The 2021 Mercedes C300 AMG Night Edition… Imagine saying that to anyone who asked what Mercedes you’re driving around. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the small details, let’s take a quick look at the mechanics of what this special sedan is all about.
The Specs
All C300s, including this one, starts off with the standard 4-cylinder engine but there’s small changes due to it’s version . It’s powered by a 2.0L inline-4 turbo engine, but because of the AMG edition, it has an EQ technology hybrid drive system that boosts it to 258 hp and 295 lb-ft torque.
Included with all the mechanical similarities amongst the C-class line is the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission that is snappy but luckily smooth especially at highway speeds. With consideration to tiptronic, it’s especially impressive that there’s hardly any computer lag between shifts.
Another common factor is the RWD drivetrain and when I tell you this thing pushes, you can feel it pushing for sure when it goes 0-60 in less than 6 seconds. Now if you’re like me who tends to have a heavy foot with new cars like this, you can find yourself at a mpg rating of 25mpg.
For someone who is a little more tamed and light footed, you’ll easy find yourself in any range around 28.5 mpg or even higher due to the hybrid energy saving system for the AMG edition.
The Inside
Now in the specs area is where most of the serious AMG implementations rest their head but we start to see where the Night Edition begins to take notice. A lot of people are turned off by the glossy black that usually comes with your typical C300 interior but for the Night Edition in particular, most of it changed with this black wood grain that is also textured to the touch.
If anything, in a world where we’re used to seeing plain black or getting irritated by the obvious thumb marks on those piano black bits, this is a nice change to it and really adds to the luxuriousness of how Mercedes presents this car to the every day user.
They used the Night Edition to make the driver feel like they didn’t want to leave the car both at day and night. At day, you see all the details between the wood grain, the embossed dark clock, brushed steel and how the leather from the AMG steering wheel and chrome control buttons and bits actually mesh together well.
At night, you have the option of setting up a customizable ambient lighting and it’s even better when you can set it to specific driving modes. If it’s not obvious for how cars are coming out nowadays, you could also expect a full digital display showing basic information like your speedometer, drive mode, tachometer, gas level estimation and so on.
Let’s not forget that the 13 speakers inside are Burmester speakers and the quality of that speak for itself when you’re playing Bohemian Rhapsody with all the windows and sunroof open. All the action is in the front however, and this is where a lot of luxury manufacturers miss the mark on that $43k MSRP.
The backseat is just, so boring. Yeah you have an extra Burmester speak next to you along with a generous ambient lighting strip but there’s simply nothing in the backseat that would justify someone to say that they’re riding in the back of a Mercedes.
The only way they could realistically tell is from the AMG floor mats and if they even know how to distinct the 2 AC vents in the middle as a C300 AC vent, then there’s that too. If you’re someone of a taller stature also, you’re gonna find some crowding around the headspace. For someone like me who is average height, I could still bump my head on the roof if I just did a small butt hop from my seat and yes, I’m speaking from an unintentional experience. The backseat just functions as it is. So as far as I’m concerned, if you’re going to be a passenger, then this is one of those important times to call shotgun.
From a driver’s perspective, you literally have everything within reach and because there’s so many buttons, you really need to marinate yourself with all the functions. I can’t complain with how fast the bluetooth interacts with your iPhone, how responsive the 10 inch display is and overall just the satisfying feeling of the buttons and switches when you needlessly play with them.
Everything is just super inviting for the driver and even if you were outside, there’s tons of features with SmartKey that you could use. There was one that I discovered when I accidentally bumped the key in my pocket to reach something, and it lowered all the windows which I assume is to cool down the car whenever you’re about to enter inside or just waiting for someone around the car.
The Outside
It’s no question that when you look at the overall body shape, the headlights and even the tail lights that you don’t need a Mercedes badge to tell you it’s a Mercedes. Even if there weren’t, the Night Edition gives you a distinct badge alongside the front fenders in gleaming chrome.
