Finally, the S205 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Wagon Arrives in Canada

Timothy Cain
by Timothy Cain

It took some doing.

Mercedes-Benz Canada first showed the wagon version of the fourth-generation C-Class 20 months ago at 2016’s Montreal Auto Show. All-wheel drive, a 2.1-liter diesel with 369 lb-ft of torque, and a profile deserving of all our praise was destined for Canadian showrooms despite Mercedes-Benz USA’s rejection of the wagon.

But there were hiccups. 13 months ago, we asked Mercedes-Benz about the C-Class Wagon’s arrival on this side of the Atlantic and received the following response: “We’re still waiting for certification.”

Mercedes-Benz never got the certification it desired, and diesel engines have disappeared from the automaker’s North American lineup. But by April 2017, we knew Mercedes-Benz had a new plan: the all-wheel drive would remain, but in place of the 2.1-liter diesel there’d be a 2.0-liter turbo C300 with 241 horsepower.

It’s finally here. And it’s still bound for America.

Priced from CAD $48,395 including a $2,395 destination charge, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic Wagon commands a reasonable $1,300 premium over the Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic sedan. While the C300 sedan and coupe can be optioned into an AMG C43, AMG C63, or AMG C63 S, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Wagon range starts and ends with the 2.0T-powered C300. A nine-speed automatic is the only transmission.

Cargo volume rises from the sedan’s 12.6 cubic feet to 17.3, or 53.3 with the seats folded. Fuel economy lines up with the sedan’s 10.1 L/100km city; 7.8 L/100km highway with a 10.7 L/100km (22 miles per gallon on the U.S. scale) city rating and 8.0 L/100km (29 mpg) on the highway.

But is the Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic sedan the real competitor? The C-Class is, after all, Canada’s best-selling premium brand nameplate so far this year and Canada’s 15th-best-selling car overall. The Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4Matic, however, at $48,295, is the real vehicle that will stand in the C-Class Wagon’s search for popularity. GLC sales have doubled in Canada this year, and it’s now the brand’s second-best-selling model.

Of course, most buyers will choose the ever-so-slightly less costly GLC over the C. But at least Mercedes-Benz Canada is giving consumers the chance to decide. At Mercedes-Benz USA, the least costly wagon is the USD $64,045 E400 4Matic.

[Images: Mercedes-Benz Canada]

Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars and Instagram.

Timothy Cain
Timothy Cain

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  • Baggins Baggins on Sep 26, 2017

    17.3 cubic feet with the second row up isnt much space. Folded the number is more impressive, but this thing isnt a mail hauler, that's for sure. Looks nice.

    • Ash78 Ash78 on Sep 27, 2017

      Damn that raked rear glass. When loading these things up, it's a big hindrance, despite what the numbers may show.

  • Ra_pro Ra_pro on Sep 27, 2017

    I am only interested in C43 version, where is it?

  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
  • Dave Holzman A design award for the Prius?!!! Yes, the Prius is a great looking car, but the visibility is terrible from what I've read, notably Consumer Reports. Bad visibility is a dangerous, and very annoying design flaw.
  • Wjtinfwb I've owned multiple Mustang's, none perfect, all an absolute riot. My '85 GT with a big Holley 4 barrel and factory tube header manifolds was a screaming deal in its day and loved to rev. I replaced it with an '88 5.0 Convertible and added a Supercharger. Speed for days, handling... present. Brakes, ummm. But I couldn't kill it and it embarrassed a lot of much more expensive machinery. A '13 Boss 302 in Gotta Have It Green was a subtle as a sledgehammer, open up the exhaust cut outs and every day was Days of Thunder. I miss them all. They've gotten too expensive and too plush, I think, wish they'd go back to a LX version, ditch all the digital crap, cloth interior and just the Handling package as an add on. Keep it under 40k and give todays kids an alternative to a Civic or WRX.
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