First Drive: 2027 Mercedes-Benz C-Class electric

Mercedes-Benz has built up a sizeable EV portfolio in recent years, and the lineup will soon gain another rung via the incoming C400 4Matic electric sedan (designated W520), which goes on sale in the UAE by the end of this year.

The new-generation debutant is underpinned by Merc’s cutting-edge MB.EA platform and is backed by headline stats that include a 0-100kph dash in 4.0sec and theoretical touring range of 762km (WLTP) on a full charge.

More electric C-Class variants coming in 2027

The battery-charged C-Class range will be fleshed out over the course of 2027, with less costly C300 and C200 electric variants following in the wheeltracks of the C400 4Matic.

Rather than replacing the existing petrol-powered C-Class models, the electrified C will sell alongside facelifted and upgraded versions of their combustion siblings that are also due to debut over the coming months.

Mercedes C400 4Matic UAE price and rivals

UAE pricing for the Mercedes C400 4Matic electric is yet to be announced, but we’d expect it to start around Dh300k. Its principal opposition will come from BMW’s imminent i3 50 xDrive, which is also due to go on sale around the same time.

The C400 4Matic and i3 50 xDrive are quite closely aligned – at least on paper – as the BeeEm ekes out 470hp/645Nm, while the Merc ups the ante to 490hp/800Nm. That said, the i3 50 xDrive has a handy edge in touring range, with a headline WLTP number in excess of 900km – comfortably trumping the C400’s 4Matic’s 762km figure.

The Merc is the bigger of the two cars dimensionally, as it stretches 4883mm long, 1892mm wide and 1503mm tall, while its wheelbase is a lengthy 2962mm. By comparison, the BMW is 4760mm long, 1865mm wide, 1480mm tall and measures 2897mm in wheelbase.

Dual-motor powertrain and two-speed transmission

Propulsion for the Mercedes C-Class electric is provided by a pair of permanent magnet synchronous electric motors (one for each axle) that derive their power from a 94kWh battery pack.

Taking a leaf out of the Porsche Taycan’s book, the rear-axle electric motor sends drive to the wheels via a two-speed transmission that operates so seamlessly that you can’t perceive any shifts from within the cabin. There’s also a front-axle disconnect that reduces energy losses by 90 percent under low load.

Interior and MBUX Hyperscreen

Inside, the Mercedes C400 4Matic electric merges classical design flair with a barrage of ultra-futuristic tech, the focal point of which is the humungous 39.1-inch Hyperscreen (optional) with 10 million pixels that spans the full width of the dashboard.

The base MBUX Superscreen version comes with two displays for the instrument cluster and multimedia, with the passenger display being optional.

You could spend weeks trawling through all the features and permutations on offer via the user interface and still only scratch the surface of what’s possible. For starters, no fewer than 10 high-resolution ambient styles are available for both the MBUX Superscreen and the MBUX Hyperscreen.

The MB.OS multimedia system is new and uses Google services as well as artificial intelligence from ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing and Google Gemini. A plethora of third-party apps for audio and video streaming and gaming can also be downloaded.

Navigation is based on Google Maps and is one of the first systems to integrate Google Cloud’s new Automotive AI Agent for in-vehicle conversational services.

Screen overload and physical controls

Feature-packed it may be, but the screen overload is simply a bit too much to take in, and even accessing some of the basic functions can be tricky to do on the go. That said, the head-up display is superb, displaying navigation instructions and other vital info clearly in the line of sight.

Physical switches have been almost entirely done away with, but the new multifunction steering wheel at least incorporates a volume roller switch as well as a rocker switch for the limiter and DISTRONIC adaptive cruise control.

Cabin space and interior quality

Cabin space is ample, with the 2962mm wheelbase (97mm longer than the combustion-powered C-Class) liberating ample legroom for both front- and rear-seat dwellers. In addition, the standard panoramic roof contributes to 22mm more headroom in the front and 11mm in the rear.

The front seats are superbly contoured to support the torso, but the seatbacks in the rear are too upright, so long-distance trips could prove tiresome for those consigned to the rear quarters.

