2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan
Small overlap front: driver-side
Rating applies to 2013-14 models built after December 2012
Tested vehicle: 2013 Mercedes-Benz C 250 4-door
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2010 models, an airbag for the driver's knees was added to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. Beginning with 2013 models built after December 2012, the side curtain airbags were reprogrammed to deploy in small overlap frontal crashes to further improve occupant protection (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door).
Two tests of the C-Class were conducted, one a 2012 model and the other a 2013 model built after the side curtain airbags were reprogrammed. In the first test, the driver side curtain airbag did not deploy; in the second test, it deployed as intended. The ratings and vehicle specifications listed are for the second test, but because the car's structure was not changed, the structural rating is based on both tests.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the second of two small overlap frontal crash tests.
The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test, together with the footwell intrusion, indicates that the driver's survival space wasn't maintained well (second test shown).
In the second test, the frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.
In both tests, intrusion into the driver footwell was extensive and contributed to a high risk of injury to the left lower leg and at least a significant risk to the right lower leg. Also in both tests, the dummy's right foot was trapped by intruding structure and the brake pedal as the left front wheel was forced rearward and inward during the crash (second test shown).
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEN1211 | CEN1327 |
|---|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | ||
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 9 | 12 |
| Footrest (cm) | 32 | 50 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 24 | 29 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 21 | 22 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 14 | 20 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 | 1 |
| Upper occupant compartment | ||
| Steering column | 4 | 4 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 9 | 11 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 11 | 10 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 11 | 11 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEN1327 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 248 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 9 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.15 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 4.9 |
| Right | 3.2 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 3 |
| Right | 3 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 3 |
| Right | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 2.14 |
| Right | 1.13 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 10.6 |
| Right | 4.1 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 147 |
| Right | 98 |
Rating applies to 2010-13 models built before January 2013
Tested vehicle: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C 250 4-door
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2010 models, an airbag for the driver's knees was added to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics The dummy’s head remained in contact with the frontal airbag, but its head still moved toward the intruding A-pillar because the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the dummy's head and torso. The side curtain airbag did not deploy, leaving the dummy's head vulnerable to contact with side structure and outside objects. |
Action shot taken during the first of two small overlap frontal crash tests.
The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test, together with the footwell intrusion, indicates that the driver's survival space wasn't maintained well (first test shown).
In the first test, the seat belt allowed far too much forward movement of the dummy to the extent that its head came close to hitting the intruding A-pillar. The side curtain airbag did not deploy, further adding to injury risk.
In both tests, intrusion into the driver footwell was extensive. The dummy's right foot was trapped by intruding structure and the brake pedal as the left front wheel was forced rearward and inward during the crash. (The tire, painted white for visibility, can be seen just below the dummy's left foot after the first test.)
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEN1211 |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 9 |
| Footrest (cm) | 32 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 24 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 21 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 14 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 4 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 9 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 11 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 11 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEN1211 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 98 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 17 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 6 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.21 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 19 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 3.1 |
| Right | 2.6 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 3 |
| Right | 6 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 2.01 |
| Right | 1.87 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 5.2 |
| Right | 4.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 113 |
| Right | 112 |
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2010-14 models
Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2010 models, an airbag for the driver's knees was added to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTF0905 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 1 |
| Left (cm) | 1 |
| Center (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 3 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 1 |
| Right (cm) | 3 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | -4 |
| Rearward (cm) | -6 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 1 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTF0905 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 173 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 23 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 8 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.30 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 32 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 1.6 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 2.3 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 2 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 2 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.36 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.50 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 3.1 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 3.6 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 57 |
| Right | 75 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2009-14 models
Tested vehicle: 2009 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso/pelvis airbags
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2009 models, the front-seat mounted side torso airbags were modified to include an additional chamber to protect the pelvis in side-impact crashes.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbags.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0842 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -20.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0842 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 165 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.4 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 44 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.97 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.45 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.0 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.2 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.8 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.1 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 74 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 40 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0842 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 155 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.5 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.5 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 15 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 0.9 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 17 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 13 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.17 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.19 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Combined force (kN) | 2.6 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.6 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 89 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -48 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2008-14 models
Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,510 lbs |
| Peak force | 18,826 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.36 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seats AHR
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seats AHR |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 40 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 36 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.7 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 52 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 34 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 453 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.