Need a "German" up to ?55,000

I've been driving a VW Passat for three years now. Overall, I'm satisfied with the car, but I feel it no longer matches my current status and ambitions. I want something more! I know for sure that I want a city car of a German brand, but more spirited and with a rich motorsport heritage. **Image** Of course, it's important! The car must match the owner's status and age. **Style** For me, not only the appearance matters. There are many other important aspects. For example, acoustics. Music is part of my life and my image. **Driving performance** I mostly drive in the city, and rarely go beyond it, so the suspension and handling should provide comfort. At the same time, I need a powerful engine so I can enjoy acceleration and confidently work the gas pedal when needed. **Fuel efficiency** When you take a car of this class, fuel consumption takes a back seat. **Interior** The cabin should not distract from the road, but at the same time it should match the character of the car and please both the driver and passengers. **Equipment** Climate control, all safety systems for me and passengers, a high-quality audio system. Unlike the "people's" VW, the other three German brands are fine with racing victories: Mercedes shone in Formula 1, BMW in touring car racing, Audi in Le Mans. And the "big three" have no shortage of dynamics. But who to choose? What to bet on: turbo or naturally aspirated, all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, or rear-wheel drive? There are plenty of questions, and the answers to them are a purely personal, even intimate matter. A car is like a woman: you can passionately recommend the most beautiful girls on the planet to a person, but who knows if among them will be the one he will call HIS! Same with a car. You can study magazines and catalogs for months, and find your one and only at your own doorstep... Although that's not my case. Love is subject to all ages, but love at first sight is the lot of the young. Older and more serious people approach choosing a car, like choosing a companion, thoroughly: they look for a long time, test their feelings. And not only feelings... What if the new passion doesn't suit you "in bed"?! You don't want to get a divorce later! Therefore, the first test drive is like the first sex with a young bride. And the main thing here is that reason doesn't drown in a sea of emotions. After all, the first euphoria and novelty will pass, feelings will dull, and you'll have to live with the new chosen one for a long time. I admit, I've been eyeing the updated Mercedes C-class for a long time. But I decided to wait until the new Audi A4 appears in Russia to compare potential "brides." And also to understand which drive, engine, and gearbox suit me better. But the BMW, compared to the other two beauties, is honestly no longer so young. And although I have nothing against mature women, I took the "three" more for peace of mind and deliberately in a cheap trim. After all, if a car that is one and a half times cheaper can compete on equal terms with the class leaders, why not compromise. But the idea failed. The young beauties from Stuttgart and Ingolstadt quickly pushed the mature Bavarian out of my heart. Now, everything in order. **BMW 318i** Unlike the new Audi and Mercedes, the BMW was last updated quite a long time ago. So I didn't discover anything new for myself. And the idea of saving money by agreeing with myself completely failed. I understand that I asked for a car in an inexpensive trim myself. But still, I wanted the interior to be more interesting and richer. In the dark, the buttons on the center console are illuminated. But during the day they blend with the background and each other. The analog instrument cluster is quite informative. But the constantly jumping needle of the fuel consumption gauge is only distracting. The gear lever looks plain, but its travel is ideal: neither long nor short. Just what you need! It's impossible to find fault with the synchronizers. Overall, the BMW gearbox is close to ideal. The best manual I've ever driven! But the dynamics of the 2-liter car were somewhat disappointing. Not in comparison with more powerful competitors, but in itself. But even more I disliked the uninformative brakes. Maybe we didn't dry them out completely. Although all three cars were tested in the same weather conditions. Visibility is good, but the mirrors are a bit small. Although thanks to their two-tone color scheme, they perfectly match both the interior trim and the body. **Style** What can I say, a beautiful, bright, recognizable car. On the street, you won't confuse it with others. But it suits young people under 25 more. **Driving performance** It handles well, but the two-liter engine is clearly not enough. The suspension is a bit stiff: all road irregularities are felt much more distinctly than in competitors. **Interior** For a car worth more than a million rubles, the cabin is too ascetic and non-ergonomic. **Fuel efficiency** According to the technical documentation, it consumes only 7.4 liters per 100 km in the combined cycle. You can't dream of less. **Standard equipment** Given the brand's status, the base trim could be richer. First of all, it lacks electric front seat adjustment and a good stock audio system. **Technical specifications** Make and model - BMW 318i Dimensions - 4520/1817/1421 mm Engine - petrol, 1995 cm3, 136 hp/5750 rpm Transmission - manual, 6-speed Dynamics - 210 km/h; 9.8 s to 100 km/h **Advantages and disadvantages** + Expressive appearance, spaciousness of the rear part of the cabin. - Too cramped in the front, boring interior, weak stock audio system. **Audi A4 1.8T** A car that brings pleasure. I feel comfortable sitting in this car and driving it. Excellent forward and side visibility. Due to the narrow rear window, rear visibility is slightly worse, but thanks to the large mirrors, I don't feel any discomfort. The 1.8-liter turbo engine makes the car quite responsive: pressing the gas gives true pleasure. For the first time, I saw a handbrake in the form of a button next to the automatic gearbox lever. Externally, I really liked this solution, and probably it's the future. The absence of a lever allowed full use of the space between the seats. The interior design is in a unified style. At the same time, it's even surprising how organically the wood inserts combine with high-tech elements. A unique combination of coziness and modern design! The instrument panel niche is pure high-tech, but it doesn't cause any rejection. The instrument panel itself I liked. There's nothing superfluous here: tachometer, speedometer, fuel consumption, and fuel gauge. The joystick for controlling the multimedia system on the center console is much more convenient than in the Mercedes, where it's located almost under the armrest. It's always more convenient to reach out to the center console than to bend down. Unlike the Mercedes, the steering column stalks here are placed classically - on both sides of the steering column. The controls in the cabin are readable without strain, and even if you're driving this model for the first time, getting used to it is quick. The abundance of airbags is a big plus, but leg protection could be more substantial. The plastic near the left knee is, of course, soft, but if you hit your knee against the stiffening rib, it won't seem like much. I once had a similar injury, so now I pay attention to such things first.