There’s some hard plastic trim in the door panels, centre console and dashboard, but a faux-metal finish (or open-pore-wood-mimicking trim) enables even these bits to endow the cabin with a premium ambience. Overall, there’s a pleasing aesthetic to the afterburner-style air vents, speaker grilles, door handles and switches for the electric seat adjustment.

For the first time, the speaker grilles feature a horizontal line pattern with a three-dimensional relief and a two-tone finish. In the Burmester 3D surround sound system, these are made of stainless steel.

Vegan interior and luxury seat options

As per the GLC electric, the C-Class electric offers the option of a vegan interior certified by The Vegan Society. The Vegan package includes all soft-touch surface materials – from the seat upholstery and the headliner to the pillars, door panels, and carpeting.

Also available as an option are new high-end seats with electric adjustments and memory function, electro-pneumatic four-way lumbar support, full-back massage function, ventilation, and 4D sound.

The large panoramic roof creates an airy ambience inside and – with the optional SKY CONTROL – the glass surface can be switched between transparent and opaque in milliseconds. In addition, SKY CONTROL can display 162 digitised stars, illuminated in the individually selected colour.

Boot and frunk capacity

Day-to-day functionality is a C-Class electric forte, as the evenly contoured boot has a capacity of 470 litres, supplemented by a front boot (frunk) that adds a further 101 litres of usable storage space – ideal for a crate of 0.33-litre bottles, a carry-on trolley or the charging cables.

Driving the Mercedes C400 4Matic electric

Sliding into the cabin, the MBUX interface comes to life, with the elaborate in-cabin lighting show immediately creating a welcoming ambience. A little flick into ‘D’ on the column-mounted transmission stalk and you’re underway without further ado.

A virtually non-audible drivetrain is a given in an EV, but the C400 4Matic complements this with excellent suppression of both wind and road noise. No doubt the car’s ultra-streamlined aerodynamics play a role here, apart from contributing to the C400’s generous touring range.

AIRMATIC suspension and ride comfort

The first car we drove at the media launch in Helsinki was equipped with the optional AIRMATIC air suspension, which serves up superbly supple ride quality, as well as surprisingly crisp handling dynamics.

Cleverly, the AIRMATIC air suspension features predictive damping that uses Car-to-X technology and Google Maps data to adjust for road bumps before the vehicle reaches them. The system clearly works because the C400’s ride and refinement levels aren’t far short of an S-Class – it lopes and glides across lumpy surfaces without breaking a sweat.

Active ride-height control also utilises map data to maintain a low ride setting on motorways for improved efficiency and range.

Performance and handling

You wouldn’t expect a 2.5-tonne sedan to be particularly agile, but the C400 4Matic surpasses expectations with a light-footedness in Sport mode that makes it entertaining to hustle across winding backroads. The steering has a decent heft and directness to it, even though it’s not overly endowed with feel.

As evidenced by its 4.0sec 0-100kph split, the C400 4Matic certainly can haul the mail, and its gargantuan 800Nm torque quota means you can almost instantly surge from 40kph to 120kph to effortlessly merge with highway traffic or dispatch a slow-moving car on country roads.

Most of the cars at the international drive launch in Helsinki were equipped with the optional AIRMATIC air suspension and rear-axle steering, but we also managed to sample a steel-sprung car and that, too, impressed with its deft ride/handling balance. For most buyers, it will do just fine.

Mercedes C400 4Matic electric verdict

Overall, there’s plenty to like about the Mercedes C400 4Matic – it’s comfortable, rapid, refined and has a genuine quality feel inside and out. Other pluses include its generous 571-litre luggage quota (if you combine the boot and frunk) and impressive touring range – figure on somewhere between 550-600km in real-world conditions.

Styling is always a subjective domain, so you can make up your own minds as to whether the C-Class electric’s slightly amorphous profile tickles your fancy.

The big unknown is how the C400 4Matic will fare against the BMW i3 50 xDrive, which is yet to be launched to the media, let alone land in local BMW dealerships. We’re guessing the BeeEm will lean more towards sporty dynamism, while the Merc nails the brief in terms of silky smoothness and day-to-day usability.

Regardless of how that head-to-head comparison goes, there’s no denying the C400 4Matic is a superbly well-rounded package. It’s arguably Mercedes-Benz’s best EV to date.