Mercedes-Benz C-Class safety is typically excellent. The firm is a pioneer in this area and this C-Class featured a number of innovations also available on the larger E-Class and S-Class models, including seven airbags as standard and the option of the company’s PRE-SAFE system which prepares the car for a crash by linking up the brake assist and electronic stability programme and tensions the seatbelts, adjusts the driver’s seat position and closes the sunroof.

No surprise therefore that the C-Class gained a maximum five star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

For a saloon, practicality is pretty good. The large boot (which is bigger than the contemporary BMW 3-Series and Lexus IS) is more than capable of carrying a couple of suitcases and is fairly close to the ground, which makes loading easy. Inside the cabin, there are a number of storage areas, such as the roomy air-conditioned glovebox, door bins and an armrest that doubles as a cubbyhole.