2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG C 43

Ever since the 2019 update, there haven’t been any significant changes made to the C 43 sedan, and this year too the only noticeable changes are the standardization of the previously optional 12.3-inch infotainment screen and increase in the power output. The 2021 AMG C 43 sedan comes with an MSRP of $56,500 which makes it pricier than its rivals which include, Audi S4, BMW M340i, Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400, and the Lexus GS 350. 

The Mercedes-Benz C 43 Sedan is a combined effort of Mercedes-Benz and their performance division AMG, AMG works on the mechanics of the car which means they do the engine, transmission, and drivetrain while Mercedes takes care of the interior, exterior, and other cosmetics of the car. It is offered in just one trim as it combines the best of both worlds and presents itself to you with excellent luxury and comfort alongside ample power and an exciting driving experience.

For a price of $56,500 you get almost everything in the car, and as it is offered in just one trim, there are a few optional extras and customizable options available which can help you make the car just perfect to suit your taste, and the addition of these can make the price go up as a lot of these are quite expensive.

Which Trim should you buy?

There is no choice for someone to choose from, the least you can do is juggle with the available extras, and customizable options which would allow you to make the car feel different from the other C 43’s on the road as these options allow to make the car have an individualistic appeal to it.

The best and most enjoyable part about the 2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 sedan is its engine and drive. It uses the same twin-turbo M276 engine which is a refined version of the Chrysler Pentastar V6 from the 2000s. While Mercedes has changed their engines from V6’s to the straight-six engine for their cars, AMG still goes bonkers with the old engine which uses direct injection to produce immense power and toque with an exhaust note that matches the character of the car and also enhances the overall driving experience.

The 3.0-liter V6 engine produces 385-horsepower with 384 pound-feet of torque. Power has been increased slightly for the 2021 model year which seems like a good move. The engine comes paired to a nine-speed transmission from AMG which handles the power well and offers maximum response and swift kick down feel which appeals to the enthusiasts a lot. 

The 4Matic AWD system is standard and moreover, the available driving mode further enhances the driving experience. While it is not a sports car, it mimics the actions of one, like 0-60 MPH comes up in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 130 MPH or 155 MPH depending on what sort of wheels and tires you have opted for. 

The Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 has the highest power output and has identical 0-60 MPH timing as the Mercedes while BMW is just one-tenth of a second quicker than the Mercedes in the straight-line acceleration tests. The Mercedes C 43 is the most expensive sedan of this lineup while the Lexus GS 350 is the most affordable one with its lower engine output and slower acceleration timings. 

How well does the 2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Sedan handle?

The 4Matic AWD drive is standard, but this system works like an RWD most of the time. It has a rear bias torque split but throws the AMG C 43 in a corner at high speed and the system will balance out the performance between the front and rear wheels to provide all the grip you need. The AMG Ride control comes with three-stage adaptive damping and several driving modes which include: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+.

There is also an option to manually set up a driving mode to provide you with the most comfortable drive according to your driving style. These modes adjust suspension, transmission adaptive steering, and a lot of other parameters which allow for a distinctive ride in every mode. However, the comfort mode seems to lack comfort as the car is a luxury Sedan, more focus has been put on the sporty side of the car which makes it a bit uncomfortable as even in the comfort mode the car seems to provide a bouncy ride due to the stiff suspension.

2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG C 43 Braking Performance

Just like the acceleration and grunt from the engine, Mercedes-AMG focuses equally on the brakes. A car that reaches 60 MPH in just under 5 seconds should have equally capable brakes and the C 43 is nothing less. The large 14.2-inches front rotors and the 12.6-inch rear ones stop the C 43 at a braking distance of just 109 feet. When you push the brake pedal, there is instant response and the brakes provide a bite which on the track allows for late braking helping you set good lap times, and out on the city road provide more than adequate stopping power.

Surprisingly, the lightest car takes the longest to stop, which makes the Lexus GS 350 a disappointment when it comes to braking. The Infiniti and Mercedes are again very evenly matched to one another as they both have identical 60-0 braking distance, and while Infiniti is heavier, it has bigger brakes resulting in an equally impressive performance. The Bimmer travels a couple of feet farther than the AMG due to the smaller brake rotors. 

A twin-turbo V6 with 385-horsepower is not a recipe for the best fuel economy, but what truly makes the Mercedes-AMG C 43 lack as compared to segment rivals, is the engine offering direct injection with twin-turbochargers while the increased power for the current model was bound to hamper the already low MPG. The EPA estimates suggest that the Mercedes-AMG C 43 would return 21 MPG for a combined city and highway run. The sizable 17.4-gallon fuel tank allows for a total range of over 350 miles in mixed driving conditions.

The BMW M340i is the most fuel-efficient car among the rivals but also employs a smaller gas tank which somewhat limits its driving range. And while Infiniti and Mercedes have almost identical MPG figures, a bigger fuel tank in the Q50 allows for a longer driving range, which is one of the best in the business. The Lexus on the other hand is marginally more frugal than the Mercedes and employs a similar fuel tank size. 

The C-Class has always had a smart interior design, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 sedan is no exception and it comes with an elegant cabin design as well. The cabin comprises two screens; the main infotainment screen is a 12.3-inch display and a gauge cluster is a 10.25-inch unit. Moreover, there's 64-color ambient lighting available to set the mood of the interior just like you want it to. The switches of the climate control have always been loved by all, the perfect build quality and finish of the interior just adds to the luxury portion of the car.

