2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan
Award applies only to vehicles with optional front crash prevention
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 criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
|
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. | |
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.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CEN1634 |
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 5 |
| Footrest (cm) | 10 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 8 |
| Parking brake (cm) | |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 4 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 4 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 4 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CEN1634 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 161 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 5 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 21 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 1.2 |
| Right | 1.3 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 3 |
| Right | 5 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.50 |
| Right | 0.43 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 2.8 |
| Right | 2.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 80 |
| Right | 73 |
Small overlap front: passenger-side
Rating applies to 2019-21 models
Tested vehicle: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2015 model year.
Passenger-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP1824 |
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 6 |
| Footrest (cm) | 12 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 8 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 3 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Center dash (cm) | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 5 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 4 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 4 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP1824 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 109 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 12 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.2 |
| Right | 0.0 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.37 |
| Right | 0.60 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 1.8 |
| Right | 1.7 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 51 |
| Right | 77 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP1824 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 68 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.6 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 4 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.3 |
| Right | 0.7 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 1 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.24 |
| Right | 0.26 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.6 |
| Right | 2.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 26 |
| Right | 62 |
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 criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| 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
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTF1415 |
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 1 |
| Left (cm) | 1 |
| Center (cm) | 1 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 2 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 3 |
| Rearward (cm) | -7 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTF1415 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 148 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 16 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 22 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 1.6 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 1.3 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 2 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.40 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.31 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 2.3 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 2.5 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 36 |
| Right | 53 |
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 criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| 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 | |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTS1417 |
|---|---|
| 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
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTS1417 |
| Head HIC-15 | 228 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 40 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 32 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.56 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.51 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.4 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.6 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.4 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 36 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 74 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTS1417 |
| Head HIC-15 | 225 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.1 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 34 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 22 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 18 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 1.94 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.19 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.4 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.0 |
| Combined force (kN) | 4.2 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 33 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 51 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2015-21 models
Tested vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,522 lbs |
| Peak force | 24,642 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 7.00 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seat
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seat |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 38 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -14 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 16.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 57 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 21 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 464 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.
Headlights
Ratings are given for 3 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.
Trim level(s)
- C300 trim equipped with Adaptive High Beam Assist package
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left curve, fair on the gradual right and sharp left curves, and inadequate on the sharp right curve.
High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on both left curves and on both right curves.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Trim level(s) |
|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2019-21 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 102.1 m | 8.4% |
| Straightaway left edge | 65.0 m | 8.4% |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 57.8 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, right edge | 64.9 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 46.5 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 52.4 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 179.1 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 167.4 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 69.0 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 75.6 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 51.4 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 57.6 m |
Trim level(s)
- C300 trim
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left curve, fair on the gradual right and sharp left curves, and inadequate on the sharp right curve.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Trim level(s) |
|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2019-21 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 102.1 m | 8.4% |
| Straightaway left edge | 65.0 m | 8.4% |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 57.8 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, right edge | 64.9 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 46.5 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 52.4 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 179.1 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 167.4 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 69.0 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 75.6 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 51.4 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 57.6 m |
Trim level(s)
- C300 trim equipped with Exterior Lighting package
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp left and both right curves and fair on the gradual left curve.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was good in all 4 tests.
High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on both left curves.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Trim level(s) |
|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2019-20 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 108.6 m | 33.4% |
| Straightaway left edge | 62.2 m | 33.4% |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 77.9 m | 19.4% |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 58.8 m | 32.3% |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 66.4 m | 0.8% |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 57.6 m | 23.0% |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 146.2 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 130.5 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 86.4 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 89.9 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 71.5 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 67.4 m |
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.
Front crash prevention: pedestrian (day)
Ratings are given for 2 different systems available on this vehicle.
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2015-21 models
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | C 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 criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | C 300 |
| Seat type | leather |
| Rating icon | Rating |
|---|---|
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| 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 |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| Position | Rating |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Seat position 21
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 3 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 69 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 2 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 61 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 22
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Lower anchor B | |
| No lower latch for this seat position | |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 23
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 4 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 56 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | Yes |
| Depth | Visible |
| Force (lbs) | 5 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 70 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Rear deck |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |