that can provide real-time telemetry while the car is being driven on a circuit.

The C43 offers a decent amount of cabin storage. A large central console houses twin cup-holders, the door pockets are generous, and the boot measures 455L.

The rear seat is also relatively roomy for adults thanks to the W206 C-Class rolling a 25mm longer wheelbase that has afford 35mm more rear leg-room compared with the previous model.

MINI MATCH-UP

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What’s it like to drive?

Different, is the word that leaps to mind.

Where the old C43 surfed lazily and effortlessly on huge reserves of torque, this new model immediately feels more highly strung. Bigger throttle inputs are required to move away from intersections, and because peak torque doesn’t arrive until 5000rpm, you need to delve further into the rev-range to extract the best from this smaller capacity engine.

Do that, though, and this is a remarkably quick and grippy performance sedan. If you’ve driven an A45, you’ll know the M139 2.0-litre is an absolute firecracker. It revs cleanly to redline with no appreciable tapering off of performance or noise and although the C43’s extra size and weight mean it doesn’t feel quite as savage, it’s still a barrel chested and gutsy powerplant.

The electric turbo tech works well, too. The turbo itself is larger than the unit fitted to the same engine in the A45 but lag is all but imperceptible. Flatten the throttle in any gear at any RPM as the response is impressive.

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If you’ve driven an A45, you’ll know the M139 2.0-litre is an absolute firecracker.

And at full noise, it sounds properly angry. Like most modern performance cars there’s a healthy helping of sound augmentation going on in the C43 but the noise itself is purposeful and well-rounded. How you’d imagine an A45 might sound if it was sent to finishing school.

As for outright grip, there’s ample on offer. The front axle points obediently (the added agility offered by the four-wheel steering does take a beat to get used to, mind) and on challenging roads the handling feels neutral and confidence inspiring.

It might fall short of being outright fun, though. Where an A45 offers a degree of throttle adjustability and chassis involvement, the C43 just grips, grips and grips. Still, there’s no arguing with its effectiveness. In slippy conditions this would be a mightily fast performance sedan.

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It might fall short of being outright fun, though. Where an A45 offers a degree of throttle adjustability and chassis involvement, the C43 just grips, grips and grips.

Dial things back a touch, though, and you do notice a few missteps. The gearbox is a weak link. While it’s fast and snappy at full noise, around town it can be disappointingly jerky.

Even in Comfort mode, there’s noticeable hesitation on a light throttle and as you coast towards intersections the ’box can occasionally deliver a decent thump and clunk as it moves from second to first. Going up through the gears in regular city traffic can also result in a noticeable jolt, which is a surprise.

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The ride also sits in a bit of a no-man’s land.

While there’s a decent degree of compliance in Comfort mode considering the 20-inch wheels, we actually found ourselves lusting after a touch more body control on the freeway as things felt a touch floaty over larger, more gentle bumps.

And on broken surfaces or poor country roads, those big 20-inch alloys can jolt over sharp-edged bumps.

The multiple damping modes and the ability the set-up your own individual settings that best suit your favourite roads means it’ll be easy to fine-tune the C43’s chassis to your liking but straight out of the box, the standard settings don’t quite nail it.

Don’t get us wrong, though – there’s lots to like about the C43. It’s quick, looks sharp, the brakes are mighty, and it feels secure and grippy to drive hard. But does it deliver $30K worth of powertrain sparkle and driver involvement compared to its rivals? Or even the old C43 for that matter? That’s a trickier sell.

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How safe is it?

The W206 Mercedes-Benz C-Class carries the maximum five star rating from safety body ANCAP. It scored high ratings for adult and child occupants and also performed well for the effectiveness of its autonomous emergency braking system.

Standard safety equipment includes:

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VERDICT

This is a curly one. On the one hand, Mercedes ought to be applauded for shoehorning so much technology and powertrain wizardry into the C43.

The electric turbo tech delivers on its promise, the four-wheel steering contributes to a chassis that feels alert and grippy and as a daily the generous amount of power and comfortable high-tech cabin would make it a fast and fun additional to your garage, providing you can overlook the jerky gearbox and slightly compromised ride.

But it’s a hard car to love, this new C43, at least initially. As we said earlier, a fast C-Class has typically stuck to a tried-and-proven formula – big engine, big soundtrack and big personality – but this new C43’s character is more complicated.

That, combined with its high price, might be its biggest weakness.

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