2020 Mercedes-AMG C43 Review, Pricing, and Specs

2020 Mercedes-AMG C43 · Highs Upscale interior, powerful twin-turbo V-6, sedan and two-door options. · Lows Overly firm suspension, expensive add- ... 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LowsOverlyfirmsuspension,expensiveadd-ons,coupeandconvertiblemodelsofferlimitedstorage. VerdictWhilenotaspowerfulasotherproductswearingtheAMGbadge,theC43offerseverythingelseanAMGcarshould. By DrewDorian OverviewAsamid-waypointbetweentheBenz-brandedC300andtheraucousAMG-brandedC63,the2020Mercedes-AMGC43hitsthesweetspot,nicelyblendingcivilityandathleticism.Threedifferentbodystylesareoffered—asedan,coupe,andconvertible—onetosuiteveryone'staste.AllC43sarepoweredbythesametwin-turboV-6engine,whichmakes385horsepowerandprovidesplentifulpowerforallbutthemostdiscerningcarenthusiast.Inside,thecabinisrichlyequippedanddoesitsbestimpressionofthelargerE-andS-classsedans,butitssmallerscalemeanslesspassengerandcargospace.What'sNewfor2020?TheC43comeswithextrastandardequipmentfor2020intheformofaBurmestersoundsystem,a64-colorambientlightingsystem,andilluminated"AMG"doorsillprotectors.Acustomizable,steering-wheel-mounteddrive-modeselectorpioneeredontheMercedes-AMGGTsportscarisalsonowofferedasanoptionontheC43.PricingandWhichOnetoBuyIfyoupreferatwo-doorordrop-toplook,thenwe'llleavethatdecisiontoyou,butwepreferthesedanforitsextrautilityandeasieraccesstotherearseat.Plus,thefour-doorhasalowerpricetag.Wecan'tresistafewoptionshere,though,andwe'dpicktheDriverAssistancepackage,whichincludesadaptivecruisecontrolandlane-keepingassist.We'dalsoaddthe12.3-inchdigitalgaugedisplayandtheheatedandventilatedfrontseats.Engine,Transmission,andPerformanceCarriedoverfrom2016'sC450sedan,theC43'stwin-turbocharged3.0-literV-6isagem.Powerfulandtorquerich,the385-hpenginepairswithanewnine-speedautomatictransmissionthatswapscogswithbothspeedandprecision.Theboostedsixhasdeepwellsofpowerandneverfeelsoverwhelmedoroverworkedwhenyoucalluponit.Despitetheboostinpowerfrom362to385horses,the2019C43sedandeliveredthesame4.1-secondzero-to-60-mphtimeatourtesttrackasthe2017modelwelasttested.WhileMercedes-AMGequipstheC43withapairofsteering-wheel-mountedpaddleshifters,wefoundthenine-speedgearboxacompetentenoughcompanionwhenlefttoitsowndevices.BefittingitsAMGbadging,thedynamicallyadeptC43isajoytopilotthroughtwistytwo-lanes.Credititsquicksteeringthat'sbothdirectandprecise,aswellasitsrear-biasedall-wheel-drivesystemthatallowsadollopofchassisrotationbeforerequestingadditionalassistancefromthefrontwheels.ThesuspensioncanbeadjustedbetweenComfort,Sport,andSport+settings.Allthreemodesareneedlesslystiff,however,andmakedrivingoverroughpavementabone-jarringexperience. Mercedes-AMG MoreontheMercedes-AMGC43 2019Mercedes-AMGC43-Tested 2019Mercedes-AMGC43-FirstDriveReview 2019Mercedes-AMGC43Sedan:MoreMusclefortheC FuelEconomyandReal-WorldMPGTheC43'sfueleconomywon'tputyouinthegoodgracesofyourlocalSierraClub.Still,thetwin-turbochargedengineisquitethriftygivenitsheadyperformance.Anycarthatcanleapto60mphin4.1secondsandalsodeliver29mpginlong-distancehighwaycruisingisanimpressiveplayer.TheC43sedanwetesteddidjustthat;thecoupemanagedthesameresultbuttheconvertiblefellslightlybehindinourreal-worldtestingat28mpg.Interior,Comfort,andCargoTheC43'sinteriorisfinelydetailedandcraftedofrichmaterialsthatmeettheexpectationssetbythemodel'sloftyprice.AsinotherotherC-classmodels,theC43featuresacontemporarydashboarddesignwithaflowingcenterstackthathidesadeepstoragewellwithapairofcupholders.Largelydevoidofbuttons,theC43'scenterstackisanchoredbyarowofexpensive-lookingknurledrockerswitchesforoperatingthestandarddual-zoneautomaticclimatecontrol.Whileergonomicallyarranged,theclimate-controlpanelsportssmallgraphicsthatcanbehardtoreadonthefly.TheC43'strunkspaceisaverage;wefitfourcarry-onsuitcasesinsidethetrunkwiththerearseatsinuseand15withtherearseatslowered.WidedoorpocketsandapairofgenerouslysizedconsolebinsprovidetheC43withadequateinteriorstorage.Still,theC-classisshortoninteriorstowagecomparedwithmainstreamsedanssuchastheHondaAccordandtheToyotaCamry. Mercedes-AMG InfotainmentandConnectivityAllC43modelscomewitha10.5-inchinfotainmentdisplayrunningthelatestversionofMercedes-Benz'sCOMANDinfotainmentsoftware;AppleCarPlayandAndroidAutointegrationisalsostandard.Commandsarecompletedusingarotarycontrolleroratouchpadthat'sinconvenientlyplacedatopthecontroller.Responsetimeswerenobetterorworsethanyouraveragesmartphone.SafetyandDriver-AssistanceFeaturesTheAMGversionoftheC-classhasn'tbeentestedbytheNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA)ortheInsuranceInstituteforHighwaySafety(IIHS);theregularBenz-brandedC-classmanagedtosnagaTopSafetyPick+awardfromIIHSin2019,though.EveryC43comesequippedwithstandardsafetyfeaturessuchasforward-collisionwarningalongwithautomatedemergencybraking.Additionaldriver-assistancefeaturesareavailableaswell.However,addingtheseitemsrequiresspendingthousandsonhigh-pricedpackages.Keysafetyfeaturesinclude:Standardautomatedemergencybrakingwithforward-collisionwarningStandardblind-spotmonitoringAvailableadaptivecruisecontrolwithsemi-autonomousdrivingmodeWarrantyandMaintenanceCoverageMercedes-AMG'swarrantyisshorterthananumberofitscompetitors'.Thebrandalsoforgoesprovidingitscustomerswithcomplimentaryscheduledmaintenance.Limitedwarrantycovers4yearsor50,000milesPowertrainwarrantycovers4yearsor50,000milesNocomplimentaryscheduledmaintenance Advertisement-ContinueReadingBelow MoreFrom Mercedes-AMG 2023Mercedes-AMGEQS 2021Mercedes-AMGA35 Advertisement-ContinueReadingBelow 2022Mercedes-AMGCLA-Class 2022Mercedes-AMGE53 2022Mercedes-AMGGLA-Class 2022Mercedes-AMGGLB-Class 2022Mercedes-AMGGLC43/GLC63/GLC63S 2022Mercedes-AMGGT43/GT53/GT63 2022Mercedes-AMGSL-Class 2021Mercedes-AMGA35