Overall space inside the car is enough, the front passenger will be comfortable, however, the rear middle passenger might feel a bit tight due to cramped shoulder room, so it is better to seat just two at the back. The seats are wrapped as standard in MB-Tex/Dinamica with red stitching and opting for the real leather would cost extra. It is not one of the most practical cars, the extra seats at the rear take up a considerable amount of cargo space, hence the AMG C 43 comes with a total of 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space as standard. There are also various interior trim elements to choose from.

The Lexus GS 350 has the best in class space on offer, whether it is upfront, in the rear, or cargo space, it takes a clean win. While the Mercedes offers good space too, it cuts off on significant cargo space in the process which makes it impractical and leaves it with the smallest trunk with just 12.6 cubic feet of space. The BMW has a similarly sized cabin but offers a much larger boot while the Infiniti offers plenty of additional legroom at the front. Some distinct highlights of the interior include:

• Heated front seats
• 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats
• Available Platinum White/Pearl Black Nappa leather upholstery
• Available Dark Brown Linden wood/Natural Grain Grey Oakwood/ Natural Grain Walnut wood interior trim
• Available AMG Carbon interior trim
• 64-color ambient interior lighting
• 10.25-inch infotainment display
• 12.3-inch gauge cluster screen

What’s there to keep you entertained?

As there is just one available trim, there is no dearth of features be it comfort features or infotainment features. The standard infotainment system comprises a 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen display. There's a 13-speaker Burmester Audio system that fills the cabin with impeccable sound quality. The new MBUX touchscreen system is much better than the older COMMAND system and the new system is loaded with features and is more smooth and easy to operate, however, it is absent on the AMG C 43, it has to make do with the older system which is a disappointment. Other infotainment features that are on offer include:

• Bluetooth audio streaming
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
• HD Radio
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• AM/FM radio
• 4G LTE WiFi hotspot
• FrontBass system
• Dual Audio ports
• Real-time traffic system

Not much has changed regarding the exterior of the new 2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Sedan. The C 43 has the AMG-specific twin-blade grille which denotes that this car is not a regular Mercedes-Benz, but a hyped-up AMG machine.

The lights all around are LED’s and at the rear, the quad pipe exhaust is shaped round instead of trapezoidal to denote the mid-level of the C 43. There are 18-inch alloys that are standard fitting but for an additional cost, you can choose from different designs available with the bigger 19-inch wheels.

Except for the Mercedes, all three cars offer equal wheelbase which makes them equally long and the more interior space in the Lexus shows it has made much better use of the available length. The Lexus is also the lightest followed by the Mercedes. The extra bit of length that Lexus carries explains the more spacious cabin and trunk. It also rides much higher than its peers while the hunkered-down stance of the Mercedes limits practicality. Few exterior highlights include:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Available 19-inch wheel alloy wheels
• LED daytime running lights
• LED headlights and taillights
• Power sunroof
• 8 exterior colors

The IIHS has not performed any test on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG C 43 Sedan, but the ratings of the standard C-Class applies to the AMG versions too, and in that, it gained the top rating of ‘Good’ in all the test that IIHS conducted, and it also managed to win the title of ‘Top Safety Pick+’. The NHTSA performed a partial crash test on the current model and it managed to score four stars for the front-impact and rollover tests.

Mercedes looks after the safety quotient with a lot of detail so there is no lack of active and passive safety features in the car. Standard safety features of the car include eight airbags, and with these, you also get ABS, stability, and traction control all as standard safety features, along with these you also get a lot of advanced safety features as standard, or available as an optional extra which includes:

• Crosswind assist
• Rearview camera
• Attention assist
• Active brake assist
• Tire Pressure monitoring
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Mercedes Pre-Safety System
• Available Distronic adaptive cruise control
• Available Lane keep assist
• Available Pre-Safe plus
• Available blind-spot monitoring
• Available Congestion emergency braking
• Available surround-view camera
• Available Speed assist

2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Sedan vs 2021 BMW M340i

While Mercedes offers more power, braking, and looks better than the BMW, the M340i offers a better infotainment system, is more fuel-efficient, and feels more modern than the Mercedes.

If driving dynamics and raw power are your interests then Mercedes will be better for you than the BMW.

2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Sedan vs 2021 Lexus GS 350

While the GS 350 offers better fuel efficiency and comes at a lower price, these two seem to be the only things that are better in it than Mercedes.

The AMG C 43 costs more but has every reason to make that price reasonable, it has better performance, sharp braking, premium interior, and a ton more features than what Lexus has on offer.

2021 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Sedan vs 2021 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400

Infiniti offers equal performance and braking feel, and there are also a lot of features in the Q50, but the Mercedes offers a more premium and comfortable cabin, with better looks.

Infiniti also offers a better ride, so choosing between the two might be a bit confusing. Therefore, if the badge on the hood and a slightly subpar cabin doesn’t bother you, the Infiniti is the one to go for. 

A compact Sedan that comes with immense power, a premium interior, a long list of standard features, and the best in class looks for the segment, is what can be said to sum up the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG C 43 Sedan, while it lacks a bit of space for cargo and also the infotainment system feels dated, the AMG C 43 will not disappoint you in any manner.