 

Style

The appearance is moderately restrained, but with a bias towards youth. A 45-year-old person can quite get into such a car and say: "This is mine." But those who are older will probably want something more classic and strict.

Driving performance
Dynamics and handling are enviable, the brakes are excellent, and the vibrations that usually accompany turbo engines are completely absent here.

Interior
Modern, with a pronounced individuality. The design is brought to full completeness and conciseness.

Fuel efficiency
Consumption of 8.2 liters per hundred for a turbocharged engine is a quite decent indicator, I think.

 

Standard equipment
The base equipment is quite generous, but personally I would add electric seat adjustments, a suspension settings selector, and, of course, a steering wheel with music control buttons.

Technical specifications

 

Make and model - Audi A41.8T Multitronic
Dimensions - 4703/1826/1427 mm
Engine - petrol, 1798 cm3, 160 hp/4500–6200 rpm
Transmission - automatic, continuously variable
Dynamics - 225 km/h; 8.6 s to 100 km/h

Advantages and disadvantages

+ The stock acoustics are simply magnificent, and in this version, the audio system control is placed directly on the steering wheel.
- In the back, passengers are a bit cramped, and the steering wheel itself seems a bit thin.

 

Mercedes-Benz C280 4MATIC

The design is conservative, but I like this approach. The new radiator grille with a large three-pointed star seems to take me back to the seventies. In my opinion, this is a brilliant move by the designers. Perhaps my age plays a role here, but returning to one's own youth is always pleasant. At the same time, the body is definitely from the current century. Both the interior, the road behavior, and the dynamics - everything is at the highest level.

The front dashboard is strict, yet clear and easy to read. It looks like a fully finished element that perfectly fits the overall style. The twin steering column stalks on the left are a bit confusing at first, but I suppose it's just a matter of habit. Everything feels like refined classicism. In the back, passengers have noticeably more room than in the two previous cars. Moreover, it's the only car of the three where I felt truly comfortable from the first minute. The standard audio system is a pleasure to listen to — perhaps not better than in the A4, but certainly no worse. The interior is spacious. The seat adjustments are convenient, although the side support could be firmer. Overall, you feel very confident behind the wheel. The leather steering wheel is slightly thicker than the Audi's, and the grip is ideal for me. The dynamics are stunning. I was worried that all-wheel drive would make the handling less sharp, but my fears were unfounded. The brakes are beyond praise, and the gearbox works flawlessly. It feels like I'm shifting gears by thought. In short, this car and I are in the same rhythm and think alike!

Style
This is not a car for young people, but rather for older ones — from 35 years old. Mature drivers will get real pleasure from it and, importantly, will look natural in it.

Ride and handling
The engine is powerful, the brakes are amazing, the steering is moderately sharp, the suspension is comfortable, and the automatic gearbox is simply brilliant.

Interior
Restrained classicism. The only car in which I was truly comfortable.

Fuel economy
In mixed cycle, it comes out to about 9.6 liters per 100 km. For an all-wheel-drive car with a three-liter engine, that's quite modest.

Standard equipment
Mercedes, as usual, doesn't sell "bare" cars. And I would probably take this car exactly in the trim we tested.

 

Specifications

Make and model - MB C 2804MATIC
Dimensions - 4581/1770/1445 mm
Engine - petrol, 2996 cc, 231 hp/6000 rpm
Transmission - automatic, 7-speed
Dynamics - 250 km/h; 7.3 s to 100 km/h

Pros and cons

+ Almost everything is pleasing.
- The trunk is not very spacious, and the multimedia joystick is awkwardly placed.


My choice

Being a big music fan, I decided to mentally match each car's character to musical genres. Here's what I came up with. The C-class for me is classical music of the 20th century with touches of very expensive blues. The BMW with a more powerful engine is rock 'n' roll, closer to hard rock. The Audi is jazz! I love all these genres, but at this stage of life, Mercedes' classicism is closer to me. Although, if I were choosing a car for my daughter, I'd take the jazzy Audi A4 without hesitation. Lenochka would fit into it 99.9%. It's her car!

Our verdict

We have three classic cars that continue the long-standing traditions of their brands. The BMW was initially at a disadvantage. The client's desire to try one of the most affordable versions deliberately pushed the "Bavarian" to the bottom of the ranking. As for the other two participants, in many respects the Audi and Mercedes are almost on par. The new A4 is a thoroughbred car that won't get lost in traffic. And if Igor were five years younger, he might have chosen it. But the Mercedes is more versatile. Also, the A4's price, in our opinion, is inflated. Audi doesn't have the image of a luxury brand to the same extent as Mercedes-Benz.