This
review first appeared in the April 2017 edition of the Northern & Central
California Cruisin’ News published
out of Folsom, California – mg
Welcome to the world of Mercedes-Benz, and
my tester was the 2017 SLC300, a convertible with a willing 2-liter turbo 4
with nearly 250 horsepower.
Yes, this is the “economical” version of the
car, which also can be had with a 3-liter, twin-turbo 6 dishing up around 362
horsepower. But that’s another story for
another time.
If you’re keeping score, the SLC-Class
replaces the automaker’s SLK class. It’s
not unusual to change the name to usher in something new, although most of
what’s in the 2017 SLC300 will be familiar to veteran Mercedes pilots.
Interior luxury features are nicely placed
and plentiful. The upholstery was
spot-on, perfectly stitched and radiating elegance, a nice bonus in a car
priced less than 60-grand.
Exterior styling on the SLC300 is decidedly
sporty and aerodynamic. And yet the
front grille seems understated in this day and age of grilles bigger than a
battleship. Simply said, it’s a classic
Mercedes-Benz look that presents just the right mix of sophistication and
sportiness.
Performance was definitely a highlight,
smooth and forceful, yet quiet in the cabin.
The car took to the freeway with a smoothness one expects from a car
with a six-figure sticker. On city
streets, it was agile and quick to respond.
It darted out of harm’s way with effortless ease.
Yes, I enjoyed my all-too-short time with
the tester.
Fellow reviewers noted that the SLC300
accommodates taller people. And at 6-4,
I agree that the ride from the driver’s seat was a welcome comfort.
Of course, the retractable hardtop is a
blast to operate and show off to the neighbors.
When folks come over to gawk at the hardtop show, be sure to tell them
about the nine-speed automatic transmission.
They might not know the significance of that, but it sure sounds
impressive.
What is impressive is the advertised 25
miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Granted, my tester was not a neck-snapper of
a beast, but those are still pretty fair numbers from a Mercedes-Benz
convertible.
Mercedes’ always top-notch safety systems
included collision-prevention braking, a backup camera, blind-spot monitoring,
lane-keeping assist and parking assist.
The lane-keeping feature was not overly reactive, a nice departure from
other, recently tested systems that wanted to rip the steering wheel from my
hands.
All in all, this is a Mercedes worth
pursuing – relatively affordable for many budgets and nicely equipped bumper to
bumper.
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