Mercedes-Benz C-Class All-Terrain 2021 review

More off-road-friendly C-Class variant impresses with its breadth of ability but won't be coming to the UK The new C-Class All-Terrain is Mercedes-Benz’s answer to the likes of the Audi A4 Allroad, Volkswagen Passat Alltrack and Volvo V60 Cross Country.First revealed at the Munich motor show back in September, the high-riding executive wagon is intended to fill the market niche that exists between the recently introduced fifth-generation C-Class Estate and the soon-to-be-renewed GLC SUV.The new model has been conceived along similar lines to the larger E-Class All-Terrain that has been on sale in the UK since 2017. It gains an additional 40mm of ride height over the standard C-Class Estate and upgraded four-link (front) and five-link (rear) suspension with revised steering knuckles aimed at providing greater ability on gravel, sand and mud.   Unique styling touches signal this added off-road prowess, including a new front bumper with a reworked grille and a central plastic kickplate, black cladding within the wheelhouses and a revised lower rear bumper with a faux-aluminium kickplate.The selection of 17in to 19in alloy wheels get bespoke designs and the standard LED headlights gain an off-road light that allows for extra-wide illumination at speeds of up to 31mph.  The styling tweaks add a scant 4mm to the length and 21mm to the width of the C-Class Estate, at 4755mm and 1820mm respectively. All other dimensions, including the 2865mm wheelbase, remain unchanged.So does the load capacity, which is put at a nominal 490 litres underneath the cargo blind, extending to 1510 litres when the 40:20:40-split folding rear bench is stowed. By comparison, the A4 Allroad, Passat Alltrack and V60 Cross Country offer 495, 529 and 639 litres respectively.Reflecting Mercedes’ modest sales expectations for the C-Class All-Terrain, just two engines are being offered in left-hand-drive European markets, both already available in the C-Class Estate.The C200 tested here uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol that develops 201bhp and 221lb ft and is paired with an integrated starter-generator delivering 20bhp and 147lb ft. The C200d gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel that offers 197bhp and 324lb ft along with the same 20bhp and 147lb ft of electrified boosting potential.Both powerplants are mated to a standard nine-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox and Mercedes’ 4Matic four-wheel drive system, which delivers up to 45% drive to the front wheels and up to 55% to the rear.There are five driving modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Off-Road and Off-Road Plus), plus a coasting function provides for engine-off energy recuperation on a trailing throttle. Mercedes claims for the C200 All-Terrain a 0-62mph time of 7.5sec in Sport mode (the same as that quoted for the rear-driven C200 Estate) and a top speed of 144mph.