2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front: driver-side
G
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: original test
G
Roof strength
G
Head restraints & seats
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Superior
Standard system
Advanced

Seat belts & child restraints

Evaluation criteriaRating
LATCH ease of use
G

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure prevention

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2015 model year.

Evaluation criteriaRating
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but rolled to the left because the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the head and torso. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.
A

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.

The dummy's head contacted the frontal airbag but rolled partway around the left side, allowing the head to move toward the gap in coverage between the frontal and side curtain airbags.

The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door 4wd

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2015 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Leg/foot, left
G
Leg/foot, right
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 400 4-door 4wd with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2015 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door

Overall evaluation
G
Curb weight3,522 lbs
Peak force24,642 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio7.00

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seat

Overall evaluation
G
Dynamic rating
G
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.

System details

  • Optional Pre-Safe Brake
  • Standard Collision Prevention Assist Plus

Package name

  • Optional Driver Assistance Package

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-16 models

Superior
Superior
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

System details

  • Standard Collision Prevention Assist Plus

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-16 models

Advanced
Advanced
  • This system does not meet the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 14 mph.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Vehicle trimC 300
Seat type leather

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Vehicle trimC 300
Seat type leather
1 2 3
Rating iconRating
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

PositionRating
1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

About the child seat anchor evaluation