What else does the Night Edition give you though? It replaces the traditional chromatic grill with a glossy black diamond grill, it gives you the glossy black left and right rear view mirrors and anywhere where you might have seen chrome on the base model C300’s have been replaced with, yes, glossy black.
So if you were wondering where all that piano gloss black from the inside went, well now you know. In regards to the AMG package though, you get a more aggressive front and rear fascia, lip rear spoiler, and here we go again, glossy black 19’ rims on 255/35 Continental SSR tires with a chrome lining along the rim.
Aside from the polar white model color we’re reviewing here, it occurred to me that this still catches people’s eyes. From afar, the first thing you notice is how well the glossy black changes actually compliment the car even more in terms of color accents. It even occurs to me that the grill just fares a lot better in both appearance and functionality because of how well it stands out on it’s own.
The Drive
Getting behind the wheel is where all of the gratification of Mercedes luxury starts to show itself to you and being the driver of the car, you feel like you have control of everything. As I said before, everything is in accessible reach and coupling with that, you decide to push the pedal and launch with the car, and you get to really feel connected to the car.
Now I know my habits with anything is to push it to the absolute maximum or just to get a quick swig of it but for someone who is more laid back, they can really enjoy how quiet the interior thanks to the tire set, suspension and cabin quality. Every little turn you start to make feels light but committed.
The suspension feels just right enough for you get feedback from the road but not feel it in your bum all the way to your neck. Power on demand when you need to pass and overall, you really feel like your gliding in this car.
There are some stuff that I need to get off my chest but honestly, it would probably take a simple switch to turn off but oh my god, the engine shut off at every single stop light has got to stop. There’s nothing more confusing than sitting at a light and not knowing your engine shut off just for you to hear that ignition sound over and over again.
For me, that engineering concept has never resonated and feels a little bit destructive on the wear and tear of the engine. Another thing is the warning sensors. While technology nowadays is becoming more sophisticated with lane assist, automatic braking and many more safety features, it feels like the computer is trying too hard to guess what your next move is.
Not with confidence either. It’s also another point that the amount of digital display being directed to you is insane. It feels like you’re sitting at desk with a multi-monitor and having so much information collected up while you’re just driving, which seems like a bit of distraction. Not a major one at that, but if you’re a new driver especially to all digital displays, you will see something ping up and it will catch your attention because you’ve never seen it before.
While we’re on the topic of electronics, there are a few glitches here and there with the reverse camera that could really confuse some drivers. Hell, I had to pull over because I was wondering why my reverse camera on the infotainment didn’t go back to the main menu when I went into Drive. I needed to see my navigation and when something like that happens, it lowers my confidence in the functionality of the car.
Now it’s one thing to drive but to ride is a very different experience. Most specifically for the back passengers. Maybe it’s because of the wheel well or maybe the rear suspension is stiffer but when you’re sitting in the back, it just seems like you’re feeling everything. It interferes with what people typically do in the back, sleep.
The Conclusion
Let’s just cut the thought process when you’re second guessing on signing the dotted line. Do you want a sedan with European luxury, a hint of performance but also the practicality of every day lifestyles? Then look no further. You’re looking at the modern Mercedes C300 that I could swear people look at every single time. You’re looking at the Mercedes that has enough power to pull at a light and sufficiently pass others. You’re looking at the Mercedes that you can easily take from grocery store to the business meetings and then to the parties. Maybe in that order, maybe in a different one.
The point is, the C300 Night Edition with the AMG package on top of it has almost everything you need from an all-around sedan. Is it worth the $43k price point? Well that demands on how you value this car so far. Is it worth it for a trade-in? I would do it in a heartbeat if I was looking for a car with this much versatility and focus on each aspect of what a C300 truly is. You just have to remember, this isn’t one of those cars that you get in and go, unless you have a chauffeur.
When you get this car, you start to learn the technology behind and you become very integrated to it because if you don’t, you’re not getting the full experience out of it. That was the type of feeling that was missing from the typical C300 but with this one? You stand out, it stands out and the prestige of it stands out as well.
