2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 Wagon
For this week’s review we’ve gotten our hands on the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 Wagon/Estate. In North America, the wagon is only available in Canada.
Disclosure: Mercedes Benz Canada provided me with the 2019 C43 Wagonfor a week to test drive, and photograph. All photos in this blog post was taken by me. #MercedesAMGC43Wagon
ACCELERATION: 8.5/10
3.0L V6 Biturbo - 385 HP / 384 lb-ft
AMG Speedshift TCT 9G
4.8 second 0-100 km/hr
BRAKING: 8/10
Great braking ability, probably thanks to its massive tires!
HANDLING: 8.5/10
Very precise steering
Although it’s a wagon, the center of gravity is low unlike a SUV giving a stable feeling in corners
RIDE: 8.5/10
On comfort mode the suspension was quite nice to be used as a daily vehicle. My passengers were very happy with it. While I was alone and wanted to have fun I switched it to it’s sportier setting!
ECONOMY: 6.5/10
19/26.4/22.7 MPG (City/Highway/Combined)
CABIN NOISE: 8/10
It’s a bit louder in wagons because it’s all open like a hatchback vs a sedan but I enjoy hearing some of the noise the exhaust noise
EXTERIOR: 8.5/10
While it’s been on the market for a while the minor updates every year keep it fresh and relevant
You’re bound to get a lot of looks as a good looking wagon isn’t commonly seen on the road
Love the multi beam LED front head lights
INTERIOR FOR DRIVER: 8/10
The seats really cool and provide the support to hold you in place but they are pretty hard. The regular seats might feel more comfortable but if my money was on the line I would get these dope looking sport seats.
After just being in the A220 with the new design language and tech, it makes the C class feel a bit outdated but I’m sure a refresh is just right around the corner since Mercedes says that would be rolled out to all the cars in their line up in the future.
Driving the car is excellent, and has a lot of characters. While it may not sound like as loud as a 8 cylinder AMG, it is great as a daily driver that doesn’t make enough noise to attract attention from cops
INTERIOR FOR PASSENGERS: 8.5/10
Those red seatbelts and stitching sure make a statement!
Generous amount of leg room and head room
Middle seat has a large hump on the floor so it might be uncomfortable to seat 3 adults.
Back seats have manual peasant blockers (sun shades)
INTERIOR STORAGE: 8.75/10
16.2 Cu Ft with the seats up
52.2 Cu Ft with the seats down
This will easily fit all the bulk costco items and hockey equipment you need to haul.
There is a retractable net fence in the trunk which is perfect for those who have pets to prevent them from jumping over to the rear passenger seats
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM: 8/10
Infotainment is really nice. Super easy to navigate with the swipe pad on the steering wheel. Personally I don’t use the center column control much because I like to keep my hands on the steering wheel.
Would be nice to have MBUX voice commands in the future!
Supports Android Auto and Apple Car Play
OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE 2019 mercedes-amg C43 Wagon:
Of all the cars I’ve tested so far, the Mercedes-AMG C43 Wagon is the most perfect car for me. It check marks everything on my list as a responsible adult to own a reasonably priced vehicle that provides all the room to be practical family hauler like a SUV, while giving me the performance and low center of gravity to drive my family and pets really fast. The hot looks of the C43 converted a few of my friends who have a general impression that all wagons are ugly to loving the look of this car. These days… wagons are rare, and performance wagons options are even rarer in North America. If you want to drive something different that not everyone has, but still has the practicially, I recommend giving a modern wagon a try especially if you’re a dog owner. This wagon variant for the C43 also happens to be a Canadian exclusive in North America.
For those who dream about owning an E63S Wagon, but can’t afford it, the C43 is super attractive coming in at around half the price (59,900 CAD) But if you don’t have the budget for C43 Wagon or don’t need the performance, take a look at the C300 Wagon which I personally enjoyed a lot as well.